Offline drive catalog guide
Verify a reconnected drive against an immutable snapshot
A reconnect comparison has two separate questions: is this the same physical source and what observable evidence differs? Answer identity first, then classify differences without overclaiming.
1. Verify source identity before paths
Use a stable volume identifier and the same approved root when the filesystem provides them. A familiar display name or matching capacity is supporting context, not proof; copied labels are common in rotating-drive sets.
2. Require confirmation when identity is ambiguous
If stable identity is unavailable, stop the automatic comparison. Let the operator inspect the physical label and explicitly confirm the source rather than silently treating a same-named disk as equivalent.
3. Classify every observable path
Added exists only now; missing existed only in the saved complete observation; changed differs by byte count, modification time or reproduced hash; unchanged matches the available evidence. Keep the exact evidence beside each state.
4. Preserve unknown
An unreadable folder can hide descendants, and an optional hash may fail on reconnect. Those gaps are unknown—not missing or unchanged. Export the comparison with its scan issues so another person can audit the conclusion.