Your LaCie drive says it isn't formatted, or it won't open at all
You plug in your LaCie external drive and Windows asks whether you want to format it now. Or you get a message that the disk structure is corrupted and unreadable. Your files are probably still on the disk. LaCie Drive Recovery is built to scan the drive and bring them back.
Quick facts
- Version listed: 4.0.0.32
- Platforms: Windows and Mac
- Price: $99.00 for the full version
- Trial: a demo version is available to try before you buy
- File systems: FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5, ExFAT, HFS, HFSX
Key features
Recovery after format, corruption, virus attack or bad ejection
The tool handles the usual ways a LaCie drive loses data. These include accidental formatting, file system corruption, virus damage and pulling the drive out without using Safely Remove. It also covers bad sectors, power surges and failed defragmentation.
Two recovery modes for lost or wiped partitions
You choose Partition Recovery or Formatted / Reformatted Recovery depending on what happened. Then you pick your LaCie drive from the list of connected drives and click Next.
Signature-based recovery of more than 300 file types
The software identifies files by their unique signatures. That covers videos, images, Zip archives, documents, spreadsheets and email archives. You can browse results in File Type View or Data Type View.
Preview files and save your scan session
The Preview option lets you look at recovered data before you restore it. Save Recovery Session lets you avoid re-scanning a large drive, and you can resume saving later.
Works with RAID and other drives too
It is meant for LaCie Rugged and Big Disk units, including RAID 0, RAID 1 and RAID 5 partitions. It also reads USB flash drives, memory cards, SSDs, iPods, FireWire drives and internal hard drives. Drives from other brands such as Seagate, WD, Toshiba and Samsung are supported as well.
Who it's for
It suits anyone who keeps backups, movies or work files on a LaCie external drive and has lost access to them. The interface is a simple wizard with on-screen instructions, so you don't need technical skills. It also helps if you have a RAID-based LaCie unit and want a tool that understands those partitions.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Step-by-step process that takes about four screens
- Preview before restoring
- Saved sessions avoid repeat scans
- Covers Windows and Mac file systems
- Works with RAID 0, 1 and 5
- Free demo lets you test it first
Cons
- Full recovery requires the paid version
- The listed version is dated, so check that it supports your operating system
- Physically failing drives with severe damage are beyond what a software scan can fix
FAQs
Can it recover data after I formatted my LaCie drive?
Yes. The Formatted / Reformatted Recovery option is made for this. Stop using the drive first so the old data isn't overwritten.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes. The vendor offers it for both Windows and Mac, with HFS and HFSX file system support.
Can I check results before paying?
The demo version lets you install the tool, scan your drive and preview what it finds.
Does it only work with LaCie drives?
No. It also handles other external drives, USB sticks, memory cards and internal disks.
How do I reduce the chance of losing data again?
Keep a backup, scan for viruses regularly, and avoid abrupt shutdowns or pulling the drive during a transfer.
System requirements
- 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
- 50 MB free disk space
- 32-bit and 64-bit PCs
- Windows XP, Vista, 7 and other Windows versions