recovery

Undelete Plus 3.0 can get that file back

I've been raving a lot lately about the importance of backing up, and it seems I still haven't done enough to get my point across.

Case in point: since my most recent backup-related post, I have received multiple e-mails asking how to retrieve files that have been accidentally deleted.

The right question is: Is it even possible to retrieve lost files? And the answer is, it depends. Once you have deleted a file (and even emptied the Recycle Bin), the information from the file is still on the hard drive. As long as the same spot of hard disk hasn't been used by another file, it's possible to get that file back. So, the earlier you try to recover, the more likely it is you will be successful.

Note that during a normal operation, a computer does a lot of writing to the hard drive, because it uses hard drive space as scrap notes for different computations. If you need to recover a lot of data from a main hard drive, where the operation system is installed, it's best to put that hard drive into another computer to do the recovery.

There are many software applications that can recover data, and I was given the opportunity to try out the new 3.0 version of Undelete Plus Tuesday. This is the update to the free version of Undelete Plus 2.93, which can be found at Download.com.

Compared with the free version, this update's new interface is much easier to use.… Read more

Back up your data easily

Everyone knows they should back up their data, but a surprisingly small percentage of people actually do. Unfortunately, when the big crash finally comes or you experience a hard-drive failure, that's usually the time you realize you should have been backing up all along. There are a number of programs that make it easier to regularly back up your hard drive, but in my experience, many require several steps to get the job done.

Nero's BackItUp and Burn ($39.99), released yesterday, attempts to make the whole process easier for everyone. Using an intuitive tabbed interface and simple … Read more

Back up conveniently with free GFI application

If you haven't been backing up your data because the economy is bad and you can't afford a decent backup software, I am about to open a can of no-more-excuses on you.

GFI Software launched on Thursday a free backup and recovery software for home users. Unlike other free software, which tends to be the stripped-down of the commercial version, GFI Backup Home Edition is a full-featured application.

The application gives PC users a few ways to safeguard data, including backing it up and syncing it with another location. I tried out this wizard-driven application and the feature I liked best is the capability to back up and sync a computer's folder with an FTP location. Very few other backup solutions offer this and none are free. Of course, GFI Backup also supports backing files to local folders, network locations, and other removable media.

Most backup software, including my favorite, Acronis True Image, uses a proprietary compression standard, meaning you will need the same software to do a recovery. GFI Backup Home Edition, on the other hand, uses the popular ZIP format to store backups. … Read more

Hard drive IV just what the doctor ordered

Losing your precious data to a corrupted file can pose a serious threat to your mental health, but Dr. Hard Drive Bag is here to mend your broken heart and recover all your lost files.

Right now, the tool is just a concept by Hyuh Jin Lee, but the idea is novel--in the event of a hard-disk failure (knock on wood), just wheel out this portable hard drive IV and hook up it up via USB to your bedridden computer. Antivirus software will immediately pop up and begin scanning files for corruption, and a feedback light will turn on inside the drip bag to let you know it's on the road to recovery.

At the risk of being tarred and feathered, I'll refrain from making a swine flu joke, but would you guys use this product if it ever came to fruition, or is it too kitschy? Sound off in the comments, check out more of Jin Lee's design portfolio, and peep more pics after the jump!

(Source: Coroflot)… Read more

Easy backups for Mac: Backblaze

Just about everyone who works with a computer knows they should perform regular backups, but only a very small percentage actually do. While people's intentions are good, most simply think backing up their computer is too much trouble or software is too complex to figure out. Unfortunately, when the big crash finally does occur or a laptop is stolen, for example, the resulting loss of important data has us pulling our hair out wondering why we didn't take the plunge on backup software.

Today, a front-runner in backup software on Windows machines released a strong backup solution for … Read more

FDA tests internal cloud for disaster recovery

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking at using an internal (or private) cloud to manage disaster recovery.

In early testing, Joe Klosky, a senior tech adviser at the FDA, was able to successfully restart applications and services within 45 minutes onto other, differently configured servers in their environment without issues using Cassatt Active Response, not people or outsourced services.

Klosky notes:

"An internal cloud approach means that we do not have to pay for costly service contracts with outsourcers, nor do we have to dedicate rooms full of servers to sit idly by just in case … Read more

Slow to prevent file recovery

As its name suggests, Prevent Restore keeps others from restoring deleted files by filling in unused sectors on your hard drive. It worked as promised, but it took a long time to do its job.

Each time we tried to access the program through the desktop icon, we received an error message. We were able to bypass it and move on to the user interface, but it was a mark against the program. Prevent Restore comes with a wizard that makes it especially easy to get started. First, it asked us to select which disk we wanted to run the … Read more

Recovery.gov blocked search engine tracking

Update: As of 8 a.m. PST, within three hours of this story first going live, it appears that President Obama's Web team has (silently) pulled the robots.txt file from the Recovery.gov Web site. The site is now open to Web crawlers of all kinds.

The Obama administration has apparently opted to forbid Google and other search engines from indexing any content on the newly launched Recovery.gov.

Is this even more evidence that the administration's much-publicized commitment to transparency is simply hype?

Recovery.gov, which went live Tuesday, is set to act as a central … Read more

White House launches Recovery.gov

The White House has launched Recovery.gov, a site that intends to bring transparency to the government spending authorized in the $787 billion economic package the president signed Tuesday.

"The size and scale of this plan demand unprecedented efforts to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending," President Obama says in an introductory video on the site. "The important decisions about where taxpayer dollars will be invested will be yours to scrutinize."

The site includes charts that break down how the money in the legislation will be distributed. As federal agencies distribute funds, those allocations will … Read more