Recovering lost files from EXT2/EXT3 partitions on Linux using the Recuva utility through the Wine emulator. This guide details the process from installing the necessary software to saving the recovered data.
System Preparation and Wine Installation
Before starting, ensure your system is up to date. The command sudo apt update refreshes the package lists, and sudo apt upgrade installs the latest versions of existing packages. Installing Wine requires adding the official WineHQ repositories to obtain the current stable version. This ensures correct operation with modern applications.
Command sequence:
- `wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key`
- `sudo apt-key add winehq.key`
- `sudo add-apt-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ focal main'` (replace `focal` with your distribution's codename)
- `sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable`
Some users on forums note that for older or minimalist distributions, installing additional dependencies like winetricks might be necessary.
Acquiring and Installing Recuva
Download the Recuva installer from the official Piriform website. Save the file to a directory with full access permissions, such as your home directory. Launch the installer via the terminal. The command wine recuva_installer.exe initiates the installation process into Wine's virtual file system (~/.wine). Follow the steps in the setup wizard. To simplify subsequent launches, you can create a desktop shortcut or add the program to the application menu.
Mounting the Partition for Recovery
A critical step is to provide Recuva with access to the target partition. The command sudo fdisk -l or lsblk -f displays a list of all connected storage devices and their partitions. Correct device identification eliminates the risk of overwriting data on other disks.
The partition must be mounted without being automatically mounted by the system to prevent the operating system from writing to its file system. The ro (read-only) option and explicit specification of the file system type are often used for this purpose.
Example mount command:
- `sudo mount -o ro,noatime -t ext3 /dev/sdX1 /mnt/recovery`
The -o ro parameter mounts the partition in read-only mode, and noatime prevents updating file access timestamps. If the mount point /mnt/recovery does not exist, create it with the command sudo mkdir -p /mnt/recovery.
Launching Recuva and the Scanning Process
Launch the Recuva executable file via Wine. The full path typically looks like this: wine "C:\Program Files\Recuva\recuva.exe". In the program's main window, the wizard will prompt you to select the type of files to search for. For a deep analysis, selecting "All Files" is best. In the next window, specify the location: this will be the drive letter in Wine corresponding to the partition mounted in Linux. Usually, mounted disks appear in Wine as network or removable drives (e.g., Z:).
Recuva offers two scan types: quick and deep. A deep scan takes considerable time but performs a full analysis of the storage surface, which increases the chances of recovering files after formatting or file system damage.
Analyzing Results and Saving Data
Upon scan completion, the program will display a list of found files. A color indicator (green, yellow, red) shows the presumed integrity of each file. Previewing the contents of some file types (images, text documents) is available directly in the Recuva interface.
To recover, check the desired files and click "Recover". The key rule is to save files to a physical drive different from the one being recovered from. Within the Wine context, choose to save to a directory inside the virtual drive C:\users\Public\Documents or specify a path to an external USB drive mounted in Linux, which will be available to Recuva as a separate disk.
Alternatives and Important Considerations
Data recovery specialists often point out potential complexities when using Windows programs in Wine to work with Linux file systems. Direct low-level access may be limited. Native solutions for Linux include utilities like extundelete, testdisk, or photorec. Their use can be more predictable for EXT partitions.
Recovery effectiveness directly depends on write activity on the disk after file deletion. Immediately stopping any write operations to the target partition is the primary condition for a successful outcome.