macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install testdiskprovider-native install command
brew / rank 987
Install testdisk with Homebrew
Powerful free data recovery utility. Version 7.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Powerful free data recovery utility
Project links
Commands and aliases
- fidentify
- photorec
- testdisk
history
Project history and usage
TestDisk is CGSecurity's long-running free and open-source data-recovery utility for recovering lost partitions, repairing boot sectors, rebuilding partition tables, and copying files from damaged or deleted filesystems. It is distributed with PhotoRec and is licensed under GPL v2 or later.
Project history
The official TestDisk documentation states that TestDisk was created in 1998 by Christophe Grenier, followed by PhotoRec in April 2002. CGSecurity continues to publish both tools together, with source available through its official cgit repository and release 7.2 documented in 2024.
Adoption history
TestDisk became a standard rescue-disk and package-manager tool because it targets emergency recovery work across operating systems rather than a single desktop workflow. Official docs list ready-to-use binaries for DOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS, with compilation support for BSD, Haiku, SunOS/Solaris, and other Unix-like systems; package metadata lists it across Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Scoop, Ubuntu, winget, and openSUSE.
How it is used
The package is usually installed when a disk, memory card, USB drive, or partition table has already failed. Users run the interactive terminal program with administrator privileges, select a disk, inspect partition tables, perform quick or deeper searches, repair NTFS/FAT boot sectors, or copy recoverable files before writing any partition changes.
Why package nerds care
TestDisk is a classic package-nerd rescue tool: boring to install on a good day, priceless on a bad one. It is valued because it is small, cross-platform, terminal-based, script-adjacent, and available from ordinary package managers before a recovery emergency occurs.
Timeline
- 1998: Christophe Grenier creates TestDisk.
- 2002: PhotoRec created in April 2002.
- 2008: Official cgit tags list v6.9 and v6.10 releases.
- 2015: Official cgit tags list v7.0.
- 2019: Official cgit tags list v7.1.
- 2024: Official wiki and cgit tags list TestDisk 7.2 on February 22, 2024.
- 2026: TestDisk 7.2 PDF documentation dated January 4, 2026.
Related projects
- TestDisk is distributed with PhotoRec and QPhotoRec, and is often used alongside live rescue environments, ddrescue imaging workflows, filesystem repair tools, and forensic triage utilities.
Sources
- https://git.cgsecurity.org/cgit/testdisk/ official source repository.
- https://git.cgsecurity.org/cgit/testdisk/refs/tags official tag dates.
- https://www.cgsecurity.org/testdisk.pdf official PDF documentation with creation dates, author, platform notes, and recovery scope.
- https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk official wiki description, license, supported tasks, operating systems, and documentation links.
- source_facts.package-manager lists broad package-manager coverage.
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
fidentify | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
photorec | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
testdisk | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version7.2
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:testdisk |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.2 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation