It is a scenario that every computer user dreads. You turn on your computer to get started working, only to find that some of your important files are missing or corrupted. Even worse, you press the power button and wait, only to discover that your computer will not boot up. You can hear the hard drive spinning up and lights are blinking everywhere. However, the screen just sits there blank, like a chalkboard with no writing on it. Quickly running to another machine, you begin a search on the Internet for data recovery software. A recent search on Bing rendered over 33 million pages. The same search on Google produced over 18 million hits. You fall back in your chair, frustrated and wondering what to do next. How do you choose the software necessary to recover you files? If you pick one and run it, will it actually do the job or will it aggravate the situation, causing even more damage to your data?
If this is the first time that a computer user has experienced data loss, the myriad of choices can be overwhelming. Several factors should be considered when choosing a recovery software program:
• The operating system that the computer is running is important. Software designed for use on a Windows-based PC will be different from software designed for Mac file recovery.
• Technical support options are important, especially for users that are not "computer gurus". Most freeware programs will have limited tech support. If the lost data is important and vital for business operations, a commercial version backed by a reputable company should be considered first.
• The data recovery software should be able to handle the file formats of the data that is missing. Some software can only recover a limited list of formats. Well-designed recovery programs can recovery a large number of formats. Some even have the ability to "learn" new file structures.
• The recovery program should focus on file recovery and not disk repair. Repairs made to hard drives can actually aggravate the situation, rendering the missing data unrecoverable.
• The software should have the capability to boot a computer when the operating system is damaged. This will entail the use of an emergency boot CD or DVD.
• The recovered files should be placed on a drive or storage medium other than the affected drive. Therefore, it should recognize secondary internal drives, external drives, CD and DVD writers, and solid-state media, even when the emergency boot disk is used.
• The software designer should be continually upgrading the software as computer file formats and operating systems evolve and expand.
Now would be a good time to research and choose a good recovery program to avoid loss of time and money later.
If this is the first time that a computer user has experienced data loss, the myriad of choices can be overwhelming. Several factors should be considered when choosing a recovery software program:
• The operating system that the computer is running is important. Software designed for use on a Windows-based PC will be different from software designed for Mac file recovery.
• Technical support options are important, especially for users that are not "computer gurus". Most freeware programs will have limited tech support. If the lost data is important and vital for business operations, a commercial version backed by a reputable company should be considered first.
• The data recovery software should be able to handle the file formats of the data that is missing. Some software can only recover a limited list of formats. Well-designed recovery programs can recovery a large number of formats. Some even have the ability to "learn" new file structures.
• The recovery program should focus on file recovery and not disk repair. Repairs made to hard drives can actually aggravate the situation, rendering the missing data unrecoverable.
• The software should have the capability to boot a computer when the operating system is damaged. This will entail the use of an emergency boot CD or DVD.
• The recovered files should be placed on a drive or storage medium other than the affected drive. Therefore, it should recognize secondary internal drives, external drives, CD and DVD writers, and solid-state media, even when the emergency boot disk is used.
• The software designer should be continually upgrading the software as computer file formats and operating systems evolve and expand.
Now would be a good time to research and choose a good recovery program to avoid loss of time and money later.
(ArticlesBase SC #4493594)
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