How to heal a fusion drive without losing data OR how to recover data from a split drive

[glogout]

Hello,
Recently I inadvertently split a fusion drive. I'd like to restore the data, and if possible put it back together again.
I have been googling for a whole day and have found precious little that would lead me to believe there is a simple solution. But apparently there must be some knowledge about this somewhere, as there are data recovery companies selling their software, that claim to be able to retrieve the data.
Does anyone have any idea where to search for the answer to this dilemma?
Thank you,
Missy

 

[Lufbrarunner]

When you say 'split' do you mean partition?
Do you have a recent backup?

 

[glogout]

Hello, thank you for your query.

The full information:
It is an iMac 27" I think early 2012.
128 GB SSD + 1 TB HD = Fusion drive (Core Storage technology)
The SSD is on the MB. I did not realize that it had a fusion drive. I took out the HD to try and recover some data. Then I found out, it's a fusion drive. But having split them up, now they are no longer "fused" into one. Now there is no access to the OS. So nothing really works.
We do not have backups. It belongs to a friend, we were trying to recover data.
It can only boot from an external drive now.

I wanted to try to boot into the recovery drive in order to start a terminal from there, then change the boot order so that the first boot disk is the usb flash drive, then boot into target mode to try to retrieve files. Something like this.
What do you think?

Thank you...

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Normally, when a Fusion Drive is split or broken, there is a way to recreate it as a Fusion Drive. However, you will lose all data on the flash and HDD drives when they are combined back to a Fusion Drive.

How to fix a split Fusion Drive

If you can't access the data on the HDD that you removed when it is in the iMac, you may neeed some form of drive dock or enclosure to mount it externally to recover the data. You would also need another Mac to connect it to, since the current iMac will not startup from part of the previous Fusion Drive.

Hope that helps,

C

 

[glogout]

Cory, Thanks for replying to my post and query.
I actually need to recover the data from the split drive before reinstalling, so I think my question is perhaps not formulated properly. So it is about data recovery. I know there is software for sale on the net that is supposed to be able to recover data from failed fusion drives. In this case the drive did not fail, so I am hoping that there is a good chance of recovery. Just did not want to spend upwards of $300 to purchase software in case anyone has experience with data recovery and can guide. So perhaps this thread belongs in a different forum?
Thanks, again.

 

[Lufbrarunner]

If you can put the drive into an external enclosure and mount it on another mac, you should be able to access your files. alternatively put it in an external enclosure and use a spare drive to install the OS on and use your own machine to access the data.

 

[barmillion]

I'm not sure how it happened, my drive had become full and I was copying files slowly to an external drive. I still basically had nearly a terrabyte of data on the fusion drive. I kept re-booting every so often to see if things had improved. It stopped booting and so I checked with disk utilities and saw that the fusion drive had become split. Glogout, were you able to solve yours? I now have the exact same drive you did with the exact same problem, except that I never removed my drive. Disk Warrior doesnt work with mojave. I can do a Carbon Copy Clone of the drives so that I can make my recovery efforts on the copy, but mostly wanted to ask if you were able to fix yours.

 

[ElleIlene]

I am currently running Catalina 10.15.7 and I've really hated Catalina. My first system was Yosemite and that is what I want to restore my system too but may have to settle on High Sierra due to learning Yosemite isn't something supported safely. I have a 3TB LaCie fusion drive with a partition. Last year when moving files from documents folders created a folder in pictures (crucial video footage for my documentary), then the files disappeared. (I was trying to make it easiest to ingest file footage into AVID Media Composer Ultimate.) I felt if eliminated the partition created in my 27" iMa, Late 2013. I will possibly be able to locate those missing files...? (I have another LaCie 5Tb I've backed up but am trying to learn more by reaching out to those who have the experience I can ask.
I feel by eliminating the partition on my external hard drive (3TB LaCie fusion drive), was backed up with Time Machine. My workflow will be easier and it may eliminate the issues when moving files as APPLE claims, they may be lost forever. My original system was Yosemite. I am going to install High Sierra once I determine it is best to find those missing files, or I combine them using Catalina. However, I don't like Catalina and it being a 64-bit versus my original Yosemite being a 32-bit. I feel that's what would work best, High Sierra. Or, do I try finding these files while in Catalina, first? (I've been certain the 32-bit to 64-bit is why those files disappeared. I know they are there somewhere, but where?
This is my life...all I've lived has come to this one documentary. And, I need to find those files.