The Truth about “Free” Data Recovery Software

Seeking free data recovery software on the internet is the first thing panicking users think of the moment they realize some important files or folders had been misplaced or erased. And it does make sense: in a number of situations it might be quite helpful in retrieving of the information that is lost. However, what is the difference between data recovery software offered in abundance? Why are those programs free, and what they are actually capable of restoring? How safe it is to restore missing files this way, and when is it better to resort to professional data recovery companies instead?

Understanding exactly what capability/functionality the software has, how much data you’re able to recover and download, and more — there is a bunch of nuances affecting the chances for successful data recovery, and, as a consumer, you should keep them in mind when choosing to perform DIY-recovery. 

WHEN SOFTWARE IS USELESS

First and foremost, it must be mentioned that applying freeware may be helpful with retrieving files in a number of situations. BUT! Recovery software is useless when you get a blue or blank screen, in case of water or fire damage, or when your external drive crashes. Also, software won’t help if your hard drive is clicking, grinding, beeping or making strange noises — there is likely a mechanical problem, and such incidents require a professional data recovery service.

POTENTIAL ISSUES

Once a file is erased from a hard drive or other devices, it isn’t not gone forever: your operating system still keeps pointers that tell it where the data is stored and how much space it has taken. When you delete a file, the pointers are removed, making the file outwardly disappear and the section of the drive marked as free. But as long as new data is written to this section of the drive, data recovery can still be undertaken. 

All the above sheds light on how software may actually help with restoration of erased files: by scanning certain portions of a drive, a program can reconstruct directories and retrieve the missing data. However, there are still some potential issues related to applying freeware:

● Safety. Cheap software utilities provide no protection against overwriting, corrupting, or destroying your data.

● If it’s free, there is a reason. A large number of free data recovery software come with hidden malware, adware etc. For instance, some of these programs may replace your default settings which will surely create inconvenience..

● It can get worse. Installing and running the software on the disk that you’re attempting to retrieve data from increases a chance your files might get deleted permanenty due to the data being overwritten.

After all, if you consider lost information to be too valuable, and you don’t want to risk losing it permanently, — better leave it’s salvaging to the professionals. With over 20 years of experience in data recovery, there’s a clear reason SALVAGEDATA is able to recover data other companies cannot. We salvage the unrecoverable!

Don’t Waste Your Money on “Pro” Versions

This is not true for all software, but recovery software pricing is often misleading. Many companies offer free software for recovering very small amounts of data, then charge incrementally into the hundreds of dollars for retrieving more. For example, a company’s pricing model might look like this:

Free: Recovery for up to 50 GB of data

Premium – $39.99: Recovery for up to 500 GB

Pro – $59.99: Unlimited data recovery (lifetime access)

While there may be some truth in their claims, it’s important to understand that data recovery software can only solve a select few issues related to your storage device:

While there may be some truth in their claims, it’s important to understand that data recovery software can only solve a select few issues related to your storage device:

Being one of the most trusted, as well as experienced, names in the industry, SALVAGEDATA currently offers a reliable Windows data recovery software, which is completely free. This type of program has the ability to search the whole contents of the storage device, find old versions of files and repair or piece parts back together into a recognizable form.