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PerfectFileRecovery finds files easily

27.10.2012
File recovery programs are generally difficult to use, whether it's because they offer you little in the way of direction or suffer from an interface that makes DOS look sleek. But that can't be said of Raxco's PerfectFileRecovery ($70, feature-limited demo), a utility that not only helped me find multiple lost files easily, but also looked good doing it.

PerfectFileRecovery isn't cheap, at $70 for a single PC license, or $100 for a total home license. Rivals like and FreeUndelete are free, while Symantec offers a three-PC license of its PC Tools File Recover application for $30.

So, what does PerfectFileRecovery offer for that extra dough? It is easy to use, but so is PC Tools File Recover. What PerfectFileRecovery offers is far more scanning options, which come in handy when you're not quite sure where your lost or deleted file might be.

When you launch PerfectFileRecovery, you're presented with a Wizard (which you can cancel out of and disable in the future, should you desire) that leads you through the recovery process.

I found the Wizard extremely helpful when getting started with the application, as it not only leads you through the steps but also explains your options. You can choose to begin with File Recovery, to find deleted files, or Drive Image, to copy and secure a drive.

When you select File Recovery, you're then led to select a drive, which can be a mapped drive or a physical drive. You also can connect a mobile device via USB, and scan that, too. You're then given a choice of looking for files that were recently deleted, lost due to a reformatted drive, lost due to a deleted partition, or located on a corrupt drive. If none of these fits your situation, you can select other.