recommend data recovery programs

muppet75

Hi all
I have a knackered laptop (that in reality I dont need to recover as I do have backup of files) but I am interested in learning more about data recovery so I want to have a crack at recovering the hard drive contents.

Can any of you techie's recommend a good program (purchased or downloadable) that is reasonably easy to use or I can find instructions on the net on how to operate.

Thanks in advance for your help

mupp

[Deleted User]

Two choices:

1. Create a bootable CD with ubuntu on it:

This means downloading ubuntu, writing it to a CD, and making sure it's bootable. You then turn the laptop on, go into the BIOS, set it to boot from CD, insert the CD, turn the laptop off then on, and it then loads ubuntu. Wait a few minutes and you'll be able to copy your documents to an external HDD or USB stick.

2. Take the HDD out of the laptop and connect it to another PC using a caddy. It'll then appear like an external HDD.

EvilScotsman

I have found Recuva to be very good:

http://www.piriform.com/recuva

On the website there is an exe file you can download and install, as well as a portable version that can be run from a flash drive without disturbing the target drive's contents (important in data recovery).

Cheers

Toxteth_OGrady

http://www.paretologic.com/products/datarecovery/index.aspx

mutley74

which is best software to use to recover data from a portable Western portable HD drive? preferably easy to use freeware.

The_Grandmaster

I have used recuva and it has worked for accidentally removed word documents from my HD and photos from my camera SD card. Also worked for two of my friends too!

totalsolutions

https://www.grc.com

pendulum

So far I cannot see any need for data recovery software, you realise you can just plug the hard drive from the knackered laptop in to another computer (via adapter) and access all the files?

But if you do want to play around with recovering deleted files then give DiskDigger a try. I played around with it for a little while and it seemed better than Recuva.

mutley74

EvilScotsman wrote: »

I have found Recuva to be very good:

http://www.piriform.com/recuva

On the website there is an exe file you can download and install, as well as a portable version that can be run from a flash drive without disturbing the target drive's contents (important in data recovery).

Cheers

I tried this and its easy to use but took hours to sort out and scan my 320GB portable drive. It did recover much of my music collection and work files but unfortunately it relabels all the files names in numerical order and i lost all my folder organisation. Plus it did not recover my AVI files and some video footage.

Sounds like i need another master unit to back up my portable drive!