There can be numerous reasons why data file needs to be recovered. Similarly, data once lost can be retrieved by various methods. The options of computer data recovery are many that depend on the nature of data lost.

There is computer data recovery software to suit different kinds of data file recovery. There are computer data recovery software to restore deleted files; recover formatted hard drives even if Windows is reinstalled; recover files after the hard disk has crashed; get back files after partitioning errors; and recover documents, photos, music, video and email. To start with, lets take a scenario where a file has been deleted from the recycle bin and needs to be recovered. For this undelete software is used that can restore the file immediately. Undelete software need to be used promptly to ensure efficient deleted file recovery. File Recover and O&O Unerase are such undelete software that does the work for deleted file recovery.

System Restore program is a file recovery software in Windows latest version like Millennium and XP that is helpful in restoring system files. If updating, installing or deleting a system file goes wrong and there is a need to go back to the original state then system restore program helps. System Restore is not a very effective file recovery program. Its more like ctrl+z operation when you are typing/editing something.

File recovery programs can be run to retrieve zip, PDF, AutoCAD, PhotoShop and Tax files. Data recovery drives may be run to recover data from zip disks, CD-ROMs and Flashcards. Data recovery drives may trace lost files to FAT (File Allocation Table) and MFT (Master File Table) where information about all the files in the PC is contained. File recovery program searches old FAT and MFT partition records to rebuild the file structure.

O&O Disk Recovery is a file recovery software that is used for difficult data file recovery. Of the number of tricks the data recovery drives employ to recover data from formatted commands, searching for deleted directory entries is one. Files are actually never wiped off the computer unless they are over written by another file. By searching the clusters in the hard disk, file recovery software can recover any type of lost file. A good data recovery drive will not always search via the MFT route and look for unallocated clusters for data file recovery. From recovering files from a logical level to hard disks, computer data recovery software allows no reason to panic.