A file system is a method used to store and manage the files on a computer. It contains metadata — the file’s name, size, and other key characteristics — and defines rules for storing, deleting, and organizing data.
Different operating systems (such as Windows, MacOS, and Linux) support different types of file systems. Since the goal of data recovery is to find and restore as much of the target data as possible, the file system is incredibly important for recovery efforts for several reasons:
- Engineers must use software tools designed for the file system in question.
- Engineers must also use appropriate tools to verify whether a recovery is successful.
- File systems may influence the amount of fragmentation on a hard drive, which affects whether the data is fully recoverable.
- In cases of accidental deletion, the file system is especially important. File systems process file deletion commands in different ways, so the file system may affect whether the full file is recoverable.
- Regardless of the source of data loss, engineers must understand the architecture of file systems to restore files to a usable state.
When you need professional data recovery services, one of the first questions you’ll need to answer is whether you know the file system of your storage device. If you don’t know, don’t worry — providing your operating system is usually sufficient.
Are data recovery success rates higher for certain file systems?
This is a difficult question to answer. The chances of a successful recovery depend on dozens of factors, and file system is certainly one of those factors — but unless your device uses a proprietary file system (for example, Sony PlayStation systems), other factors will be much more important.
Data recovery techniques are well established for the most popular file systems:
- FAT, FAT 16, and FAT32 are older filesystems that use file allocation tables (hence the acronym) to track the locations of files on a disk. They’re relatively simple, and data recovery is usually straightforward — but newer file systems are much more efficient and much more commonly used.
- NTFS (New Technology File System) is the default file system for newer Windows computers. Introduced in Windows NT 3.1, NTFS supports larger files and partition sizes than FAT32. While it’s more complex than older file systems, the chances of successful data recovery is very high (near 100%) for deleted or corrupt NTFS files.
- ReFS (Resilient File System) is Microsoft’s newest file system, designed for enterprise-level applications. It provides enhanced data availability and scalability, with a maximum partition size of 35 petabytes.
- HFS (Hierarchical File System) and HFS+ were used by Apple computers until 2019. It had a simple structure and enhanced metadata support. While HFS+ introduces some issues that can make full data recovery difficult in certain cases, files are generally recoverable; for deleted files, overwritten data (commonly, file names) may be unrecoverable.
- AFPS (Apple File System) is the modern default file system for macOS, iOS, and other Apple hardware. It improves performance over HFS+, but due to its application of the TRIM command for solid-state media, deleted files may be unrecoverable on AFPS systems. Read more about how the TRIM command affects data recovery.
- EXT4 (Fourth Extended File System) is used by the Linux operating systems. First introduced in 2003, it supports journaling, which makes data loss less likely when software crashes.
Regardless of your file system, data recovery is usually possible outside of a few specific failure scenarios (for example, if files are deleted on a newer Apple device with a solid-state drive).
Professional Resources for Data Recovery
While file system impacts data recovery chances, other factors are more influential:
- The storage device’s overall mechanical health.
- The storage device’s firmware.
- Whether the user operated the device following the failure.
- The size and file type of the target files.
- The exact circumstances that led to data loss.
In short: No data recovery company can reliably determine the chances of a successful recovery without physically evaluating your hard drive, solid-state drive, RAID array, or other device.
Datarecovery.com provides free, no-risk media evaluations to help you understand the costs of data recovery. We also support our services with a no data, no charge guarantee: If data recovery isn’t successful, you don’t pay for the attempt.
To learn more, call 1-800-237-4200 to speak with an expert or schedule a free evaluation online.
