Data recovery tools, explained
Data recovery uses two kinds of tools. Recovery software reads a working drive and rebuilds deleted or lost files. Hardware tools such as DFL, MRT or PC-3000 talk to a drive below the operating system: they repair its firmware, read around weak heads and copy a failing drive sector by sector before it gets worse.
This guide explains what each tool does and when it is needed. It is written by the team of DataCare Labs, a data recovery lab in Pune, India, from the makers' own information.
- Hard disk data recovery tools Firmware repair, weak heads and imaging of failing hard disks 14 tools →
- SSD data recovery tools SATA and NVMe SSDs: controller failures, firmware and imaging 6 tools →
- Pen drive and memory card recovery tools Chip-off and NAND reading for USB drives and memory cards 5 tools →
- RAID, NAS and server recovery tools Rebuilding arrays and reading server and NAS disks 9 tools →
- Data recovery software File-level recovery from drives that still work 12 tools →
When not to do it yourself
If a drive clicks, beeps, is not detected, or was dropped, stop using it. Every power-on can scratch the platters and turn a recoverable drive into a lost one. Software cannot fix a mechanical fault; such drives need a clean-air bench and the hardware tools described here.
Free tools from DataCare Labs
See the tools
HDD Switch by DataCare Labs Freeware
Spin drives down and up from Windows, without unplugging them.
Works with SATA, USB and SAS disks, shows the model and serial before anything is sent, and warns you when the drive is in use.
Folder Snapshot by DataCare Labs Freeware
Send your customer a browsable report of the files you recovered.
One HTML file that opens in any browser, with your own logo and colours and an optional password.
Drive Health by DataCare Labs
Check a drive's SMART health before you start a recovery.
HDD and SSD health and temperature for Windows, read straight from the drive. Works offline; nothing is uploaded.
Coming soon
Product names and trademarks belong to their makers. DataCare Labs is not affiliated with them and does not sell these tools. Facts come from each maker's official pages on the date shown; prices and features change, so check the maker's site before you buy. We never link to cracked or copied software. Tools appear in a new random order every time the page opens (the comparison table is A to Z): the order is not a ranking, and we do not promote any tool. Suggest a tool · Tool makers: contact us