Most free data recovery software are designed for deleted data. Some programs offer a little more, but the results usually tell you one thing: You get what you have paid for.

Everybody wants free data recovery software. The question is, does it work? For most people, time is a function of money, whether it is your personal cash, or the companies check. So, by the time you have searched, downloaded, and tried a handful of free data recovery software programs, you could be well on your way to recovering data with a reasonably priced data recovery tool. However, this does not mean that you should not give free data recovery software a try.

Good freeware options

The ideal situation to use free data recovery software is when you have just deleted data by accident, and your computer's automatic safety backup cannot recover it. Technically, because your operating system only deletes the file footprint in the registry and labels it as free space, your file still exists for the moment.

The more you use your computer after data loss, the greater the odds are that this space will be replaced with a new file, which regretfully means your data is history. There is one other situation that any free data recovery software can be helpful: Pre-install one if it has a function that can follow the future path of any file so that you can recover a file quickly when a mistake is made.

Precautions to take 

Make sure to not download the free data recovery software to the hard disk drive that you are attempting to recover. Do not even think of running the free data recovery software from the problem disk drive, either. This is like playing 'Russian roulette', because like I explained above, once new bytes are imprinted over old data, you are not going to recover the data. So, install the free data recovery software on a different hard disk drive and run it from there. This increases you chances of a successful recovery.

Beyond free data recovery software

If you have lost a file, or if one is corrupt or damaged, then free data recovery software is probably not the answer. A more complete data recovery software utility is needed to recovery the files. There are many data recovery products on the market at this level that can resolve your issue, and that are reasonably priced. Think of cost as being relative to the amount of time it would take you to create all of the work you lost.

Keep in mind that if your hard drive is making unusual noises free data recovery software cannot work. Do not even try to run free data recovery software, because the results could prove fatal to your data. Contact a few professional data recovery companies to understand your options and the pricing schedule.

Dreamland 

Understand that while free data recovery software is everybody's dream solution, and can be a viable one in limited circumstances like undeleting a file, the best data recovery software or service that is priced fairly is usually the most efficient method of recovering your data.