APFS corrupted on Samsung 990 Pro 2TB – how to recover files with original names?

Recovering Data from a Corrupted APFS SSD: A Guide to Effective Strategies

Introduction

Data corruption can be a stressful experience, especially when it involves valuable files stored on high-performance storage devices. If you’ve encountered a situation where your Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD, formatted with APFS (Apple File System), exhibits signs of corruption, you’re not alone. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how to approach recovery, ensuring the preservation of your data, including original filenames and folder structures.

Understanding the Issue

In some cases, after macOS updates or even just connecting the drive, the APFS filesystem may become corrupted. Typical symptoms include:

The drive being recognized by system tools like diskutil list, displaying the correct disk size.
The APFS container failing to mount or be recognized.
Disk Utility detecting the drive but not mounting any volumes.
Errors during repair attempts, such as “Unable to find an APFS Container Reference” or “Container superblock is invalid.”

Scenario Summary

Device: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe SSD via USB enclosure
Filesystem: APFS on macOS 26
Issue onset: Post-macOS update
Data: Important files with original filenames and folder structure
Current status: Drive detected but inaccessible; container structure compromised

Recommended Data Recovery Strategies

Prioritize Data Integrity: Do Not Write to the Affected Drive

Before attempting any repair, avoid writing new data to the SSD. This minimizes the risk of overwriting recoverable information. If possible, mount the drive as read-only or disconnect it until ready to recover.

Create a Sector-by-Sector Clone (Bit-by-Bit Backup)

Cloning the drive before further recovery efforts is highly advisable. Use reliable tools such as dd (on macOS or Linux) or specialized disk cloning software that supports raw cloning of APFS volumes. This way, you preserve the current state and can attempt recovery from the clone rather than the original, reducing further risks.

Employ Specialized Data Recovery Tools

Several data recovery tools are optimized for APFS and can help recover data while preserving filenames and folder structures. Consider the following: