---
name: "scrounge-ntfs"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "scrounge-ntfs"
version: "0.9-11"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/scrounge-ntfs"
---

# scrounge-ntfs(8)

helps retrieve data from corrupted NTFS partitions

## NAME

**scrounge-ntfs** – helps retrieve data from corrupted NTFS partitions

## SYNOPSIS

**scrounge-ntfs** **-l** *disk*

**scrounge-ntfs** **-s** *disk*

**scrounge-ntfs** \[**-m** *mftoffset*\] \[**-c** *clustersize*\] \[**-o** *outdir*\] *disk* *start* *end*

## DESCRIPTION

**scrounge-ntfs** is a utility that can rescue data from corrupted NTFS partitions. It  writes the files retrieved to another working file system. Certain  information about the partition needs to be known in advance.

The  **-l** mode is meant to be run in advance of the data corruption, with the  output stored away in a file. This allows  **scrounge-ntfs** to recover data reliably. See the 'NOTES' section below for recover info when this isn't the case.

## OPTIONS

The options are as follows:

- **-c**

  The cluster size (in sectors). When not specified a default of 8 is used.

- **-l**

  List partition information for a drive. This will only work when the partition table for the given drive is intact.

- **-m**

  When recovering data this specifies the location of the MFT from  the beginning of the partition (in sectors). If not specified then no directory information can be used, that is, all rescued files  will be written to the same directory.

- **-o**

  Directory to put rescued files in. If not specified then files will be placed in the current directory.

- **-s**

  Search disk for partition information. (Not implemented yet).

- disk

  The raw device used to access the disk which contains the NTFS  partition to rescue files from. eg: '/dev/hdc'

- start

  The beginning of the NTFS partition (in sectors).

- end

  The end of the NTFS partition (in sectors)

## NOTES

If you plan on using this program successfully you should prepare in advance by storing a copy of the partition information. Use the  **-l** option to do this. Eventually searching for disk partition information  will be implemented, which will solve this problem.

When only one partition exists on a disk or you want to rescue the  first partition there are ways to guess at the sector sizes and MFT location. See the scrounge-ntfs web page for more info:

http://thewalter.net/stef/software/scrounge

## AUTHOR

Stef Walter ⟨stef@thewalter.net⟩