- 2022
- 2018
- 2017
Overall Product Rating: 5.2
The other exceptional professional data recovery program that showed the second-best results in our data recovery tests and feature evaluation.
Strengths: The best set of supported file systems, the best support for standard RAID levels, and support for rather exotic volume managers: Btrfs-RAID, ZFS RAID-Z, Drobo BeyondRAID, and Synology Hybrid RAID. Excellent raw file recovery. A very good set of recovery features. Support for logical disk manager recovery and automatic RAID parameter recognition.
Weaknesses: Limited file search and preview capabilities. The program sometimes required a long disk scan when other programs didn't.
Added since our last review: Support for new file systems: ReFS3 and F2FS. Support for rather uncommon RAIDs and volume managers: Btrfs-RAID, ZFS RAID-Z, Drobo BeyondRAID, and Synology Hybrid RAID. Support for reverse RAIDs. Some new features in file search/mark/recovery parameters. A special log panel to view a recovery report.
Interface and Features
Localized file name recognition: 6.0Compare
Recognized all tested localized characters in file and folder names.
Supported interface languages: 5.0Compare
Languages supported: English, German, Ukrainian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Also available for download: Russian, Japanese, Korean. (8 languages) Interface languages: English, German, Ukrainian, Spanish, and Portuguese. Language management: Language change requires program restart.
Demo version restrictions: 5.0Compare
Recovers files up to 768 KB. Some limitations in its built-in hex editor. No time limit for the demo version.
File preview: 5.0Compare
Graphics (including raw files from many digital cameras), pdf, and txt files, and the first frames of video files can be previewed. The program can also show file properties.
File systems supported for file recovery: 6.0Compare
For recovery: NTFS, FAT/FAT32/exFAT, ReFS/ReFS/ReFS3, XFS, Linux JFS, Ext2, Ext3, Ext4, ReiserFS, Apple HFS+, APFS, UFS/UFS2, Adaptec UFS, Btrfs, F2FS, ZFS, VMFS. For reading: HFS, IBM/Microsoft HPFS, VMFS6, Novell NWFS, Novell NSS, Novell NSS64.
Deep analysis of disks (disk scan): 5.0Compare
Versatile scan parameters: Scan range, file systems to search for, filename encoding options, index existing file system (for partition scan), enable multi-thread scan, ignore small FAT12 file systems, ignore file system with only “system” files, use “Recycle Bin” extension for Windows file systems. Various types of scans: scan for lost data, search undeleted partitions by metadata, Run only quick scan on file system metadata. There are special scan modes for partitions: 1. Only index this file system (run quick scan): Index this file system and then scan unused space. 2. Ignore this file system and run scan of entire region. 3. Scan only used space of this file system according to file system metadata information. 4. Run scan of entire region, excluding used space of this file system. An unnecessary found partition can be removed for scan results (Destroy this item). Scan can be paused and resumed. Its results can be saved and loaded later. Scan results can be automatically saved in a certain time interval, or after full scan.
File recovery using file signatures (raw file recovery): 6.0Compare
This feature can be used in three modes: built-in IntelliRAW rules enabled, built-in IntelliRAW rules in propriety, enable post-processing of incomplete IntelliRAW types. Using the IntelliRAW technology, the program can recover fragmented files in some cases. This feature can be disabled, if necessary. Custom file signatures can be stored to and loaded from a file. Users can use a special standalone IntelliRAW Editor to create their own file types.
Disk imaging and copying: 5.0Compare
Image types: byte-by-byte (plain disk image file, the extension is img). Partial images can be created. Several third-party image formats, including .rdr (R-Studio/R-Undelete), can be opened. There is an option to enable saving of processed data.
File search, mark for recovery, sorting: 3.5Compare
Search parameters: file name and/or extension, masks, date, deleted/existing, and size. The same parameters can be specified for file recovery. Files can be sorted within a folder by clicking column names (name, size, data, etc.), similar to sorting in Windows Explorer. A list of found files can be saved. Quick search is possible using the “Quick find…” field. Information about files and folders can be obtained by using the Report of files/folders… command. Files can be marked by the “Define permanent selection button.”
File recovery parameters: 5.0Compare
Recovers filenames and folder structure. The program can delete recovered files with read/write errors. Empty folders can be excluded from recovery. Duplicate file conflict actions can be specified. Recovered files can be saved with a filter (Save with filter). Metadata filtering can be applied. A list of files to recover can be saved and then loaded using the Save/Restore selection state option. A data recovery task can be created (Create batch copying task).
Logging: 3.5Compare
An error log can be created. Also, a summary of file recovery can be copied to the log. There’s a special log panel from which a recovery report can be saved.
Disk parts/regions: 4.5Compare
A region can be specified manually on a disk. An area to scan can also be specified in sectors.
Standard RAID level presets: 6.0Compare
JBOD (Volume Set), RAID 0 (Stripe Set), RAID1 (Mirror), RAID1E, RAID3, RAID4, RAID5 and RAID6, RAID10, RAID50, 60, 50E with all their variants. Parity delay support for all applicable levels. Support for many specific RAID controllers.
Startup version: 6.0Compare
No such feature for Recovery Explorer Professional. However, the same vendor provides a separate UFS Explorer Backup and Emergency Recovery CD, which is equivalent in its features to the Windows version of UFS explorer (which later became Recovery Explorer Professional).
User-defined RAID layouts: 5.0Compare
The user can specify very complex RAID layouts using a special language for RAID description files. There are presets for various RAID controllers.
Automatic RAID parameter finding: 5.0Compare
RAID parameters and layout can be found for RAID 5 automatically and semi-automatically with manual intervention. There are presets for many RAID controllers. The program can read metadata from many RAID controllers and automatically assemble such RAIDs.
Support for disk and volume managers: 5.5Compare
Support for Windows Dynamic Disks (Windows software RAIDs) and Storage Spaces, Apple Software RAID, APFS Fusion Drive, Linux mdadm RAIDs and Logical Volume Manager (LVM/LVM2), Btrfs-RAID, ZFS RAID-Z, Drobo BeyondRAID, and Synology Hybrid RAID. Recovery Explorer Professional can assemble these objects automatically, even when their service data is slightly damaged. Objects can be added/disconnected manually if the service data is severely corrupted.
Hexadecimal editor: 5.0Compare
The editor has all standard features. Data may be represented in any coding or as hex values. Excellent navigation. Only disk objects (real or virtual) can be edited.
RAID recovery features: 6.0Compare
Direct access to a virtual RAID. Any object can be added to a virtual RAID. Support for reverse RAIDs.
Network data recovery: 2.0Compare
We could not find this feature in the program, but there are some other utilities that provide network recovery.
File recovery performance
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (NTFS file system): 4.5Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: All files and folders with correct names were found, except two jpg and avi files from the device root folder. Also one mkv file was not found. The found files were successfully recovered.
After Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan: One jpg and mkv files were found and successfully recovered. The avi file was found in the Raw recovery results section and successfully recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: one jpg file.
Overall, almost all files and the original folder structure were successfully recovered, one file was recovered as a raw file, and one file was not recovered at all.
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (exFAT file system): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): Two ExFAT partition were found. One of them contained all files and folders in their original places. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and the original folder structure were successfully recovered after disk scan.
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (FAT32 file system): 6.0Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Only 3 files from the root folder were found. They appeared damaged.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): All files were found in their original places mostly with correct file and folder names. Some files and folders had the ~ character instead of their first letters. All were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and the original folder structure were successfully recovered.
Emptied Recycle Bin (exFAT file system): 5.0Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
AfterQuick scan (index) the file system Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan) 2 ExFAT partitions were found. One partition contained some parts of the original folder structure. One folder (Video) was in its original place containing all its files and folders with correct names and paths. The rest of the folder structure was found in the Bin. Files and folders from the device root folder had incorrect names, but their subfolders and files had correct names. All found files were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files were successfully recovered, but the original folder structure was recovered only partially.
Emptied Recycle Bin (NTFS file system): 6.0Compare
After Explore file system Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system All files, except for 1 mkv and 1 avi file, were found. The initial folder structure (except one folder) was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan) All files and folders were found in their original locations with correct names and folder structure. They were shown as deleted. All files and the entire original folder structure were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and the original folder structure were successfully recovered.
Reformatted disk (NTFS to NTFS): 4.0Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Two folders of the $Folder000000C2 types were found in the $LostFiles/$Group10...01 section. They contained some remnants of the original folder structure and many files with original names. Almost all of them were successfully recovered.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): Other parts of the original folder structure were found in the Bin. They were successfully recovered. Some other files were found in the Raw recovery results section. Some of them were successfully recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 2 jpg, 17 mp3, 1 doc, 3 docx, 1 xlsx file.
Overall, most files were successfully recovered, many as raw files. Only some remnants of the original folder structure were recovered.
Reformatted disk (exFAT to exFAT): 4.5Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): All folders from the device root folder were found in the $LostFiles/$Group1000… section with incorrect names of the $Folder00002A5A type. Those folders contained all respective subfolders and files with correct names. All found files and folders were successfully recovered. Files from the device root folder were not found even among raw files, and therefore not recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: two jpg, one pdf, and one avi file from the device root folder.
Overall, all but four files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was also recovered, except the names of the root folders.
Reformatted disk (NTFS to exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): The previous NTFS partition was found. All files and folders were found in correct place with correct names and were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Reformatted disk (exFAT to NTFS): 4.0Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): Only raw files were found. Some were successfully recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 1 avi, flv, m4v, 17 mp3, 2 docx, and 1 xlsx file.
Overall, only some raw files were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was not recovered at all.
Reformatted disk (FAT32 to FAT32): 6.0Compare
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Quick scan (index) the file system: Nothing was found.
After After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): The $Folder0...6 folder was found. It contained all files and folders with correct names. They were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Damaged partition (NTFS): 5.5Compare
Initially, an unknown partition was found.
After Scan for lost data: An NTFS partition was found containing all files and folders with correct names. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Damaged partition (HFS+): 5.5Compare
An unknown partition was immediately found.
After Partition Scan: All files and folders were found with correct names and successfully recovered. Long disk scan was required.
Damaged partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
Immediately found an exFAT partition of the correct size.
After Explore file system: Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data: Two exFAT partitions were found. One partition contained all files and folders with correct names. They were successfully recovered. The other partition contained all original files and folders scattered over folders of the $LostFiles/$Croup10...01/$Folder00000018 type, but all files appeared damaged.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Damaged partition (FAT32): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system content of this partition: An empty FAT32 partition was found.
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): A FAT partition was found containing with all files and folders in their original places. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Damaged partition (ext4fs): 5.5Compare
The Unknown partition was immediately found.
After Disk Scan: An ext4fs partition was found. All files and folders were found with correct names on this partition and successfully recovered. Long scan was required.
Damaged partition (APFS): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data: The damaged APFS partition was found. It contained all original files and folders with correct names. They were successfully recovered. Long disk scan was required.
Damaged partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
Immediately found an exFAT partition of the correct size.
After Explore file system: The partition was shown as exFAT but without any files and folders.
After Scan for lost data (Only do indexing of the existing file system): All files and folders with correct names were found. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Deleted partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): An exFAT partitions was found with all files and folders with correct names. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too. Long disk scan was required.
Deleted partition (FAT32): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): A FAT partition was found. All files and folders were found in this partition with correct names and successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too.
Deleted partition (NTFS): 5.5Compare
After After Scan for lost data (Do indexing of the file system and continue with the full scan): The previous NTFS partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too. Long disk scan was required.
Deleted partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
Initially, an Unknown partition was found.
**After Scan for lost data: ** Two similar ExFAT partitions were found. Both they contained files and folders in their original place with correct names. All of them were successfully recovered.
Overall, all files and folders were successfully recovered. The entire original folder structure was recovered, too. Long disk scan was required.
Linux MD RAID 5 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Linux MD RAID 5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
LDM RAID 5 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The LDM RAID5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
Mac RAID 0 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Mac RAID 0 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
Windows Storage Space (WSS) Recovery: 6.0Compare
The WSS was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
Windows Storage Space (WSS) Recovery with One Missing Disk: 6.0Compare
The WSS was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
Windows LDM RAID 5 Recovery with One Unsynced Disk: 6.0Compare
The LDM RAID5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
Automatic RAID 5 Parameter Detection: 0.0Compare
The program could not find the correct RAID parameters automatically. When the RAID was reconstructed manually, the program detected and recovered all files and folders successfully.
Speed of SSD disk scan: 4.5Compare
8 min 19 sec (433 GB/h) – disk scan and search for all file systems and raw files search. 8 min 10 sec (441 GB/h) disk scan and search for NTFS/FAT without raw files search.
Mac APFS Fusion Drive Recovery: 2.5Compare
The program could not recognize the Mac APFS Fusion Drive. Separate scans of the disks revealed some raw files, which were successfully recovered.
Linux LVM2 RAID 0 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Linux LVM2 RAID 0 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and successfully recovered.
Overall Product Rating: 5.0
A very decent professional data recovery program with good recovery features and performance. Strengths: One of the best sets of supported file systems. Very good data recovery performance, always among the top scores. Excellent raw file recovery. Support for logical disk manager recovery. Support for the newest Apple file system: APFS. Weaknesses: Limited file search and preview capabilities. It also doesn’t show the disk’s S.M.A.R.T. attributes.
Added since our last review: Support for new ReFS/ReFS2, ZFS, ESX(i), VMFS, APFS file systems. Supports for Apple RAID
Interface and Features
Localized file name recognition: 6.0Compare
Recognized all tested localized characters in file and folder names.
Supported interface languages: 3.0Compare
Setup languages: English, German, Ukrainian. Also available for download: French, Russian, Japanese, Korean. (7 languages) Interface languages: English, German, Ukrainian. Language management: Language change requires program restart.
Demo version restrictions: 3.5Compare
Recovers files up to 768 KB. Some limitations in its built-in hex editor. No time limit for the demo version.
File preview: 3.0Compare
Graphic, pdf, and txt files can be previewed. The program can also show file properties.
File systems supported for file recovery: 6.0Compare
NTFS, FAT/FAT32/exFAT, Apple HFS+, SGI XFS, Btrfs, Ext2-Ext4, Linux JFS (JFS2), ReiserFS, UFS/UFS2, ReFS/ReFS2, ZFS, ESX(i), VMFS, APFS.
File recovery parameters: 5.0Compare
Recovers file names and folder structure. Support for Encrypted NTFS (EFS), recovery of extended attributes (HFS+). HFS+-specific attributes can be saved in “AppleDouble” format. The program can delete recovered files with read/write errors. Empty folders can be excluded from recovery. Duplicate file conflict actions can be specified. Recovered files can be saved with a filter (Save with filter).
Deep analysis of disks (disk scan): 5.0Compare
Versatile scan parameters: Scan range, file systems to search for, file name encoding options, index existing file system (for partition scan), enable multi-thread scan, ignore small FAT12 file systems, ignore file system with only “system” files, use “Recycle Bin” extension for Windows file systems. Supports partial disk scans deletion of unnecessary partitions. Various types of scans: scan for lost data, search undeleted partitions by metadata, etc. Scan results can be saved and loaded later.
File recovery using file signatures (raw file recovery): 6.0Compare
This feature can be used in three modes: built-in IntelliRAW rules enabled, built-in IntelliRAW rules in propriety, enable post-processing of incomplete IntelliRAW types. Using the IntelliRAW technology, the program can recover fragmented files in some cases. This feature can be disabled, if necessary. Custom file signatures can be stored to and loaded from a file. Users can use a special standalone IntelliRAW Editor to create their own file types.
File search, mark for recovery, sorting: 3.5Compare
Search parameters: file name and/or extension, mask, date, deleted/existing, and size. The same parameters can be specified for file recovery. Files can be sorted within a folder by clicking column names (name, size, data, etc.), similar to sorting in Windows Explorer. A list of found files can be saved.
Disk parts/regions: 4.5Compare
A region can be specified manually on a disk. An area to an imaging scan can also be specified (in sectors).
Disk imaging and copying: 5.0Compare
Image types: byte-by-byte (plain disk image file, the extension is img). Partial images can be created.
Hexadecimal editor: 4.5Compare
The editor has all standard features. Data may be represented in any coding or as hex values. Excellent navigation. Only disk objects (real or virtual) can be edited.
User-defined RAID layouts: 5.0Compare
The user can specify very complex RAID layouts using a special language for RAID description files.
Support for disk and volume managers: 4.5Compare
Support for Windows Dynamic Disks (Windows software RAIDs), Windows Storage Spaces, Apple Software RAID, Linux mdadm RAIDs and Logical Volume Manager (LVM/LVM2). Recovery Explorer Professional can assemble these objects automatically, even when their service data is slightly damaged. Objects can be added /disconnected manually if the service data is severely corrupted.
Startup version: 6.0Compare
No such feature for Recovery Explorer Professional. However, the same vendor provides a separate UFS Explorer Backup and Emergency Recovery CD, which is equivalent in its features to the Windows version of UFS explorer (which later became Recovery Explorer Professional).
Standard RAID level presets: 5.5Compare
JBOD (Volume Set), RAID0 (Stripe Set), RAID 1(Mirror), RAID3, RAID4, RAID5, RAID5 with parity delays, RAID6 (Reed-Solomon), RAID6 (Double Xor), with all their variants. Parity delay support for all applicable levels.
RAID recovery features: 5.0Compare
Direct access to a virtual RAID. Any object can be added to a virtual RAID.
File recovery performance
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (NTFS file system): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
All files with correct names were found on the NTFS partition, except one avi and 2 jpg files from the root folder and the mkv file. These files were found in raw file with incorrect names and correctly recovered.
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (exFAT file system): 4.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
Four deleted folders Document, Music, Photos, Video from the root folder were found in the $LostFiles/$Group100… section on the exFAT partition. They contained all respective subfolders and files with correct names. They all were recovered correctly. 1 pdf and 2 jpg files from the root folder were found in their original places. All of them were recovered correctly.
Files that could not be recovered: the avi file from the root folder.
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (FAT32 file system): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
Almost all files were found in their original locations with correct file and folder names. Some files and folders had the ~ character instead of their first letters. All were correctly recovered.
Emptied Recycle Bin (NTFS file system): 5.5Compare
After opening the partition:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
3 folders and files from the disk root folder were found in Recycle Bin with incorrect names. The rest of folders and files were found in Recycle Bin with correct names and folder structure. The $LostFiles/$Group10000…1 section contained some orphan folders and files. One avi and one mkv files could only be found among raw files, with incorrect names. All files were recovered correctly.
Emptied Recycle Bin (exFAT file system): 5.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
All folders from the disk root were found in the $LostFiles/$Group10000…1 section on the ExFAT partition. Only one folder (Video) had its correct name, but they contained subfolders and files with correct names. The Recycle Bin contained files from the root folder with incorrect names. All files and folders were correctly recovered.
Reformatted disk (exFAT to exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
All folders from the root folder were found in the $LostFiles/ $Group1000… section in the ExFAT section. They had incorrect names $Folderxxxxxxxx but contained all files and folders with correct names. They were correctly recovered. Raw recover results contained 2 jpg and 1 pdf files from the root folder. They were also correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: one avi file from the root folder.
Reformatted disk (NTFS to NTFS): 3.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
Files and folders on the partition were found in the $LostFiles/ $Group1000… section only. Three folders $Folderxxx… were found and contained some folders and files from the Photos and Video folders. Raw files (Raw scan results) contained some of the other lost files with incorrect names. Almost all of them were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 1 jpg, 17 mp3, 1 doc, 7 docx, 4 xlsx, 6 odt, 2 ods files.
Reformatted disk (NTFS to exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
The previous NTFS partition was found. Almost all files and folders were found in correct place with correct names and were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 2 xlsx and 1 mp3
Reformatted disk (exFAT to NTFS): 6.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
The previous exFAT partition was found. All files and folders were found in the correct place with correct names and were correctly recovered.
Reformatted disk (FAT32 to FAT32): 5.0Compare
After Scan for lost data:
Two folders $Folder10000… and $Folder00025285 were found in the $LostFiles/ $Group1000… section. They contained all files and folders with correct names, except files from the root folder. Those files were found in the Extra Found Files section with incorrect names. Overall, all files were correctly recovered. Files from the root folder were recovered with incorrect names.
Damaged partition (HFS+): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders were found with correct names and correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (ext4fs): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders were found with correct names and correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
The partition was shown as exFAT but without any files or folders.
After Scan for lost data:
The damaged exFAT partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (FAT32): 5.5Compare
Immediately found a FAT32 partition of the correct size.
After Explore file system:
The partition was shown as FAT but without any files and folders.
After Scan for lost data:
The damaged exFAT partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
The partition was shown as exFAT but without any files and folders.
After Scan for lost data:
The damaged exFAT partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (NTFS): 3.5Compare
After opening the partition:
The partition was shown as Unknown partition. File and folder structure: No files and folders were found.
After Scan for lost data:
Only raw files were found with incorrect names. Some of them were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 1 flv, 1 m4v, 17 mp3, 1 doc, 7 docx, 2 xlsx, 6 odt, 2 ods files.
Deleted partition (NTFS): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data: The previous NTFS partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Deleted partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
An exFAT partitions was found with all files and folders with correct names. All of them were correctly recovered.
Deleted partition (FAT32): 5.5Compare
Initially, a 2TB Unknown partition was found. After Scan for lost data A FAT partition was found. All files and folders were found in this partition with correct names and were correctly recovered.
Deleted partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
Initially, a 2TB Unknown partition was found.
After Scan for lost data:
A FAT partition was found. All files and folders were found in this partition with correct names and were correctly recovered.
Linux LVM2 RAID 0 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Linux LVM2 RAID 0 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Linux MD RAID 5 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Linux MD RAID 5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Mac RAID 0 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Mac RAID 0 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Windows Storage Space (WSS) Recovery: 5.0Compare
The program detected WSS but with incorrect size and without a valid file system.
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders were found with correct names and correctly recovered.
Windows Storage Space (WSS) Recovery with One Missing Disk: 5.0Compare
The program detected WSS but with incorrect size and without a valid file system.
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders were found with correct names and correctly recovered.
Windows LDM RAID 5 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The LDM RAID5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Windows LDM RAID 5 Recovery with One Unsynced Disk: 6.0Compare
The LDM RAID5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered. The program showed the unsynced disk.
Automatic RAID 5 Parameter Detection: 0.0Compare
No such feature. The RAID was correctly re-constructed manually.
Speed of SSD disk scan: 5.5Compare
6 min 58 sec. (516 GB/h) – disk scan and search for all file systems and raw files search.
6 min 6 sec. (516 GB/h) disk scan and search for NTFS/FAT without raw files search.
Overall Product Rating: 4.5
Very decent professional data recovery software. It has good recovery features and performance. Strengths: One of the best sets of supported file systems. Very good data recovery performance, always among the top scores. Excellent raw file recovery. Support for Windows LDM and Linux MD RAIDs, and LVM/LVM2 manager. Weaknesses: Limited file preview capabilities. It also doesn’t show the disk’s S.M.A.R.T. attributes.
Interface and Features
Localized file name recognition: 6.0Compare
Recognized all tested localized characters in file and folder names.
Supported interface languages: 3.0Compare
Setup languages: English, German, Ukrainian. Also available for download: French, Russian, Japanese, Korean. Interface languages: English, German, Ukrainian. Language management: Language change requires program restart.
Demo version restrictions: 3.5Compare
Recovers files up to 256 KB. Some limitations in its built-in hex editor. No time limit for the demo version.
File preview: 3.5Compare
Files are previewed by saving the file to a temp folder and launching in its native application. Can also view file properties. Also, the program can show graphic files.
File recovery using file signatures (raw file recovery): 6.0Compare
This feature can be used in three modes: built-in IntelliRAW rules enabled, built-in IntelliRAW rules in propriety, enable post-processing of incomplete IntelliRAW types. Using the IntelliRAW technology, the program can recover fragmented files in some cases. This feature can be disabled, if necessary. Custom file signatures can be stored to and loaded from a file. Users can use a special standalone IntelliRAW Editor to create their own file types.
File recovery parameters: 5.0Compare
Recovers file names and folder structure. Support for Encrypted NTFS (EFS), recovery of extended attributes (HFS+). The program can delete recovered files with read/write errors. Empty folders can be excluded from recovery. Duplicate file processing.
Disk imaging and copying: 5.0Compare
Image types: byte-by-byte (plain disk image file, the extension is vrfs).
File search, mark for recovery, sorting: 3.0Compare
Search parameters: file name and/or extension, mask, modification time, and size. The same parameters can be specified for file recovery. Files can be sorted within a folder by clicking column names (name, size, data, etc.), similar to sorting in Windows Explorer. A list of found files can be saved.
File systems supported for file recovery: 6.0Compare
NTFS, FAT/FAT32/exFAT, Apple HFS+, SGI XFS, Btrfs, Ext2-Ext4 (only limited number of files can be recovered with their names due to the file system specifications), Linux JFS (JFS2), ReiserFS, UFS/UFS2.
Deep analysis of disks (disk scan): 5.0Compare
Versatile scan parameters: Scan range, file systems to search for, file name encoding options, index existing file system (for partition scan), enable multi-thread scan, ignore small FAT12 file systems, ignore file system with only “system” files, use “Recycle Bin” extension for Windows file systems. Supports partial disk scans and saving/loading of scan results to or from a file. Various types of scans: scan for lost data, search undeleted partitions by metadata, etc. Scan results can be saved and loaded later.
Disk parts/regions: 4.5Compare
A region can be specified manually on a disk. And an area to scan can be specified (in sectors).
Startup version: 6.0Compare
No such feature for Recovery Explorer Professional. However, the same vendor provides a separate UFS Explorer Backup and Emergency Recovery CD, which is equivalent in its features to the Windows version of UFS explorer (which later became Recovery Explorer Professional).
Hexadecimal editor: 4.5Compare
The editor has all standard features. Data may be represented in any coding or as hex values. Excellent navigation. Only disk objects (real or virtual) can be edited.
User-defined RAID layouts: 5.0Compare
The user can specify very complex RAID layouts using a special language for RAID description files.
Standard RAID level presets: 5.5Compare
JBOD, RAID0 (Stripe Set), RAID 1(Mirror), RAID3, RAID4, RAID5, RAID5 with parity delays, RAID6 (Reed-Solomon), RAID6 (Double Xor), with all their variants. Parity delay support for all applicable levels.
RAID recovery features: 4.5Compare
Direct access to a virtual RAID. Only disks and images can be added to a virtual RAID.
Support for disk and volume managers: 4.0Compare
Support for Windows Dynamic Disks (Windows software RAIDs), Windows Storage Spaces, Linux MD RAIDs, and Linux Logical Volume Manager (LVM/LVM2).
File recovery performance
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (NTFS file system): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
All files with correct names were found on the NTFS partition, except files from the root folder and the mkv file. These files were found with incorrect names in raw files and correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: two xlsx and four mp3 files.
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (exFAT file system): 5.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
Four deleted folders Document, Music, Photos, Video from the root folder were found in the $LostFiles/$Group100… section on the exFAT partition. They contained all respective subfolders and files with correct names. They all were recovered correctly. The files from the root folder were found in their original places (except the avi file). All of them were recovered correctly.
Files that could not be recovered: the avi file from the root folder.
Files Deleted without Recycle Bin (FAT32 file system): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
Almost all files were found in their original locations with correct file and folder names, except one avi file. Some files and folders had the ~ character instead of their first letters. All were correctly recovered. The avi file was found among raw files with an incorrect name and correctly recovered.
Emptied Recycle Bin (exFAT file system): 5.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data: All folders from the disk root were found in the $LostFiles/$Group10000… section on the ExFAT partition. Only one folder (Video) had its correct name, but they contained subfolders and files with correct names. The Recycle Bin contained files from the root folder, except one avi. All files and folders were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: one avi file.
Emptied Recycle Bin (NTFS file system): 5.0Compare
After opening the partition:
Nothing was found.
After Disk scan:
One picture and one pdf file was found in the right place (the disk root). Also, the root folder contained three folders: Documents, Music, and Photos with correct names. All were recovered correctly, except two xlsx and four mp3 files. Six folders with correct folder and file names from the Avi folder were found in the $LostFiles/$Group section. All those files were correctly recovered. The same section contained the folder with all files with correct file names, and all but one file from the Avi subfolder. All were correctly recovered. Raw recovery results contained mkv, 2 mov, 5 mp4, and 22 avi. They were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 2 xlsx and 4 mp3
Reformatted disk (exFAT to exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
All folders from the root folder were found in the $LostFiles/ $Group1000… section in the ExFAT section. They had incorrect names $Folderxxxxxxxx, but contained all files and folders with correct names. They were correctly recovered. Raw recover results contained 2 jpg and 1 pdf files from the root folder. They were also correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: one avi file from the root folder.
Reformatted disk (FAT32 to FAT32): 6.0Compare
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders from the root folder were found with correct names in the $00000005 section. All of them were correctly recovered.
Reformatted disk (NTFS to NTFS): 3.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
Files and folders on the partition were found in the $LostFiles/ $Group1000… section only. Three folders $Folderxxx… were found and contained some folders and files from the Photos and Video folders. Raw files contained some of the other lost files with incorrect names. Almost all of them were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 18 mp3, 1 doc, 7 docx, 4 xlsx, 6 odt, and 2 ods files.
Reformatted disk (NTFS to exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
The previous NTFS partition was found. Almost all files and folders were found in correct place with correct names and were correctly recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 2 xlsx and 1 mp3
Reformatted disk (exFAT to NTFS): 6.0Compare
After Explore file system:
Nothing was found.
After Scan for lost data:
The previous exFAT partition was found. All files and folders were found in the correct place with correct names and were correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
The partition was shown as exFAT but without any files and folders.
After Scan for lost data:
The damaged exFAT partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
The partition was shown as exFAT but without any files or folders.
After Scan for lost data:
The damaged exFAT partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (HFS+): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders were found with correct names and correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (NTFS): 3.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
Only raw files were found with incorrect names. Some of them were correctly recovered. Files that could not be recovered: many.
Damaged partition (ext4fs): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
All files and folders were found with correct names and correctly recovered.
Damaged partition (FAT32): 5.5Compare
After Explore file system:
The partition was shown as FAT32 but without any files and folders.
After Scan for lost data: The damaged FAT32 partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Deleted partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
An exFAT partitions was found with all files and folders with correct names. All of them were correctly recovered.
Deleted partition (exFAT): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
The exFAT partition was found with all correct files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Deleted partition (FAT32): 4.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
A FAT partition was found containing all correct files and folders with correct names. Almost all of them were recovered.
Files that could not be recovered: 4 mp4, 1 mpeg, and 4 mts files.
Deleted partition (NTFS): 5.5Compare
After Scan for lost data:
The previous NTFS partition was found with all files and folders. All of them were correctly recovered.
Windows Storage Space (WSS) Recovery with One Missing Disk: 1.0Compare
The WSS was immediately found, no scan was required. But the reconstruction appeared incorrect. Not all files could be previewed and correctly recovered.
Linux MD RAID 5 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Linux MD RAID 5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Windows LDM RAID 5 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The LDM RAID5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered
Speed of SSD disk scan: 5.5Compare
4 min 36 sec (783 GB/h) – disk scan and search for all file systems without raw files search. 4 min 37 sec (779 GB/h) disk scan with raw files search and search for NTFS/FAT without raw files search.
Windows Storage Space (WSS) Recovery: 1.0Compare
The WSS was immediately found, no scan was required. But the reconstruction appeared incorrect. All files could not be previewed and correctly recovered.
Windows LDM RAID 5 Recovery with One Unsynced Disk: 6.0Compare
The LDM RAID5 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Linux LVM2 RAID 0 Recovery: 6.0Compare
The Linux LVM2 RAID 0 was immediately found and correctly reconstructed. All file and folders were found and correctly recovered.
Automatic RAID 5 Parameter Detection: 0.0Compare
No such feature. The RAID was correctly re-constructed manually.
