Level 1

12 points

How to recover DaVinci Resolve project database from a MacBook Pro (2023) after a clean install?

Hi, I'm having trouble recovering data from my Mac and I was hoping someone could help.

Here’s the situation:

My Mac: MacBook Pro (2023), running macOS Sequoia.

Two days ago I did a clean install because of some app issues, but I later realized I had forgotten to back up my DaVinci Resolve project database. This is the data I need to recover.

Using my wife’s MacBook Air (2024, macOS Tahoe), I downloaded the Sequoia installer and created an external bootable SSD (SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD). My plan was to boot from that SSD, run Disk Drill, and recover the DaVinci data.

However, when I try to boot from the external SSD, the installer appears in the Startup Options screen, but pressing “Continue” does nothing (as shown in the photo). The selection highlights briefly and then returns to the same screen. I’ve tried making the installer both from the App Store and using createinstallmedia in Terminal, but neither version works.

If anyone knows a workaround for this, I’d really appreciate it.

Alternatively, if there is any way to make my Mac appear as an external disk on my wife’s Mac (similar to Target Disk Mode on Intel Macs), that would also solve my problem. From what I understand, Apple Silicon no longer supports Target Disk Mode, and “Share Disk” only exposes a network share, which recovery software cannot scan at the block level.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: MacBook

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.7

Posted on Nov 20, 2025 2:11 PM

Top-ranking reply

iamshivam

Level 2

158 points

Posted on Nov 24, 2025 1:00 AM

Right now it’s better to stop attempting with the external-boot issue and focus on getting a full macOS environment running on something that can actually scan your internal SSD. On Silicon Macs , a clean install plus normal use for even a day or two usually means TRIM has already wiped a lot of deleted blocks, so recovery is time-critical. The mistake is creating a bootable installer, what you actually need is a full macOS install on the external SSD.

Boot into Recovery > Options, erase the external drive (make sure you’re erasing the physical disk), format it as APFS, and then choose Install macOS and point it to that external SSD. Avoid using the DFU port when doing this. Once Sequoia or Sonoma is fully installed and you can boot from the external OS, install Stellar Recovery and run the scan on your internal SSD.

This setup bypasses the ownership/security block, avoids the endless installer loop, and gives you the only environment that can still read unallocated space before TRIM finishes wiping it. The sooner you scan, the better your chances of getting the Resolve database back.

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24 replies

Nov 20, 2025 3:53 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Disk Drill has a number of features, but I think the one in play here is recovering deleted data.

¿Have you recovered deleted data from an internal SSD drive that has been erased?

hirohisa132 Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 21, 2025 9:35 AM in response to Kurt Lang

yeah i reduced the security as attached but still not working. i installed Sequoia on my external. different OS like Sonoma is better?

hirohisa132 Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 21, 2025 11:37 AM in response to Kurt Lang

thx! that'll be so helpful!

hirohisa132 Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 22, 2025 7:42 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Thanks! well, I have given full disc access (back service didn't appear but Disk Drill did)but system extension has an issue, I'm in an endless restart loop somehow...

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,448 points

Nov 24, 2025 7:03 AM in response to hirohisa132

Whew! At least you got that it didn't have to rebuild the project from scratch.

Nov 20, 2025 2:36 PM in response to hirohisa132

<< My plan was to boot from that SSD, run Disk Drill, and recover the DaVinci data. >>

I have some really bad news for you. Recovering deleted files with Disk Drill only works for Rotating Magnetic drives.

if you have erased your SSD boot drive, within seconds of a file being deleted, those data are completely and utterly GONE.

You need to restore from your recent, tested backup. if you were using Time Machine, you can selectively reach back in time to right before you erased your drive.

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,448 points

Nov 21, 2025 7:06 AM in response to hirohisa132

With M series Macs, booting to external drives isn't anywhere near as easy as it used to be.

With Intel Macs, all you had to do was boot into Recovery Mode and set the system protection to low, which allows the Mac to boot to any connected device.

With M series Macs, installing the OS on an external drive isn't enough. You need to boot into Recovery Mode and explicitly grant permission with your admin password for an external device to be bootable.

hirohisa132 Author

Level 1

12 points

Nov 21, 2025 11:56 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Hi Kurt, HWTech, firstly I want to express my sincere gratitude for your kindness and support!

I installed Sequoia to my external SSD via my Mac's recovery mode and now I am booting my Mac from my external (btw, worry Kurt for the wrong snapshot. I did install Sequoia from my wife's Mac but somehow that was not working). a

anyway, I'm running drill disk from my external SSD now thanks to you guys. but there is still a obstacle. Drill Disk says it cannot access Mac hard drive, but I have reduced the security via startup security utility. I'm not sure what's in the way. can you guess what's wrong?

Kurt Lang

Level 9

68,448 points

Nov 23, 2025 7:35 AM in response to hirohisa132

No idea what the Apple extension is, but Justin Johnson is an extension for Disk Drill. According to their own web site, that is.

I can only guess macOS is telling you to update the software because the version you have is too old to run in Sequoia. Version 6.1.2111 is current.

I also don't recall seeing any such extension for Justin Johnson on my M4 Pro mini. Which is what leads me to believe you have a pretty old version of Disk Drill. Still, I'm on my iPad at the moment and I'd have to look to be sure.

Edit: Just checked, and there is no Justin Johnson extension on my Mac. The only two are under Full Disk Access for BackService_11 and Disk Drill. There was an update just yesterday for Disk Drill that changed the one extension's name from simply BackService to BackService_11.

Still, it's a bit confusing that the page I linked to was updated July 24, 2025, and there's no Justin Johnson extension on my Mac. Nor has there ever been one. Which makes it a bit difficult to understand why you're seeing it, or what needs to be updated. Your only clue is the OS is telling you to update something before it can run.

How to recover DaVinci Resolve project database from a MacBook Pro (2023) after a clean install?