Today's giveaway is an EXCELLENT data revovery tool.
Can even recreate the exact folder structure you had before a format, showing you the name, size, recovery status and type of each file found. I've just tried to recover a couple of files I had lost after a recent format of my HD and well.... this tool did the job without any hassle.

60 bucks? Hmmmm...maybe it's a little bit overpriced, taking into account that it doesn't support bootable media creation: what do you make of it, folks?

1. to recover deleted files from formatted HDD and USB Drive:

- - DiskGetor Data Recovery FREE Edition (==> My Personal First Choice)
http://www.diskgetor.com

- (Portable) Undelete 360
http://www.undelete360.com

- (Portable) Wise Data Recovery (can even restore email files)
http://www.wisecleaner.com/wisedatarecoveryfree.html

- (Portable) Recuva
http://www.piriform.com/recuva
http://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTABLE-SOFTWARE/System/Backup-and-Recovery/Portable-Recuva.shtml

- UndeleteMyFiles Pro
Can recover accidentally deleted files from hard disks, USB flash drives, CF and SD cards and other storage media.
It shows the name, format, size, date of modification, directory and disk of each file found by an extensive search function, with the ability to preview any image files.
Can even restore deleted emails from various email apps with ease, through an easy to use Mail Recovery Wizard module.

http://www.seriousbit.com/undeletemyfiles

2. to recover files from removable media only (scratched CD/DVD, USB Flash Drive etc…):

- Abyssal Recovery (==> Superb FREE app for recovering data/files/movies/music from scratched CD, DVD, BD and HD DVD)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Abyssal-Recovery.shtml

- Get My Videos Back (==> It recovers videos from scratched CD/DVD)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Video/Other-VIDEO-Tools/Get-My-Videos-Back.shtml

- PhotoRec (==> Great FREE tool for recovering pictures from memory cards and USB flash drives)
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec

3. to recover entire partitions and restore damaged boot sectors/MBR/BCD:

- REDO BACKUP AND RECOVERY (==> My Personal First Choice to recover data from a destroyed system)
Freaking awesome Live CD Open Source backup and data disaster recovery software supporting BARE-METAL restore, meaning you can completely restore a system back even on a machine without OS or with its Hard Drives completely erased by a virus. So with this tool you can easily overtake the only BIG CONS shown by this GAOTD, namely the lack of bootable media support, because it can recover deleted files even when you can't boot into Windows. Cool, isn't it??

http://redobackup.org

- TestDisk (==> Softpedia Editor Pick)
Very powerful multiplatform Open Source data recovery software, which helps you recover lost partitions as well as make non-booting disks bootable again with no hassle. In short what it does is querying the BIOS or the OS to find out the characteristics of the HDs of your machine, so as to perform a quick check of their structure and then compare it with your Partition Table for any possible entry errors.
If entry errors are found, this magic FREE tool can automatically repair them with ease, enabling you to search for partitions and create a new Partition Table or even a new MBR if necessary, should your system have missing partitions or a completely empty Partition Table. How cool is that, dudes??

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

- MiniTool Power Data Recovery
This is a terrific all in one data recovery tool designed to recover data even from formatted, deleted or corrupted partitions.
The only downside is that the free version limits restoration to a size of 1GB.

http://www.powerdatarecovery.com

Enjoy!!

Ciao
Giovanni


P.S. Steve & others: do you know a tool (possibly FREE) or an easy way to fix missing/corrupted DLL files?

Giovanni  –  11 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+186)

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Pros
*Finds deleted files and files that existed prior to a reformat
*Supports FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS drives — internal, external, USB flash, etc.
*Provides you with file name, size, type, time modified, time created, and recoverability of files that are found
*Allows users to preview files
*Has filtering capabilities
*Files can be recovered in bulk

Cons
*No ability to create any sort of bootable CD/DVD/USB drive to run Easy Drive Data Recovery from outside of Windows
*Not all file types can be previewed

Free Alternatives
Testdisk & PhotoRec

Final Verdict
Click here for final verdict and full review

Ashraf from dotTech  –  11 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+132)

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The option to show only deleted files - which many alternatives fail to offer - is a big plus. In general, the alternative views and preview (better than Lazesoft) options work well. Additional file preview types would be welcome but aren't vital. 'Previewability' gives a good indication of the likely chances of recovering a worthwhile file. It's possible that this might be used to appraise the state of RAW-scan/'unknown' files by the program but it definitely gives the user a useful indication.

You can work with more than 1 drive at a time. There's no option to save a scan or re-use your last scan(s) next time you start the program. Sadly, there's no way of searching for a file (e.g. *tram*.jpg) within your scan or a scanned folder/category other than by using the solitary filter.

Filtering seemed quite slow (> Recuva, >>> Lazesoft). It would be nice to be able to save sets of filter options (and even apply these to additional tabbed pages). Sorting of files by column parameters was decidedly speedy in comparison.

I'd appreciate a breakdown of the file categories (e.g. graphic)by file type e.g. jpg, png, etc.

It would be nice to be able to set a default save folder. The program presently overwrites files with the same name. It automatically creates subfolders (EDDR_RECOVERED, with a sub named for the letter of the scanned drive) under your selected folder.

When a recovery completes it would be nice to have the option to open the save folder so that the save files can be viewed. Recovery is as expected based on the state/viewability of deleted files.

The inability to select multiple files (other than all) is a real turnoff (but one that's common to many recovery files). Sometimes it appears that developers don't consider ergonomics at all.

I'm pleased to have this as a giveaway as an additional tool but since it will only run within Windows (unlike e.g. Lazesoft), it's not going to be a lifesaver that would be worth paying for.

Overall, overpriced for what it presently offers in comparison to the competition. That said, if the key weaknesses are tackled, this would very probably be at the top of the heap.

Steve  –  11 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+85)

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Really bad RAW file recovery. It thinks my MKV files are bmp and jpg. It is lacking in most popular video format filters. No support for damaged GUID partitions (3TB and above). When my hard drive crashed containing my TV shows (.MKV, .AVI, .MP4, .WMV) I was only able to recover the AVI files as the program didn't recognize any of the others.

Lucius Dark  –  11 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+46)

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# Steve

Of course I solved the boot issue but several DLL files are still missing....and the SFC / scannow command was not able to fix some of them. As a result my system is a little bit unstable...best solution would be a new reinstall but I did a clean format of my system just 10 days ago.

Maybe this trick could help (still didn't try it though bcs not easy to implement):

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/42776-extract-files-windows-7-installation-dvd.html

As for today's giveaway FREE ALTERNATIVES, I forgot to mention some great Rescue Live CD tools, which can also recover lost partitions for FREE even when Windows does not boot in anymore.

Here is a list of them supporting TestDisk:

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Livecd


Just let me know what you thing about them, if you have time to test them of course!!

Giovanni  –  11 years ago  –  Βρήκατε αυτό το σχόλιο χρήσιμο? ναι | όχι (+28)

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