Mac system offers a number of ways to backup data incorporated on the hard drive so that users can recover it securely and proficiently, whenever required. One such way is Clone which is easy to execute. It preserves the security and integrity parameters for both stored data and Mac Operating System.
In addition, another built-in tool called the Time Machine is added as part of the Mac OS X. This makes it easier to save multiple versions of each file from computer on external media as well as AirPort Time Capsule. In the upcoming sections, we will discuss the steps to recover deleted files and suggest solutions for implementation should the need arise.
1) Clone Backup
Clone is an identical copy or a replica of the Mac’s startup volume. A separate partition or hard drive is required for cloning Mac. Before initiating the cloning process, it is recommended to make sure that the Destination disk possesses enough space and capacity to hold entire data existing on the Mac hard drive. If any severe issues such as corruption, malicious malware attack, partition loss, etc. occurs to Mac machine or the incorporated data, then perform a deleted file recovery operation with Clone backup instantly.
In case of a sudden hardware or software breakdown leading to excessive data loss, it can immediately be restored by attaching the clone drive. All you need to do is restart the Mac system and hold down the Options key. In the OS X’s Startup Manager, select the clone drive and then press ‘Return’. Either the internal or external drive can be utilized for cloning. However, external drives are more flexible and common too. For example: PowerPC Mac can boot from FireWire drives whereas Intel Mac requires USB drives or external FireWire drive.
2) Time Machine
First introduced in Mac OS X Leopard (version 10.5), Time Machine is distributed as a backup utility with the respective Operating System. Time Machine backs up all the files existing on Mac machine to external storage drive and restores data when required. In order to utilize the benefits offered by Time Machine, it requires setting up the same on Mac machine. One incredible feature is that after setting up the Time Machine, it routinely creates
- hourly backup for the past 24 hours
- weekly backups for the past month
- and weekly backups for all previous months
Although, it is a built-in backup utility, but requires any one of the external storage solutions being sold separately among:
- Time Capsule or OS X Server on the network
- External storage disk connected to FireWire, USB or a Thunderbolt port on the Mac
- External hard disk connected to USB port of an AirPort Extreme (802.11 ac) base station on the network
3) Clouds
With the emergence of cloud technology, a remarkable increase has been noticed in demand for online storage solutions rather than the conventional storage options. The factors that have contributed to the success of this storage and backup strategy are flexible accessibility to stored data, all-time availability and above all, improved security. Apart from benefits, this utility also comes with few limitations. The risk and issues associated with physical backup solutions are not just restricted to virus attacks, but sudden storage media breakdowns, short circuits, and other such problems as well. In fact, Mac possesses a different story when it comes to cloud computing approach.
It is important to search for the reliable cloud backup services for Mac in order to achieve best out of it. Although, core features incorporated in different cloud backup services are quite similar, but they extremely vary in functionality when evaluated on a wider scale. When it comes to Cloud Computing, the most important factor that must be considered is the speed at which the backup is generated as well as restored back on the machine. Moreover, this backup strategy is subject to monthly costs and subscriptions. Stipulated data usage is another vital thing that must be taken into consideration while selecting cloud backup strategy for your Mac data.
4) Mac Data Recovery Software
Undoubtedly, when it comes to Mac data recovery, the third party apps can be considered an incredible option. Particularly, when rapid recovery is the need of the time and you do not want to get lost in the web of manual or built-in recovery procedures commercial apps will do the trick. These Mac data recovery tools are integrated with advanced algorithms and improved functionality. Deleted or lost data from Mac Pro, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac can be recovered in just a few clicks. Moreover, the paid apps offer recovering all kind of files including videos, music, documents, images and many more, irrespective of volume of lost data. Not only temporary, but permanently deleted data can also be recovered using the software. Mac Data Recovery Software recovers data that has been deleted permanently from the OS.
Although, it is recommended to thoroughly analyse the features of the Mac data recovery tools before investing on them, it is equally important to check whether it supports latest Mac OS X (EI Capitan 10.11 version) or not. Moreover, the tool must be capable enough to recover files from an external hard drive as well as encrypted file systems. The best thing is that you can test the features and functional procedures (being offered) before making any investment as some of these tools offer trial version for free. Talking about the limitations of these tools, there is nothing much that can be said as they are specially designed to serve a particular objective and undoubtedly offers the same.
The Way Forward
To conclude, though there are a several methods to recover deleted data from Mac files, it is quite a daunting task to select one. To compare the built-in recovery utilities and commercial Mac Data Recovery apps is not an easy task. However, the selection on to which data recovery medium must be executed depends upon individual preferences as well as the volume of data damage or file corruption. Not to forget, time taken to resolve the issue plays an important role here.
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