DARE is a Linux kernel patch that enhances the Virtual Filesystem (VFS) functionality.
One of the key advantages of DARE is that it is independent of the specific filesystem in use. This means that it can be used with virtually any filesystem without constraints. Deleted files are automatically collected in a directory called 'deleted' located in the filesystem's root directory. One important thing to note is that users must manually create the 'deleted' directory on each affected filesystem for DARE to function properly, otherwise it won't work.
Each time a file is deleted, DARE groups it into a subdirectory based on a configurable time interval (N hours). This makes it easy to identify and remove old deleted files from the 'deleted' directory. The subdirectories are named numerically based on the UNIX time and an informational file is created for each subdirectory. This informational file contains important details about deleted files, directories, special files, including the original pathname, permissions, deletion time, and user ID of the person who deleted the file.
DARE also offers several user space utilities for interacting with deleted files and the 'deleted' directory. These utilities include lsdel, which lists all deleted files in the current directory; salvage, which recovers deleted files; purge, which completely removes deleted files; and deleted, a daemon that monitors disk space usage and removes old deleted files to ensure the disk remains free within specified boundaries.
The latest release of DARE includes a kernel patch for Linux 2.6.25.8, which should be valid for newer kernels until the next change in Linux VFS occurs. After three years of successful production use, DARE has been officially designated as a "Production State" tool, indicating its stability and reliability. Overall, DARE offers a powerful and flexible solution for recovering deleted files on Linux filesystems.
Version 1.0.1: N/A