The challenge of data recovery on Macs
There probably exist 100 high quality data recovery programs that will enable you to rescue files lost on a Windows based personal computer. And while it is difficult to sort through these programs to find the fastest and most cost efficient software, it is reasonably simple to do. However, when dealing with Apple Mac computers, finding a program to recover Mac data is far more difficult. Why is this? Apple computers unlike PCs use a proprietary operating system designed only for them. While in general they store files in the same manner as a Windows based computer specifically there are certain application features that do not allow for quick searching and scanning of Mac hard drives as one might do on a PC.
Specifically the major roadblock that exists when wishing to perform partition recovery on Macs is the disk initialization and verification process. This is an extra step that Mac computers and the Mac OS X system use every time the system goes to store or retrieve a file. When a conventional data recovery program attempts to look through a hard drive that has been formatted using the Mac operating system, it is queried as to disc verification and basically blocks access to any and all files. For this reason one must purchase a program specifically designed for Mac data recovery, as these were developed to leapfrog over the disk verification process and allow one to copy out stored files.
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