Lost some data when accidentally overwrite catalog

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boxymat Author

Level 1

4 points

Lost some data when accidentally overwrite catalog

External SSD with ExFat filesystem

I have a problem with accidentally overwrite directory.

To make case clear a little example with allow to understand.

That looks like the structure on disk

/DirA/FolderA/F1
/DirA/FolderA/F2
/DirB/FolderA/F3
/DirC/
/DirD/

Then i select /DirB/FolderA to copy it to /DirA/FolderA. Finder popup message and I accidentally click on overwrite instead of merge.

Action cause that I don't see F1 and F2 folders and file anymore.

It is very strange, cause I used recovery programs and they not show any of the files from F1 / F2 folders. However I see and other deleted files from other location.

Whats happed? How i can restore the data?

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.3

Posted on Mar 26, 2022 9:38 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

leroydouglas

Community+ 2024

Level 10

188,712 points

Mar 26, 2022 10:15 AM in response to boxymat

boxymat wrote:

External SSD with ExFat filesystem

I have a problem with accidentally overwrite directory.

To make case clear a little example with allow to understand.

That looks like the structure on disk

/DirA/FolderA/F1

/DirA/FolderA/F2

/DirB/FolderA/F3

/DirC/

/DirD/

Then i select /DirB/FolderA to copy it to /DirA/FolderA. Finder popup message and I accidentally click on overwrite instead of merge.

Action cause that I don't see F1 and F2 folders and file anymore.

It is very strange, cause I used recovery programs and they not show any of the files from F1 / F2 folders. However I see and other deleted files from other location.

Whats happed? How i can restore the data?

restore items backed up with Time Machine

Restore items backed up with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

boxymat Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 26, 2022 3:17 PM in response to leroydouglas

Unfortunately there is no Time Machine backup. Use lot of recovery tools, but not show data to recovery from that specific folder.

What is strange I see every deleted files from that disk in recovery tools. This one which was wipe out by overwrite button in Finder no.

I only delete and move data between folders on that disc, no new writes.

So in general question which i need to know the answer is - If i moved files between folders on the specific disk the data is moved to anothers "cells" on that disk or just only update the partition table with location?

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Lost some data when accidentally overwrite catalog

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