Recuva 1.42.544

Files, data, software, all come and go, it’s common knowledge. Over time you will store and then delete huge amounts of data from your hard drive, but while the process of deleting files is very much welcomed when you want to free up much needed space, the same cannot be said for those rare occasions when your find that you deleted a file by accident. Or the times when you let someone use your computer and find that some of your files have been deleted. Accidental or not, the process of deleting files comes undone when you have the right piece of software.

Recuva is a free piece of software that will scan your hard drive and bring your deleted files back to life. You may have problems with the software’s name (it is pronounced “recover”, just like when you brother but spell “brutha”) but you will certainly not have any problems using its full functionality.

Recuva can perform several tasks for you. First of all, it will restore accidentally deleted files. For example you moved a file to the Recycle Bin, then someone else emptied it and now you want that data back - Recuva can do that for you. Secondly, when data from memory cards or portable music player has been lost due to user error and you want to get it back – Recuva can do that for you also. Last but not least, when a virus, computer bug, or software crash causes you to lose data and you want it back – Recuva, you’ve guessed it, can do that for you!

Just launch Recuva, select the drive where you lost files were stored, and hit the scan button. The software will automatically scan that drive and present you with a detailed list of files from that drive that have been deleted that Recuva can recover for you. For your convenience you can sort that list and swiftly locate the file you want to recover. Alternatively you can use the customizable filter tool for the same task.

Keep in mind that your chances of recovering a deleted file go down the more you wait. But if you run Recuva a short time after a file has been deleted, you chances of recovering that file are very high.

Pros
Comes free of charge
Easy to use
Saves you the heartache of losing precious info

Cons
Sometimes you may not recover a deleted file

Recuva has been reviewed by George Norman on 18 Sep 2009. Based on the user interface, features and complexity, Findmysoft has rated Recuva 5 out of 5 stars, naming it Essential