You delete a project folder by accident, and the work is due in an hour. The Recycle Bin is empty, and you need those files back. This is the situation Recover Windows XP Professional is meant for. It is a file recovery tool from Professional File Recovery, and it finds lost files by their file signatures.
Quick facts
- Platforms: Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8, plus Windows Server 2003 and 2008. The vendor also makes a Mac edition, which is a separate product.
- Trial: a demo version lets you preview recovered files, but you can't save them until you buy the full version.
- Recovers from: hard drives, USB drives, flash memory cards, external drives and iPods.
Key features
Find files by their signature, not their name
The software identifies files by file signature. That helps when the file system no longer lists them. You can run it without technical guidance.
Get back shift-deleted files and more
The vendor says it can restore shift-deleted files. It also covers files lost to accidental format, deletion by third-party tools and spyware attacks.
Recover from many kinds of storage
You can scan internal hard drives and external devices such as USB drives, memory cards and external drives. That covers most places an XP-era PC keeps files.
Recover audio, video, images and documents
The vendor says it covers audio, video, animations and graphics, along with documents and other common formats.
Who it's for
It suits you if you still run Windows XP, or an older Vista or 7 machine, and you've lost files by accident. It also suits you if you want to preview recoverable files before paying.
Pros and cons
- Pro: the demo shows what can be recovered before you buy.
- Pro: it works with internal drives and removable media.
- Pro: it supports older Windows versions, including Server editions.
- Con: the demo can't save recovered files.
- Con: it is built for older Windows releases.
FAQs
Can I recover files deleted with Shift+Delete?
Yes. The vendor says the software handles shift-deleted files.
Can I try it first?
Yes. The demo previews recovered files, but saving them needs the full version.
Does it work with external drives?
Yes. The vendor lists USB drives, flash memory cards, external drives and iPods.
Which Windows versions are supported?
Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8, plus Windows Server 2003 and 2008.