10 Free and Useful Data Recovery Utilities : Never say never, especially about recovering lost data (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/pictures-story/332-free-data-recovery-backup-restore.html)
By Rico Mossesgeld 1:00 PM - December 29, 2011 By Rico Mossesgeld 1:00 PM - December 29, 2011
Never say never, especially about recovering lost data
As computers become more important at our work, home, and school, so has data. Many times we consider the information we store on our PCs more crucial than actual physical objects. And why not, when the files we work with on the computer represent hours of hard work?
It's still amazing how many users take a flippant approach towards backing up important data—if they bother maintaining redundancies at all. The following software won't replace any good backup regime, but they do provide a chance that information lost through human or machine error won't be lost forever
============================
PC CMOS Cleaner
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/PC-CMOS-Cleaner,0301-45034.html)
Forgot your BIOS password? You can PC CMOS Cleaner to reset it, and regain access to that important configuration tool on your computer. If it's a x86 or x86_64 (64-bit) PC, CMOS Cleaner is most likely compatible with your BIOS.
=================================
Recovery is Possible (RIP)
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/RIPLinuX-Recovery-Is-Possible-,0301-32460.html)
Here's another boot CD that does what it says—puts hard disk data recovery tools within reach of even basic users. Included in the package is TestDisk, a utility that recovers deleted partitions, and PhotoRec, an undelete tool that goes beyond just retrieving deleted images.
=================================
Avira Antivir Rescue System
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Avira-AntiVir-Rescue-System,0301-32436.html)
It's a common case: PCs so badly infected that they can no longer boot up properly, or stay infected despite the best efforts of anti-virus and -malware programs. Avira Antivir Rescue System simply launches its own version of Linux, which makes it possible to clean everything without any trouble.
=================================
PING (PartImage is Not Ghost)
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/PING-Partimage-Is-Not-Ghost-,0301-45033.html)
The great thing about PING is that it goes beyond mere recovery. Included in the bootable CD/USB drive are tools that let you back up entire partitions and BIOS configuration data. You can even use PING to delete the password for the computer's admin.
=================================
Recuva
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Recuva,0301-7757.html)
Sometimes you just want to recover a deleted file, but you don't want to go through the trouble of booting from a recovery CD. That's where Recuva comes in. It just looks are the empty space on your PC's drive—which still contains the information stored in the files you've deleted accidentally, and rebuilds the lost data based on what it finds.
=================================
Pandora Recovery
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Pandora-Recovery,0301-32870.html)
In many ways Pandora Recovery is just like Recuva, allowing deleted file recovery without the trouble of booting from a Linux CD. But Pandora Recovery is designed to run without any installation, which means you can copy it to a USB drive, and run it on any computer.
=================================
TestDisk
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/TestDisk,0301-4874.html)
We've featured Recovery is Possible earlier in this list. TestDisk is one of the utilities packaged in that recovery CD. In case you forgot what it does: it lets users recover damaged or accidentally deleted partitions.
======================================
AVG Rescue CD
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/AVG-Rescue-CD,0301-32435.html)
Like the Avira Antivir Rescue System, the AVG Rescue CD is a bootable (what else?) CD that lets you clear infections completely from your PC. All recovery actions are done independent of your computer's installed OS, meaning even the best viruses and malware won't survive the purge.
=========================================
MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable CD
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Partition-Wizard-Bootable-CD,0301-32457.html)
As partitioning tools go, MiniTool's is quite friendly. Users are taken through a step by step process, making partition creation, management, and even recovery literally as easy as 1-2-3.
==================================
Hiren's BootCD
Download (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/download/Hiren-s-BootCD,0301-32451.html)
If you wanted everything featured on this list in one neat package, Hiren's Boot CD is your savior. Boot from it and you'll have access to Anti-virus and -malware software, partition recovery utilities, cloning tools (which let you copy entire drives), and a whole lot more. Hiren's creation shows you why we should all be happy about the wide availability of open-source software.