Chad contributes to free-backup-software.net. More on this topic can be found at Free Data Recovery Tools Roundup and Recover Deleted Files
Some Free Data-Recovery Tools!
Data-recovery is a bit of a touchy subject. For many people, data recovery, like good health, doesn't have cost. In general -- just how much your data worth to you? If you have dealt with hardware damage or perhaps your computer data is extremely valuable, don't even bother to experiment using free data recovery tools.
Rule one in data-recovery: an ounce of protection... If you have not experienced serious data loss, accept that as your reward from heaven and then go buy yourself a real automated backup solution. I cover a lot of freeware backup options on my backup software page however today I'm tending towards suggesting online backup systems (where your data is automatically mirrored on a remote site online).
If you have vital data -- specifically if you are using a laptop (laptops are really highly vulnerable to theft and also damage no matter how cautious you are) -- you must absolutely consider an online data backup service.
NTFS Reader for DOS
lightweight, $0, undelete-style data recovery
NTFS Reader DOS Boot Disk offers read permission to access NTFS drives from the MS DOS environment. The data recovery functionality contains help for longer file names and also compressed plus fragmented files. NTFS Reader for DOS lets you review the files on NTFS and also copy them from NTFS to FAT volumes or network drives. To use such data recovery tool you have to copy the readntfs.exe file to the bootable floppy disk then boot from it.
Can be run from bootable floppy
Complete physical & logical drive
Supports IDE / ATA / SCSI drives
Supports NTFS/NTFS5
Supports FAT12, FAT16, FAT32
Compressed/fragmented files
MS-DOS/XP/2000/NT/ME/98/95/7
Non-english/long file names
Preview documents & folders
Search by file name or maybe mask
Show content of the file
You can actually use NTFS Reader for DOS to restore data files from NTFS drives in Windows 98 95 and 3.1. Even though this is a DOS program, it can be run from Windows.
NTFS.com
Download NTFS Reader
Restoration
lightweight, $0, undelete-style data recovery
Restoration is definitely so easy to use and also hassle free tool to undelete data files which were taken from the trash bin or perhaps directly deleted from Windows. Upon your start, you can scan for all files that may be retrieved as well as limit the final results by entering a search term or maybe extension.
Moreover, Restoration even gives an option to wipe the found documents beyond simple recovery. And as such it isn't just a data-recovery tool but also a security cleanup software. You can use it after deletion of exclusive files, awkward images and many others.
This program is certainly very small as well as can stand alone, it does not call for installation and can also run using a Floppy disk. Restoration works with FAT and NTFS as well as camera cards.
Can be run from bootable floppy
Complete physical & logical drive
Supports IDE / ATA / SCSI drives
Supports NTFS/NTFS5
Supports FAT12, FAT16, FAT32
Non-english/long file names
Review files & folders
Display content of the file
It's not necessary to set it up, so it won't leave any garbage in the PC.
Brian Kato