Freeware for Data Recovery

"Data recovery freeware" is basically a term used in web searches to locate software programs written specifically to recover deleted files, many of which can be downloaded and used free of charge. Small by today's standards, data recovery shareware or freeware can be a few megabytes in size. PandoraRecovery, DataRecovery and PCI Filerecovery illustrate a few of the many freeware programs which can be used to rebound from accidental deletions. These downloads are usually applicable over a broad range of storage devices, such as recovering files deleted from the recycle bin or from digital camera memory such as an SD or Micro SD card. Usually a computer user or photography enthusiast accidentally deleted a file or photo from their hard drive or camera memory card and needs to get it back, and can download one of the programs or even do a further search for websites which deal with their problem specifically.

With digital technologies expanding, there are more cameras, more computers, more laptops, more flash drives, cell phones, PDAs and other applications involving storage than ever before. And each of these gadgets likely uses a type of removable memory or digital storage which will help you keep data you accumulate during usage. Further, wherever there's a digital storage device there's the potential for data loss. (Did you know a flash drive, left unattended and unused will likely lose its information after nine or ten years?) Accidental deletes and hardware hiccups and the knee-jerk reactions that can come with the panic can be causes, too, meaning a greater need for data recovery software to keep pace with all those hiccups and panic-modes. If you're looking for a way to get files back with no out-of-pocket expense, there are many programs available on the web for getting back your deleted files.

File Recovery in A Nutshell

There are a few demonstrations you can try which will show you clearly how files are "deleted" from a hard drive or other non-volatile storage device. There are even software programs called "hex editors" with which the process can be demonstrated. In Windows, for example, a file is located the same way a house is located on a street. The way the file is deleted is simply to remove the marker or mailbox, thereby communicating freed space to the operating system. In recovering hard drive data, the recovery software is written to simply rename the file, or in the case of the street number, gives it another number. Now the operating system sees the file and you can access it again.

Downloading an undelete style program from the web will probably be what you need to restore a few files. But for more complex recoveries, or if you would like to see what can be recovered from your working hard drive or flash drive, some more sophisticated software offerings exist, starting at around $30 to $40. That said, simple recovery software will probably meet your present needs.

Points To Consider When You Want To Recover Deleted Files

If you've accidentally deleted files or photos on your hard disk or memory card, stop work immediately --don't create any more files or work which you'll have to save. You'll want the data on your storage device just as it is, since another save operation will write fresh data, perhaps over the very file you wish to recover.

If you can help it, do not install the data recovery software on the same partition as your deleted data. Or, you can install the data recovery program on your hard disk and restore the data to another partition or even memory card. Some freeware programs will allow you to run the program itself from a floppy.

Do not run disk-defragmentation on your hard drive unless you are sure you have nothing on the drive you want to recover. Defagmenting the hard drive will place all programs and files into contiguous memory locations the best way it can. Without the before-mentioned place marker to keep your data's location from being erased, Windows will simply remove the unused information. In other words, that means read/write operations, and in this case, "write" means lost data.

If your hard drive is approaching capacity, you have a greater risk of losing accidentally deleted files than if your drive was mostly empty. This is because allocating file space on a near empty drive, obviously, is easier, and finding space on a drive that is almost full is more risky for files that haven't been recovered. Because Windows is looking for places to write new data, deleted files on drives with little or no space left will almost certainly get written over. Therefore computer users or memory card users with nearly full drives should use extra caution after an accidental deletion to stop work and recover the deleted file immediately.

1. "DataRecovery" Freeware File Recovery Software

This program offers a simple interface with scan, wipe and recovery options. A larger window to the right allows you to view the file information that appears as the Master File Table is checked and information dumped to the screen. This software is simple and yet will do the job for simple file recovery. Setbacks include the interface itself, as the questions you receive on the pop up windows will not have adequate options to answer. You may click "OK" for the wrong thing, thus ending your data recovery session and requiring you to restart the scan.

2. "Pandora Recovery"

Installing Pandora Recovery will give you the chance to install the Ask.com tool bar for search and will also give you the option of setting your browser homepage to Ask.com's url. Once you select or deselect these options, clicking through the screen will install the software very quickly while giving you the added option of starting the program immediately. The Pandora Recovery Wizard runs an attractive user interface, and asks you to be sure your files have been deleted. The drives on your computer are detected and you will be allowed to select the one you want to recover from, and you'll want to be sure however to restore your files to another drive, as a precaution. The user will also be afforded the option to browse individual folders or files, search for files by name or date, etc., or run a deep surface scan, offering the best recovery option in case you're dealing with corrupted file tables or were unable to find the file you needed with the previous options.

Pandora also indicates recoverable files by setting unrecoverable files in red and hopefulls in black. As well, the user can select a file name in the browsing pane and a preview will be given--an image will be presented for a recoverable jpeg, for example, although files listed in black may not necessarily be retrievable. Right clicking on the desired file gives you the option to recover the file to any drive or folder you desire provided it is accessible.

Overall the Pandora Recovery freeware program is an advanced, user-friendly, thoughtful program. Users will find it very helpful and may, if desired, donate funds to the creators.

3. "Recuva by Piriform"

Piriform's data recovery freeware program boasts a slick interface much like her sister program CClean by the same creators. Recuva offers many options for scanning locations you specify, up to and including a deep scan option which will attempt to recover hard drive data you might have forgotten about.

Recuva is an "adjustable" program allowing you to set the options you want from the main program window, pictured above. This undelete software program also offers file preview, allowing you to view an image of the files you want to retrieve to help you decide whether you want to recover them. Click the info tab to get a textual readout of the file in question, including size, condition, creation time and date and time when file was last modified. You are also allowed to select the drive you would like to recover from.

Basically, with a file recovery wizard and an interface which allows end users to configure the program to their liking, Recuva is a strong and easy to use option for customers wanting a solid file recovery program free of charge.