partrevive
partrevive is a free command-line and Tkinter utility for finding and restoring lost or deleted partition tables.
What partrevive is
partrevive is a free command-line and Tkinter utility for finding and restoring lost or deleted partition tables. It scans disks for filesystem signatures, then verifies candidates using read-only loop devices and mounts to distinguish filesystems with data from unmountable candidates. Its workflow includes scanning, verification, planning, file rescue, table restoration, automatic recovery, undo, and disk imaging. It detects NTFS, FAT12/16/32, exFAT, ext2/3/4, btrfs, XFS, F2FS, and Linux swap; it reports LVM2 and LUKS but does not rebuild them. GPT is the default restore format, while MBR is available with --mbr and is limited to four primary partitions. Imaging uses ddrescue in two passes with a mapfile, and the tool can work from a disk image. Before writing, restore and auto save the current table and check SMART health; restore prompts by default and refuses mounted targets. The single-file Python 3 program requires root and Linux system tools, and the project describes itself as early. Heavily fragmented or partly overwritten filesystems may mount incompletely, so recovered data should be checked.
Good
- Read-only checks help distinguish live filesystems from ghosts.
- Offers both command-line and Tkinter workflows.
- Can image a failing drive using ddrescue.
- Saves the existing table before writing.
Watch out
- Requires root and multiple Linux system tools.
- LVM2 and LUKS are reported but not rebuilt.
- Fragmented or overwritten filesystems may be incomplete.
- The project describes itself as early.
Who it suits
partrevive may suit Linux users trying to recover a lost partition table, including those working from a disk image. It requires root and several Linux system tools, and recovered filesystems should be checked for completeness.
Verdict
partrevive combines candidate verification, recovery planning, imaging, and table restoration in one utility. Its safeguards help protect existing tables, but the tool has system requirements and recovered data may need checking.
Plans and prices
From partrevive's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| MIT licensed | Free | Single-file Python utility · requires root and Linux system tools |
The facts
Each one read from partrevive's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Dependencies
- The single-file Python 3 program uses the standard library and requires root plus sgdisk, blkid, losetup, mount, partprobe, and blockdev on PATH.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Disk images
- A disk image file can be used as the device input, and the image command uses ddrescue in two passes with a mapfile.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Disk imaging
- The image command uses ddrescue in two passes with a mapfile, and the tool can recover against a disk image file.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Download and requirements
- The project is a single Python 3 file using the standard library and requires root plus sgdisk, blkid, losetup, mount, partprobe, and blockdev on PATH.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Filesystem support
- It detects NTFS, FAT12/16/32, exFAT, ext2/3/4, btrfs, XFS, F2FS, and Linux swap; LVM2 and LUKS are reported but not rebuilt.checked 9 Oct 2026
- GUI
- An optional Tkinter GUI presents a guided scan and verify, plan, and restore workflow.checked 9 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository states that partrevive is MIT licensed.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Limitations
- LUKS and LVM2 volumes are flagged but not sized, mounted, or included in the proposed partition table.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Maturity
- The README describes the project as early and reports testing recovery of a deleted GPT on a 240 GB SATA SSD.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Partition formats
- It restores GPT by default and can write an MBR table with --mbr, limited to four primary partitions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Project maturity
- The README describes the project as early and says it has been tested on a 240 GB SATA SSD recovery involving Windows partitions over stale Linux partitions.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- partrevive scans raw disks for filesystem signatures, verifies candidate partitions read-only, and helps rebuild a lost partition table.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Read-only verification
- Its verify command checks candidates using read-only loop devices and mounts, classifying filesystems with data as live and unmountable candidates as ghosts.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Recovery steps
- Its commands support scanning, verification, planning, rescuing files, restoring a table, undoing a saved table, and imaging a failing drive.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Recovery workflow
- The CLI provides scan, verify, plan, rescue, restore, auto, undo, and image commands.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Safety
- Restore backs up the existing partition table, prompts before writing by default, refuses to act on a mounted target, and can be undone from the saved backup.checked 8 Oct 2026
- SMART check
- Before writing, restore and auto check SMART health and refuse a failing drive unless --force is supplied.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Verification
- It creates read-only views of candidates and mount-tests them to distinguish live filesystems from stale ghosts.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Write safety
- Only restore and auto write the partition table; the tool saves the existing table first and restore refuses to operate on a mounted target.checked 9 Oct 2026
The company
- Maker
- The maintainer profile identifies the maker as Ned Heller and lists Bay Area as the location.checked 9 Oct 2026
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