MBP Partition Recovery to Preserve Data

[Aphro]

So I sort of bricked my old mbp (~2010) with an Ubuntu install attempt...didn't realize that the auto-installer wouldn't even let me choose which partition to install to...

Backed out of the install before it properly started but, not before having the mbr/partition table (or mac equivalent) altered.

Tried using the partition functions in Disk Utilities from the installer disc (based on a tip found on a legacy forum) which allegedly would allow partitions to be put back in place without erasing all the data...naturally, it threatened to erase all the data when I tried resizing the Ubuntu created partitions...

Is there a way I can restore my old partitions without destroying all the data?

Thanks!

 

[Erdbeertorte]

Easiest way would be running the full installer of the same version (or newer) like an update.

Edit: You need to put the installer on an external drive if you can't boot the OS by holding option(alt).
The versions that came on disks (Snow Leopard and older don't have a recovery partition and are also outdated if you updated or upgraded).


Or try this if you can boot somehow into OS X/macOS: http://musings.silvertooth.us/downloads-2/

That one should also work with newer versions: https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1433?locale=en_US

 

[Aphro]

Could you elaborate as to your first suggestion? Are you talking about the osx or ubuntu installer?...

When I say sort of bricked; booting into the original installer disc to access recovery tools isn't a problem.

But what I really need I think is a way to correct the mbr and partition table without coincidence with erasure of the data that's there.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP asks:
"Is there a way I can restore my old partitions without destroying all the data?"

Since you "Backed out of the install before it properly started but, not before having the mbr/partition table (or mac equivalent) altered", I'm going to -guess- that "the damage is done". You can't "go back" without re-initializing the entire drive.

I'll also guess that you have no backup, because if you did, you wouldn't be posting about this.

I'm not sure if any Mac data recovery app will touch the drive with a half-failed (i.e., altered) partition map from a failed Ubuntu install.

The only way I think you might get the data back is to re-initialize to HFS+ with journaling enabled, and then "attack" the reinitialized drive (DO NOT install anything onto it yet) using a data recovery utility such as "DataRescue" (from Presort). Of course to do this, you must be booting up from ANOTHER drive that has DataRescue installed on it. And on top of that, you may need a SECOND external drive to serve as the "scratch drive" to which the data is recovered.

There are risks to mucking with a drive that has no backup.
You've discovered one of them...

 

[Aphro]

Heh... the worst part is that this isn't the first time...

I'm a slow learner

Thanks for the advice.

Out of interest, why HFS+ and why journaling? If you can spare the time...