The focus of this category is on disk editors. Also known as sector editors, disk editors are software programs designed to read, edit, and write raw data on disk drives, at the character, hexadecimal, and byte-levels.
Many disk editors can also be used to edit the content of a running computer's memory or disk image.
Several hex editors also have disk editor features. While hex editors are used to edit files, disk editors access the underlying disk structures, such as the master boot record, volume boot records, file systems, and directories. Disk editors help programmers understand these structures, and to test whether their implementation works correctly. They may also be used to edit these structures as examples in teaching data recovery and disk drive forensics, or to hide data for various reasons.
Disk drivers sometimes include functions to facilitate the editing and fixing of file systems or other disk-specific data structures. File browsers might also be included, allowing the disk contents to be examined for corrupt file systems or file systems that are not recognized by the operating system. These features can aid in file recovery efforts.
An early disk editor was DEBUG, which was included in all versions of DOS. With DEBUG, users can load, edit, and write one or more sectors from a hard disk or floppy based on the BIOS, allowing simple disk-editing functions like saving and restoring the master boot record and other critical sectors, or changing the active partition in the master boot record.
A partition editor is a partitioning utility designed to view, create, modify, or delete disk partitions, which are logical segments of the storage space on a storage device. By partitioning a hard drive into several partitions, various types of data can be isolated from one another, allowing two or more operating systems to exist on the same hard drive.
Both disk editors and partition editors are appropriate topics for this category.
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@Disk Management |
Recommended Resources
Created by LSoft Technologies, based in Ontario, Canada, Active Disk Editor is a freeware software tool for viewing and editing raw data on physical disks, including volumes, partitions, and files. With versions for Linux and Windows, the editor uses a low-level disk viewer to display information in binary and text modes at the same time, allowing for side-by-side comparisons and editing. An overview of the editor, a list of features, screenshots, and a video tutorial are featured.
https://www.disk-editor.org/
Available as a component of Active Boot Disk or as a standalone application, Active Partition Manager is a freeware computer program that allows users to manage storage devices and logical drives, including the partitions they contain. With the editor, partitions may be created, deleted, formatted, or named without shutting down the system. A product overview is provided, including its requirements, amount of workspace, a glossary, documentation, and instructional video.
http://www.pcdisk.com/
Designed for data searching, editing, and recovery on disks, DMDE can be used to recover directory structure and files in complex cases, using special algorithms. The disk editor and data recovery program includes a number of freeware features, including a disk editor, simple partition manager, a tool to create disk images and clones, RAID constructor, and file recovery from the current panel. Single, dual, and multi-OS editions are available for purchase from the site.
https://dmde.com/
Also known as GParted, the GTK front-end to GNU Parted is an official GNOME partition-editing application, used for checking, copying, creating, deleting, moving, and resizing disk partitions and their file systems, useful in creating space for new operating systems, reorganizing disk usage, copying data residing on hard drives, and disk imaging. The editor may be freely downloaded under the terms of the GNU General Public License, along with its source code.
https://gparted.org/
Originally written to help recover deleted files, LDE is a disk editor for Linux, featuring a simple Ncurses interface similar to old versions of Norton Disk Edit for DOS. Available for free under the terms of the GNU General Public License, LDE supports the three most popular file systems under Linux at the time that it was written. It allows the user to view and edit disk blocks in hex or ASCII mode. Links to the official binaries and the latest developer binaries are given.
http://lde.sourceforge.net/
The partition management program, from MiniTool Software, is available in English, German, Japanese, and Japanese, and is offered in several editions (Free, Pro, Pro Ultimate, Server, Enterprise, and Technician), which are compared side-by-side, with prices and a list of features available with each. Other resources include editor and user reviews, downloads for the free version and demos, development notes, and information about available support options.
https://www.partitionwizard.com/
Available in several editions (Partition Editor Free, Pro, Server, Enterprise, and Technician), the partition editor is developed by NIUBI Technology, compatible with the Windows operating system. The software features a one-second roll-back technology, allows users to cancel operations at will, and includes a virtual mode. Its features are listed and discussed in detail on its site, including each of its editions and their costs. Support features include tutorials, a FAQ, and a video guide.
https://www.hdd-tool.com/
