With data loss becoming a common affair and data recovery services being an expensive way out of the problem, many people prefer to resort to the cheap DIY recovery software available in the market. While some of them feel that the software is indeed a major boon in recovering from the problem of data loss, majority of the users and experts feel differently.
Is data recovery software really a worthy alternative for data recovery services offered by companies? If not, why do some people find it useful while the majority of them complain against it? Let us examine the features, advantages and disadvantages of these software in order to know if they are really a boon or a bane!
The Features of DIY Recovery Software
Today, hundreds of DIY data recovery software is marketed on the Internet. Once you purchase the software, you could download them on your computer and start using them. They bypass the Operating System of your computer and search for the lost files and folder. DIY data recovery software can be used to retrieve data from different types of storage media – CDs, DVDs, USB drives, hard drives, floppy drives, etc. They also claim that you could recover the data from all these different media using single recovery software.
Why People Choose DIY Recovery Software?
Many people opt to purchase DIY data recovery software for the following benefits:
- They are cheap. You could also find free-to-use software available on the internet.
- They can be accessed instantaneously after your purchase it.
- Once you have purchased them, they could be used multiple times without paying any extra charge.
- They can be used on different types of storage media.
DIY Recovery Software - Are They Really Worth a Try?
If the solution for data loss is so simple and cheap, why doesn’t everyone purchase data recovery software instead of resorting to the services of data recovery expert? It is simply because the data recovery software has a lot of disadvantages that can actually outweigh its benefits.
Some of the significant risks involved in using DIY recovery software are as follows:
1. Permanent Data Loss: When a data loss happens, the data is still resident on the storage media but the Operating System is unable to locate it. The data can be recovered until it is overwritten. Some of the data recovery software developed by armatures is designed to install itself on the storage media. During the process, it might overwrite the information that you are seeking to recover. The result – you end up losing your data permanently.
Even before a hard drive fails, you might receive an intimation regarding the same in the form of a warning message or a clicking noise from the hard drive. Some of the users try to install DIY data recovery software and backup before the drive fails. However, installing the software itself could lead to failure of the hard drive even before you have recovered your data. Instead, if you send the hard drive to the data recovery experts, you could be confident about having your data safe and secure.
3. Unwanted Expenses: Some of the data recovery software are useless and cannot be used for recovery of any data. Without a physical presence, you would not be able to check out the credibility of the company that has developed the software. So, you might be wasting your money on software that could not only risk your data but prove completely worthless as well.
4. Off-the-peg: These are off-the-peg software with an algorithm written with a certain pre-defined assumptions such as the structure of the file system, etc. When there is deviation from the normal file structure due to OS corruption, it becomes impossible for recovery software to retrieve the data. It could also further corrupt the OS and jeopardise your data.
The Last Word
Seeking the help of data recovery software would be similar to seeking the help of a general physician to perform a brain surgery. While it would not serve the purpose, it could only further endanger the situation. So, if you value your data and want to retrieve it, seeking the assistance of an expert would be the best way to do it. Computer Forensics (Digital Forensics) experts specialise in the investigation of malicious data theft or destruction and give expert witness in criminal trials.