Losing computer files isn’t fun. Perhaps you deleted that quarterly report by mistake, or your system crashed before you had time to save that marketing copy. Whatever the reason, it is frustrating, time consuming and it happens to everyone at one time or another. If you are lucky enough to have an in house IT department, they can recovery your files quickly and painlessly. If you are not lucky enough to have some In house experts, there are a number of data recovery solution companies that can provide this service, but you will pay a premium for it. There are also a number of software programs that can save you time, money and stress and recovery and restore your missing or deleted files.
Most data recovery programs can recovery accidentally deleted or unsaved files from your recycling bin. This is fairly intuitive, and you don’t need any extra handholding. But what can you do about files you lost due to a virus or a systems crash? How about files on an external drive? Are they lost for good? What features should you be looking for in your data recovery software.
Basic recovery software should support “FAT and NTFS” file systems, although sometimes they are sold separately. If you are unsure which you need, select a product that offers both options. Some software packages allow you to search for files without launching and running “WINDOWS”. This is a good option if you need to find files without rebooting your computer.
You should be able to search for your files using a number of different criteria, For example, you should be able to search by file type ( excel spreadsheet, word file, or PDF, for example). You should also be able to search by file name, date, size, and key words. Most software programs prohibit you from searching for a specific version of the file, but will provide he most recently edited, opened, or saved document. Make sure your software has a file preview option. This allows you to take a look at the image of file without opening it.
Although file recovery software should be user friendly, you also want to be able to access support when you need it. Instant support, via chat, email, or phone are ideal. Make sure the website also offers online support documentation, like frequently asked questions and users manuals.
We all know we should back up our files and store our external drive in a separate, secure location, or “in the cloud”, but we all know it doesn’t happen every day and with every file. Files get lost, damaged, deleted and remain in your computer’s memory until they are over written. Recovery software can help you identify the direct pathway to your lost or damaged files. The best recovery software can find data and files on USB drives, damaged hard drives, deleted partitions, and external drives. Your files aren’t lost for ever. With the right tools and a lot of patience, you’ll be able to locate them, save them, and of course, back them up correctly.