- 2015
- 2014
Overall Product Rating: 4.0
This program has an excellent data recovery feature set and shows a very good performance. However, it lacks both a technician startup version and a technician license that allows it to be installed on customer computers. Still, it is a very good advanced data recovery solution for IT professionals (such as system administrators), that perform data recovery only occasionally on a dedicated machine.
Strengths: Excellent wizard-oriented interface, file preview, network data recovery, and a very reasonable price.
Weaknesses: Lacks technician startup version and technician end-user license for use on other machines. Lacks support for some less frequently used file systems.
New features: Expanded RAID level support and automatic RAID parameter finding, support for logical disk and volume managers, S.M.A.R.T. attribute monitoring.
Supported Interface Languages: 5.5Compare
Languages supported: English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, traditional and simplified Chinese and Japanese.
Language management: Languages can be changed on-the-fly.
Localized File Name Recognition: 6.0Compare
Recognized all tested localized characters in file and folder names.
Demo version restrictions: 4.0Compare
File preview (no file size limitations). Recovers files up to 128 KB. No time limit for the demo version.
File preview: 5.0Compare
Built-in previewer for graphic, audio, and video files. Also supports pdf files and Microsoft Office documents: doc, xls, ppt (Office 97-2003), docx, xlsx, pptx without requiring installation of native applications.
Deep Analysis of Disks (Disk Scan): 5.5Compare
Very versatile scan parameters. Supports partial disk scans, excluding disks from a scan, combining partial scan results, and saving/loading disk scans to/from a file. The user can control bad sector processing and memory usage.
Disk Parts/Regions: 5.0Compare
Disk regions appear as objects that can be processed like regular disks.
File Systems Supported for File Recovery: 5.0Compare
NTFS/NTFS5, FAT12/FAT16/FAT32/exFAT, ReFS,UFS1/UFS2, ext2fs/ext3fs/ext4fs, HFS/HFS+
File Recovery Using File Signatures (Raw File Recovery): 6.0Compare
Raw file search on hard drives and partitions can be run as standalone scan or it can be run as part of a standard disk scan. It can also be disabled, if necessary. User selectable file types, custom file signatures, and built-in file signature editor are all supported. Custom signatures can be saved and loaded to or from a file.
Disk Imaging and Copying: 5.0Compare
Image types: byte-by-byte and compressed.
Parameters specified: compression rate, file split size, password, bad sector processing. Can scan a disk and create an image at the same time.
File Search, Mark For Recovery, Sorting: 5.0Compare
Search parameters: “Show only deleted files”, “Show only existing files”, individual file search/mark for recovery, file mask search/mark for recovery, file search for date, file search for size, file search for file ID.
Support for mass file recovery: file sorting by file extension, file sorting by file timestamp.
File Recovery Parameters: 5.0Compare
Recovers file names and folder structure, including hidden/system attributes, security attributes and alternate data streams for NTFS. Extra Found Files (files found using file signatures) are optional. User can specify bad sector processing.
RAID Recovery Features: 5.5Compare
Direct access to a virtual RAID. Disk objects and regions can be added to a virtual RAID. RAID consistency can be checked.
Standard RAID Level Presets: 6.0Compare
JBOD, RAID0 (Stripe Set), RAID 1(Mirror), RAID 10 (1+0), RAID 1E, RAID4, RAID5, RAID5E, RAID5EE, RAID6 (Reed-Solomon), RAID6E (Reed-Solomon), RAID6 (Double Xor), with all their variants. Parity delay support for all applicable levels
User-defined RAID Layouts: 6.0Compare
Includes graphic RAID editor and support for XML RAID description files. Allows for very complex RAID layouts.
Automatic RAID Parameter Detection: 5.0Compare
Automatic RAID 5 and RAID 6 parameter and layout detection. Also includes “semi-automatic” detection with some user input.
Support for Disk and Volume Managers: 6.0Compare
Automatically assembles Windows Storage Spaces, Apple RAIDs, Linux Logical Volume Manager (LVM/LVM2), even if service data is slightly damaged. Can add objects manually in cases of severe damage.
Network Data Recovery: 5.5Compare
Includes full-featured network data recovery, although recovery agent only runs under Windows. Supports Internet data recovery. Recovered data, disk images and scan results can be saved locally or remotely. Unbootable machines can be stated using the emergency version
Hexadecimal Editor: 5.0Compare
The hex editor has all standard features. Data may be represented in any coding or as hex values. Excellent navigation. Any visible object (real or virtual) can be edited.
Startup Version: 2.0Compare
Restorer Ultimate Emergency Engine: for network data recovery from an unbootable computer.
S.M.A.R.T.: 6.0Compare
Shows hard drive’s S.M.A.R.T. attributes in a pop-up window. Throws a special warning when attempting to work with a drive with bad S.M.A.R.T. data. Recommends creating an image of the drive and performing all recovery from that image.
File recovery performance
Deleted Files (NTFS): 5.5Compare
All files, except the avi file, were immediately found in correct folders and successfully recovered upon opening the partition. The avi file was found but appeared damaged.
Deleted Files (FAT32): 5.0Compare
For the 1 GB partition: Folder recovered with incorrect name. Contained the rar, zip, acc, mp3 files. Disk scan yielded the following Extra Found Files: jpg, png, tiff, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, odt, ods, pdf, txt, flv, mp4 (2 similar copies), mpg.
For the 500 MB partition: Upon opening the partition, all files were found and recovered in correct subfolders but the rar and mpg files were corrupted.
Emptied Recycle Bin (NTFS): 5.0Compare
All files were immediately found in the $Recycle.Bin folder with altered names upon opening the partitions. All files, except avi, acc, and mp3, were correctly recovered. Folder and file names were correctly recovered starting from the second level (i.e. files and folders at root level had altered names).
Emptied Recycle Bin (NTFS): 5.5Compare
Most files were immediately found in the original folder with original names and successfully recovered upon opening the partitions. Files were also found in $Recycle.Bin folder with altered file names. For the second disk setup, all files except the avi, mp3 or acc files could be recovered.
Disk Reformat – NTFS to NTFS : 5.5Compare
Most files were found in the Lost Files and successfully recovered after disk scan.
Files not found: acc, exe, m4v, doc. Successfully recovered files: mp3, txt, mpg:
Recovered but corrupt: avi.
Disk Reformat – FAT32 to FAT32 : 6.0Compare
All files were found in the original folders with original names and were successfully recovered after disk scan
Disk Reformat – NTFS to FAT32 : 5.0Compare
After disk scan, successful recovery for files and file names starting at second level (i.e. files and folders had to be within a folder). Files at the root level were corrupted.
Disk Reformat – FAT32 to NTFS : 2.0Compare
We could find only a few files in the Extra Found Files after disk scan.
Successfully recovered: mp4
Unsuccessfully recovered: mpg, avi
Damaged Partition (FAT32): 6.0Compare
All files were immediately found in the original folder with original names and successfully recovered upon opening the partition.
Damaged Partition (FAT32): 6.0Compare
All files were immediately found in the original folder with original names and successfully recovered upon opening the partition.
Damaged Partition (NTFS): 5.5Compare
All files with correct file names were found in correct folders and successfully recovered after disk scan.
Damaged Partition (FAT16): 5.0Compare
All files were found in the original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
Deleted partition: 6.0Compare
All files were found in the original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
RAID level: 0 consisting of 2 disks: 5.5Compare
All files were found in the original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
RAID level: 5 consisting of 3 disks: 6.0Compare
RAID 5 parameters automatically detected. All files, including folders and original names, were found after a disk scan.
Overall Product Rating: 5.0
A very good solution for an IT professional, like a system administrator, for occasional data recovery tasks that may require an advanced data recovery tool.
Strengths: Wizard-style interface, file preview, network data recovery, very attractive price.
Weaknesses: Lacks support for a few less common file systems.
Supported Interface Languages: 6.0Compare
Languages supported: English, German, French, Spanish, Russian.
Language management: Languages can be changed on-the-fly.
Localized File Name Recognition: 6.0Compare
Recognized all tested localized characters in file and folder names.
Demo version restrictions: 4.5Compare
File preview (no file size limitations). Recovers files up to 128 KB. No time limit for the demo version.
File preview: 5.0Compare
Built-in previewer supports all graphic, audio, and video files. Native support for pdf, xls, ppt, docx, xlsx and pptx (doesn’t require installation of Adobe Reader or Microsoft Office).
Disk Imaging and Copying: 5.0Compare
Image types: byte-by-byte and compressed.
Parameters specified: compression rate, file split size, password, bad sector processing.
Other features: The program can scan disks and save scan info while imaging.
File Systems Supported for File Recovery: 5.0Compare
FAT/FAT16/FAT32/exFAT/NTFS/NTFS5, ReFS ,UFS1/UFS2, Ext2/Ext3/Ext4FS, HFS/HFS+
Disk Parts/Regions: 5.0Compare
Disk regions appear as objects that can be processed like regular disks.
File Recovery Parameters: 5.0Compare
Recovers file names and folder structure. Recovers hidden attributes, system attributes, alternative data streams for NTFS, security attributes for NTFS. Lost Files (files found using file signatures) can be included or excluded from data recovery results. Bad sector processing can be specified.
File Search, Mark For Recovery, Sorting: 5.0Compare
Filters and sorting: “Show only deleted files” and “Show only existing files”.
Search and mark: individual file search/mark for recovery, file mask search/mark for recovery, file search for date, file search for size, file search for file ID.
Support for mass file recovery: file sorting by file extension, file sorting by file timestamp, file recovery lists.
Deep Analysis of Disks (Disk Scan): 6.0Compare
Raw file recovery support for hard drives and partitions. Can be run as a standalone process or combined with a standard disk scan. Can also be disabled for faster initial disk scans. User can add and edit custom file signatures. Built-in file signature editor can create very complex signature combinations. File signatures can be saved to and loaded from a file.
Standard RAID Level Presets: 5.0Compare
JBOD, RAID 0 (Stripe Set), RAID 1(Mirror), RAID 4, RAID 5, RAID 5 with parity delays, RAID 6 (Reed-Solomon), RAID 6 (Double Xor), with all their variants.
RAID Recovery Features: 5.0Compare
Direct access to a virtual RAID. Any object (including regions) can be added to a virtual RAID.
Startup Version: 5.5Compare
Restorer Ultimate Emergency Engine: Client-side agent for network data recovery from an unbootable computer.
Hexadecimal Editor: 5.0Compare
The editor has all standard features, including custom patterns and advanced search. Data may be represented in any coding or as hex values. Excellent navigation. Any visible object (real or virtual) can be edited.
User-defined RAID Layouts: 6.0Compare
The user can specify very complex RAID layouts using the graphical RAID editor and the XML RAID description files.
Network Data Recovery: 5.5Compare
Full-featured network data recovery. All data (recovered files, disk images, scan results, etc.) can be saved both on the local and remote computers. Recovery agents on remote computers can run under Windows. An unbootable computer can be started using a special emergency agent. Network recovery can be performed over the Internet or on a local area network.
File recovery performance
Deleted Files (NTFS): 5.0Compare
The rar, zip, acc and mp3 files were found in the recovered folder. Recovered files folder was incorrectly named. The following files were located as Lost Files: jpg, png, tiff, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, odt, ods, pdf, txt, flv, mp4 (2 similar copies), mpg. The avi file appeared damaged for the both disk setups. For the second disk setup, the rar and mpg files appeared damaged.
Deleted Files (NTFS): 5.5Compare
All files and folder information found successfully, except the avi file, which was found but appeared damaged. No disk scan required.
Emptied Recycle Bin (FAT32): 5.5Compare
Most files were found and recovered in the original folder with original names without scanning. The same files were also found in the $Recycle.Bin folder with altered names. For the second disk setup, the program recovered the avi, mp3 and acc files incorrectly.
Emptied Recycle Bin (NTFS): 5.5Compare
All files were immediately found in the $Recycle.Bin folder with altered names upon opening the partition. All files, except avi, acc and mp3, were successfully recovered. The folder and file names could be successfully recovered starting from the second level.
Disk Reformat – NTFS to NTFS : 5.5Compare
Most files were found in the Lost Files and successfully recovered after disk scan. Some files were found but unsuccessfully recovered.
Successfully recovered files: rar, zip, docx, xls, xlsx, odt, ods, pdf, flv, mp4, jpg, png, tif
Unsuccessfully recovered files: mp3, txt, mpg, avi
Files not found: acc, exe, m4v, doc
Disk Reformat – NTFS to FAT32 : 5.0Compare
All files were found in the original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan. When the files were in the root folder, the recovered files appeared damaged.
Disk Reformat – FAT32 to NTFS: 2.0Compare
Only a few files were found in the Lost Files after disk scan.
Successfully recovered: mp4
Unsuccessfully recovered: mpg, avi
Disk Reformat – FAT32 to FAT32 : 6.0Compare
All files were found in the original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
Damaged Partition (NTFS): 5.5Compare
All files with correct file names were found in correct folders and successfully recovered after disk scan.
Damaged Partition (FAT32): 6.0Compare
All files were immediately found in their original folders with original names and successfully recovered upon opening the partition. No disk scan was required.
Damaged Partition (FAT16): 5.0Compare
All files were found in their original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
Damaged Partition (FAT32): 6.0Compare
All files were immediately found in their original folders with original names and successfully recovered upon opening the partition. No disk scan was required.
Deleted Partition: 6.0Compare
All files were found in their original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
RAID 0 (2 Disks): 5.5Compare
All files were found in their original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
RAID 5 (3 Disks): 5.5Compare
All files were found in their original folders with original names and successfully recovered after disk scan.
