A2zDataRecovery

Data recovery software is available as freeware on the Web. When such freeware is available, you might wonder why you should pay hard cash to buy data recovery software, or pay a small fortune for external data recovery services.

There are good reasons.

Data Recovery Software Available as Freeware is for Simple Recovery Jobs

Freeware data recovery software is generally for simple data recovery jobs. For example, you accidentally delete a whole lot of files and then find some of the files are still needed. In such a case, you can of course use the undelete utility of your operating system.

However, you are likely to find that dedicated data recovery software - freeware - does a better job than the utility.

The freeware is likely to be limited in the type of files that it can recover. For example, it might recover only NTFS files.

If the damage to the files was caused by hardware problems, the freeware kind of data recovery software is best avoided. It might make the problem worse.

Freeware Will Lack Support

Data recovery freeware is usually simple and intuitive for its limited functionality. Beyond that simple interface, and a few simple instructions, you are not likely to get much support. It is not likely to come with an elaborate user manual, or 24/7 phone support, for example.

This might not be a problem as the software might come with a familiar interface like the Windows Explorer interface. It will lack the bells and whistles that come with priced data recovery software.

Free Data Recovery Software Will Not be Full Featured

Top of the class data recovery software can have many high value features such as a powerful search facility to search for the particular files you want to recover and an imaging facility to create an exact image of the disk to be recovered (the image can then be used as a safety backup if the recovery exercise worsens the situation).

These full featured software will also be able to recover differing file systems such as FAT 12/16/32 and NTFS, different kinds of files such as compressed, encrypted and email files and files on media such as network, RAID, SCSI, IDE and so on.

They will also come with a full range of support - detailed user manuals, FAQs, online help, and phone and email contact support.

You cannot expect such a range of features and support from data recovery freeware.

Typical Precautions When Using Data Recovery Software Freeware

You can preserve the recover-ability of your lost data if you observe certain precautions.

• Don't use the freeware if you suspect that the files were lost owing to hardware problems, as when your computer makes strange noises and you begin to receive strange error messages
• Download the data recovery freeware on another computer, not the problem computer
• Save the downloaded data recovery software on a removable medium such as USB drive, and run it from there
• Avoid installing anything on the problem computer
• Stop using the problem computer for normal work; the Windows file swapping can overwrite lost data, for example

You must also read the instructions that come with the freeware. If it is intended for use only on certain kinds of file systems, don't use it on other kinds of systems.

Go Ahead

Go ahead and use data recovery software freeware for simple undelete jobs. You might not be able to recover all the lost files. The freeware is likely to indicate which files you can recover.

Wherever possible, consult friends and colleagues who might have used the freeware, and might have had good or bad experiences.