Best Free Data Recovery Software

Are you looking for the best free data recovery software because you have a problem right now? If that's the case, we have some advice. It's time to slow down and make some careful decisions.

Data recovery and undelete software has limitations. If a disk drive has a mechanical problem then these tools, whether free, cheap or expensive are very unlikely to fix the problem. They will almost certainly make it worse. Switch off the drive or laptop immediately! Under no circumstances attempt to either continue processing or load rescue software. Data recovery in the event of hardware failure is a job for the specialists.

If you're certain that the disk drive doesn't have a mechanical problem, then data recovery tools may be appropriate subject to some qualifications. First of all, "you get what you pay for" and that definitely applies to data recovery software. If the data you want to recover isn't that important and you really don't care whether it's lost forever or not then use a free option. Conversely, if your business, financial survival or sanity depends on recovering the data, use the best product available.

BTW, they aren't free but they aren't expensive either.

Whether or not a particular software package is the best data recovery tool for YOU will depend on the specific nature of your problem. There's no Swiss Army Knife style recovery tool that will fix every problem in every situation. That's especially true of free products. Free products are generally quite narrow in their focus.

The more credible free products advise that you make an image of your disk and use the tools on that image. Not all of them have that facility.

With the above qualifications, we have listed the best free data recovery software below:

• PC Inspector File Recovery
• NTFS Reader
• Restoration

Data recovery tools are two edged swords. They can be a major threat to laptop security. Data is in fact quite difficult to completely erase from a disk drive unless deliberately erased with a disk cleaner.

Data recovery protection should be a consideration whenever a laptop or desktop computer is disposed of. Make a small investment in a Department of Defense Approved disk cleaner and have peace of mind.

It's unlikely that a professional cyber-thief will waste time attempting to recover data from a lost or stolen laptop using even the best "free" data recovery software. They use the best data recovery programs available.