Install
Install DiskRescue on a healthy computer and a healthy disk. For background on install formats, see Installing apps.
DANGER
Never install DiskRescue, or download anything, onto the drive you want to rescue. New files can overwrite the ones you are trying to get back.
Windows
Microsoft Store
DiskRescue in the Microsoft Store is a paid app. It is signed, updated by the Store, and adds the diskrescue and diskrescue-tui commands as well as the desktop app.
Zip from GitHub
The releases page has a zip with the three programs:
| PC | File |
|---|---|
| Most PCs (Intel or AMD) | diskrescue-<version>-x86_64-windows.zip |
| Windows on ARM | diskrescue-<version>-aarch64-windows.zip |
Extract the zip and run diskrescue-gui.exe. These files are not signed, so SmartScreen or Smart App Control may warn about them or block them.
Linux
Download from the releases page. The latest release has builds for x86-64.
Debian and Ubuntu (24.04 and newer)
sudo apt install ./diskrescue_<version>_amd64.debTarball
diskrescue-<version>-x86_64-linux.tar.gz holds diskrescue, diskrescue-tui and diskrescue-gui. Extract it and keep the three programs in the same folder: the desktop app uses diskrescue to copy drives with administrator rights.
The releases page lists SHA256SUMS for every download.
Administrator rights
Reading a raw drive needs administrator rights. Image files and repairs do not.
- Linux, desktop app: the app asks for your password when a drive needs it.
- Linux, terminal: run
sudo diskrescue-tuiorsudo diskrescue .... - Windows: the desktop app offers Restart as administrator when a drive needs it.