best recovery software!?

[flashsnaps]

Imagine your harddrive failed, you re-format it - then you realise you had valuable data on it.

What is the first piece of recovery software you would turn to?

[StuartC]

linux live disc and testdisk. Or hiren boot disk with disk commander. But I've only used that kind of stuff for failed disks, not reformatted disks.

edit: try this guide http://www.shockfamily.net/cedric/knoppix/

[Jona]

I've used this before on failed disk's: http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm

I've also had limited success on formatted disks but in general the less writing you do to a disk once it's died the greater your chances of recovering the data.

Cheers
Jona

[apeo]

Could try PC Inspector File Recovery, you can find it on WIKI Essential Software list.

[GlennT]

If money is no object, would suggest Ontrack EasyRecovery.
http://www.ontrackdatarecovery.com/f...very-software/
Bit steep but I guess it sepends how much the data is worth to you?

[mark]

Test Disk is really good and free

[ChrisH]

I have used test disk before as well. Seemed a bit strange the process you go through but worked fine.