1. Stellar Phoenix Windows Data RecoveryProsStellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery can recover nearly 200 file types from a variety of devices, including hard disks, USB drives, SD cards and DVDs.ConsThe home-use, entry-level product does not include all advanced features. Only the Pro version can recover RAID arrays orcreate a disk image.Verdict 9.83 Worrying about losing your files is stressful. Stellar Phoenix makes the complex task of recovering lost files as simple as possible and achievable by anyone.$49.95Review:Despite our best efforts to back up our data, sometimes disk disasters happen and we have to face the prospect of losing critical work emails, family photos or our music and video collections. Our TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award winner, Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery, can help. You do not have to be an IT expert or experienced recovery specialist to use this data recovery software. It is able to locate and restore lost files, and it is easy to use.

2. R-Studio WindowsProsR-Studio includes all the basic and advanced tools you need to attempt recovery of all file types from all types of disk disasters.ConsThis software is complex and more difficult to use than some consumer-level, do-it-yourself data recovery software.Verdict 9.7 If you have a challenging restoration project to accomplish, this software is suitable for the job. It can restore files from all types of disk and partition issues, and even remotely if necessary.$79.99Review:R-Tools creates serious recovery software. R-Studio for Windows can help relieve you of many types of stressful disk disasters, including reformatted partitions, damaged disks and hard disks with bad sectors. It has an advanced RAID reconstruction tool and a powerful text/hex editor. This file recovery tool is nearly as complex and effective as professional data recovery software and earns our TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award.

3. Data Rescue PC 3.2ProsData Rescue PC can restore files even if you cannot get Windows to run. It also works over a network connection. This makes recovery from severe disk disasters much easier, even if you know nothing about data recovery.ConsThe search and sort options are limited compared to other products; however, the preview tool works exceptionally well.Verdict 9.32 This recovery software makes extremely difficult and frustrating tasks as simple as possible. It is an excellent choice for those who know nothing or little about data recovery.$49.95Review:Data Rescue PC really is refreshing. If you have lost files or if your hard drive is failing, you are likely already stressed and do not need to add to your frustration by attempting to recover your data with difficult-to-use software. Data Rescue PC is surprisingly easy to use and can even work with a locked-down PC that will not boot Windows. Using this recovery software, you simply put the installation disc in and it will do everything for you. Data Rescue PC can handle complex tasks but does not make complex tasks complicated, and it easily sweeps up our TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award.

4. Ontrack EasyRecovery 11ProsA wizard leads you through the process of recovering your files. ConsAdvanced features like RAID recovery cost more. Verdict 9.3 Ontrack EasyRecovery makes the process of finding lost data less intimidating with a user-friendly interface and great customer service. $79.00

Review:Ontrack EasyRecovery Home is truly a do-it-yourself product and much easier to use than many data recovery tools we tried. It really lives up to the "easy" in its title by allowing just about anyone to find files that were accidentally deleted or lost in a virus bout. Just fire it up and Ontrack EasyRecovery leads you, step-by-step, through the process of finding and restoring lost files with its built-in wizard. You can also preview files before you decide whether or not to recover them.

5. GetDataBack 4.33ProsGetDataBack can recover data via a network connection or serial cable. This is critical if you need to recover data from a disk you cannot remove and attach to another computer.ConsNTFS and FAT file support is not provided in one product. You have to purchase each one separately, which is inconvenient if you need both. The RAID Reconstructor utility is also an additional purchase.Verdict 9.2 this software is effective at recovering files. Runtime Software includes lifetime updates so you never have to purchase an upgrade, which is an excellent deal.$69.00Review:GetDataBack by Runtime Software is among the best data recovery software - especially for recovering data from PCs that cannot boot Windows or from an extremely damaged disk via a network connection. This is one of the few file recovery applications that can recover data "remotely" through a network connection or via a serial cable. Allyou have to do is install a small application called an HDHost on the machine you want to recover data from to access it remotely from another PC running the recovery software. This is easier than having to disconnect the hard drive and connect it to another PC.

6. Quick Recovery 13ProsThis recovery software runs quick scans and works with an assortment of file systems, which makes it among the most flexible software we reviewed in this respect.ConsQuick Recovery was not able to recover our lost JPEG image files.Verdict 9.15 Many recovery solutions could not recover our JPEG image files, including this one. However, it reportedly works with a variety of camera cards, which could be useful if you need to recover images from SD or proprietary camera cards.$49.00Review:Quick Recovery works with a variety of file types in a range of lost file scenarios. It supports many file systems, including FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS and NTFS5, along with current Windows operating systems and server versions. It recovers deleted files from IDE, EIDE, SCSI, iSCSI, Micro and SATA connected hard disk drives. If you do not know what file system your PC uses or what kind of hard drive you have, do not worry. Quick Recovery can likely help you because it can handle common file types and drives.

7. Recover My Files 5.2.1ProsRecover My Files can restore more than 200 files types that have been deleted or lost from a partition change, corrupted disk or Windows reinstallation.ConsThis recovery solution does not include a bootable disk for searching for files on an unbootable machine. It also does not include an option for recovery over a network.Verdict 9.15 If you need help restoring Windows files that have been deleted or lost, Recover My Files can help. For added convenience, it supports all FAT and NFTS file systems.$69.95Review:Deleted or lost files are not necessarily gone forever. If you have accidently deleted some files or cannot access your files because of a hard drive issue, Recover My Files by GetData can help you. This file recovery software can easily recover deleted files and restore lost files if they have not been written over. Most files that appear to be lost actually still

exist; only the pathway to their locations on the hard drive have been lost.

8. Power Data Recovery 6.8ProsThis data recovery software can restore data from a wide variety of devices including USB flash drives, Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, memory cards and more.ConsThe software component required to recover data from unbootable drives is not included with this version. It is an additional purchase.Verdict 8.75Power Data Recovery is an excellent product to restore data from many disk and memory device disasters. However, if you need to restore data from an unbootable hard drive or create a disk image, another product may be a more suitable option.$69.00Review:MiniTool Power Data Recovery Software offers a few features that are not readily available in other recovery products, such as the ability to recover from CDs and DVDs, media memory cards and iPods. Many software providers offer these features in separate products rather than in one product like this application. This file recovery software can also restore from damaged partitions or altered partitions, and it can recover deleted files.

9. Advanced Disk Recovery 1.2ProsThis data recovery software can restore data from a camera card, USB drive, CDs and DVDs.ConsAdvanced Disk Recovery does not have the ability to scan for data on an unbootable PC, and it cannot create disk images.Verdict 8.73 Systweak creates good products. This one performs well and can recover lost files from drives connected by USB or FireWire. $39.95Review:If you have a standard PC running Windows and do not need to recover data via a network connection, Advanced Disk Recovery can help you recover your deleted files, emails and data stored on CDs or DVDs. Since not all recovery software can pull data from CDs or DVDs this is a good option if you have "lost" data on these types of discs. This software can also scan for files located on removable USB storage drives and from partitions.

10. Data Recovery Wizard 7.5ProsData Recovery Wizard has the ability to recover data from a variety of storage devices. ConsYou cannot mail this company your equipment for professional manual recovery of your files. Verdict 8.68 We found this recovery software functional and effective. However, it cannot help you recover data from CDs and DVDs like some competitors, or assist you with manual recovery services. $69.95Review:Data Recovery Wizard increases the odds of recovering files by not only recovering deleted files but also files from damaged disks, from formatted disks and from memory cards or storage devices. It can help you recover files after a hard disk crash and can recover RAW data. This recovery software supports FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, NTFS/NTFS5 file systems.

11. Handy Recovery 5.5ProsThis recovery software supports all Windows file systems, including all NTFS and FAT file systems. It can also restore HFS and HFS+ (Apple) file systems.ConsHandy Recovery does not include a tool for recovering data from an unbootable drive or via a network connection.Verdict 8.45 This is a suitable recovery solution if you need to recover a variety of file system types including images from media cards.

$49.00Review:Handy Recovery by Softlogica can recover a variety of file types including image files from camera cards. This data recovery software supports all Windows file systems and can recover from compressed and encrypted NTFS drives. We tested this software's ability to recover NTFS type files on three test PCs running Windows 7 and discovered that it is able to locate and restore the deleted files that we were striving to recover. Additionally, unlike other recovery applications, Handy Recovery is able to display some original files names, which makes finding specific files simpler.

12. Total Recall 2.1.28ProsTotal Recall can recover deleted files as well as files lost in deleted, corrupted or formatted partitions.ConsThis file recovery software lacks sort tools, so it is difficult to find files by file type or date.Verdict 7.6 Total Recall has the ability to recover files that have not been written over; however, it is not the best choice if you are looking to find specific lost files by name, file type or date.$99.95Review:Total Recall is a data recovery company that provides recovery software and professional recovery services. We reviewed Total Recall Data Recovery and tested its ability to recover deleted files. We ran this product through two test rounds on different Windows 7 PCs. In our tests, Total Recall was able to find deleted files.

13. Windows Data Recovery 1.0ProsThis recovery software can restore files from reformatted partitions, across a network and even from a PC that has hadWindows reinstalled.ConsDisk Doctors did not bundle everything into this product. You have to purchase the NTFS or FAT version, and the Outlook version for recovering emails separately.Verdict 7.35 Windows Data Recovery is simple to use and effective. However, if you need to recover Outlook emails or images from a memory card, you may want to consider a product that is compatible with more devices.$129.00Review:Disk Doctors Windows Data Recovery can recover files from deleted, corrupt, reformatted and missing partitions. It can also create disk images, which is not only a good backup tool, but is also ideal for recovering data from a damaged disk. Disk Doctor offers a variety of versions, including NTFS, FAT, Outlook and media recover software. For the purpose of this review, we looked at the NTFS version because our test machines use that file system.