Protect the data you want to recover
Stop writing to the affected disk. Install recovery software on a different disk or computer and save recovered files to another disk. Recovery depends on the disk's condition and whether the original data still exists; no product can guarantee success.
If the drive makes unusual noises, disconnects repeatedly or is not detected, stop using it and seek professional data recovery advice. Software cannot repair physical drive damage.
Compare the main recovery tasks
Recover files and folders
Active@ File Recovery focuses on finding and recovering lost files, including after deletion or formatting. Compare editions for advanced operations such as RAID reconstruction and for bootable recovery media. Use the demo to assess the situation before buying.
Find a missing or damaged partition
Active@ Partition Recovery focuses on lost volumes and damaged partition structures. Review scan results before applying changes. If preserving individual files is the priority, consider copying them to another disk before attempting partition restoration.
Work with files and partitions in one application
Active@ UNDELETE combines file recovery with lost-partition recovery tools. Its capabilities overlap with the other recovery products; compare the supported file systems, workflow and edition features against your actual disk.
When the affected PC will not boot
A Windows installer is not the same as a bootable recovery environment. Compare the selected product's bootable editions or the Boot Disk and Live CD toolkits. Create media on a healthy computer and check the target PC's processor, controller and boot support. The phone you use to browse this guide does not determine compatibility.
For several recovery and maintenance tasks, compare Data Studio. If you cannot identify the disk or the cause of data loss, contact support before changing it.
Start with a file-focused recovery tool
Your main goal is to recover files or folders from a disk accessible to a working Windows computer.
Recover files and disks lost due to accidental deletion, disk formatting or virus attack
Compare editions and options
Choose Standard for file recovery, Professional for advanced analysis and RAID reconstruction, or Ultimate when the affected PC needs bootable recovery media. If you do not yet know what can be recovered, start with the demo.
Matches your answers
Standard
For recovering files and folders from a working Windows recovery computer.
- Recover files after deletion, formatting or damage to a volume.
- Recover from supported disk, memory-card and file-system types.
- Choose a higher edition for RAID reconstruction or bootable recovery media.
View this option →
Demo evaluation
Assess the disk and preview what the scan finds before buying.
- Scan for lost files and inspect the results.
- Recovery has a file-size limit; this is an evaluation download, not unrestricted free recovery.
- Install on a healthy disk and use a different disk for recovered files.
Get the evaluation →
Professional
For more complex file recovery and inspection of disk structures.
- Adds virtual reconstruction of supported RAID arrays.
- Adds Disk Editor and user-defined file signatures.
- File Organizer helps sort and rename files found by their signatures.
View this option →
Ultimate
For Professional recovery features plus a PC that needs to start from separate media.
- Includes the Professional feature set.
- Adds Windows-based Boot Disk Lite and Linux-based LiveCD recovery environments.
- Boot Disk Creator prepares USB or optical recovery media on a healthy computer.
View this option →
File Recovery and UNDELETE Standard both cover file recovery. Compare the supported file systems and workflow; scan results do not guarantee that a file's contents are intact.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- Use the demo to assess what can be found; finding a file does not guarantee that its contents are intact.
- Save recovered files to a different disk and compare editions if you need RAID reconstruction or other advanced tools.
Another option: Active@ UNDELETE
UNDELETE Standard also recovers files; Professional adds partition recovery and Windows boot media.
Compare all products and editions
Recover files from a bootable environment
Your main goal is file recovery, and the affected PC needs to start from separate boot media.
Recover files and disks lost due to accidental deletion, disk formatting or virus attack
Compare editions and options
Choose Standard for file recovery, Professional for advanced analysis and RAID reconstruction, or Ultimate when the affected PC needs bootable recovery media. If you do not yet know what can be recovered, start with the demo.
Matches your answers
Ultimate
For Professional recovery features plus a PC that needs to start from separate media.
- Includes the Professional feature set.
- Adds Windows-based Boot Disk Lite and Linux-based LiveCD recovery environments.
- Boot Disk Creator prepares USB or optical recovery media on a healthy computer.
View this option →
Demo evaluation
Assess the disk and preview what the scan finds before buying.
- Scan for lost files and inspect the results.
- Recovery has a file-size limit; this is an evaluation download, not unrestricted free recovery.
- Install on a healthy disk and use a different disk for recovered files.
Get the evaluation →
Standard
For recovering files and folders from a working Windows recovery computer.
- Recover files after deletion, formatting or damage to a volume.
- Recover from supported disk, memory-card and file-system types.
- Choose a higher edition for RAID reconstruction or bootable recovery media.
View this option →
Professional
For more complex file recovery and inspection of disk structures.
- Adds virtual reconstruction of supported RAID arrays.
- Adds Disk Editor and user-defined file signatures.
- File Organizer helps sort and rename files found by their signatures.
View this option →
File Recovery and UNDELETE Standard both cover file recovery. Compare the supported file systems and workflow; scan results do not guarantee that a file's contents are intact.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- Compare editions that include bootable recovery media; a Windows installer alone is not bootable media.
- Create the media on a healthy computer and check support for the target PC, controller and file system.
Another option: Active@ Data Studio
Consider the broader toolkit if you also need backup, erasure or other disk utilities.
Compare all products and editions
Assess a lost or damaged partition
Your main goal is to locate and recover a missing volume or damaged partition.
Recover lost partitions and repair logical volume structures.
Compare editions and options
Choose by whether you need to inspect a missing partition, restore it, copy out files, or work on a PC that will not boot. Ultimate also bundles File Recovery for a combined file-and-partition workflow.
Matches your answers
Standard
For restoring lost or damaged partitions from Windows.
- Recover detected volumes in place.
- Repair supported boot-sector and partition-structure problems.
- Back up and restore partition information, with rollback options.
View this option →
Matches your answers
Professional
For advanced partition recovery and copying data out when a volume cannot be restored normally.
- Adds Disk Editor for low-level inspection.
- Last Chance searches for files by signature; File Organizer helps sort the results.
- Adds options to recover a volume's files and folders to another location.
View this option →
Freeware assessment toolkit
Start here to find lost partitions and inspect the detected data.
- Detect deleted, damaged and reformatted partitions.
- Preview the detected folder structure and file contents.
- Full in-place partition restoration requires a paid edition; check each included tool's limits.
Try the freeware toolkit →
Ultimate
For file and partition recovery, including on an unbootable PC.
- Includes Professional features and the separate Active@ File Recovery utility.
- Adds Windows-based Boot Disk and Linux-based LiveCD.
- Boot Disk Creator prepares and customizes recovery media.
View this option →
For an alternative combined file-and-partition application, compare UNDELETE Professional. Preserve important data before writing partition changes; restoring the partition is different from copying files to another disk.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- Review the scan results and recovery options before applying partition changes.
- Protect important data with an image or recover files to another disk before making changes to the source.
Another option: Active@ UNDELETE
UNDELETE Professional combines file and partition recovery in one application.
Compare all products and editions
Inspect partitions from bootable media
You need to assess a missing or damaged partition on a PC that cannot run the recovery application normally.
Recover lost partitions and repair logical volume structures.
Compare editions and options
Choose by whether you need to inspect a missing partition, restore it, copy out files, or work on a PC that will not boot. Ultimate also bundles File Recovery for a combined file-and-partition workflow.
Matches your answers
Ultimate
For file and partition recovery, including on an unbootable PC.
- Includes Professional features and the separate Active@ File Recovery utility.
- Adds Windows-based Boot Disk and Linux-based LiveCD.
- Boot Disk Creator prepares and customizes recovery media.
View this option →
Freeware assessment toolkit
Start here to find lost partitions and inspect the detected data.
- Detect deleted, damaged and reformatted partitions.
- Preview the detected folder structure and file contents.
- Full in-place partition restoration requires a paid edition; check each included tool's limits.
Try the freeware toolkit →
Standard
For restoring lost or damaged partitions from Windows.
- Recover detected volumes in place.
- Repair supported boot-sector and partition-structure problems.
- Back up and restore partition information, with rollback options.
View this option →
Professional
For advanced partition recovery and copying data out when a volume cannot be restored normally.
- Adds Disk Editor for low-level inspection.
- Last Chance searches for files by signature; File Organizer helps sort the results.
- Adds options to recover a volume's files and folders to another location.
View this option →
For an alternative combined file-and-partition application, compare UNDELETE Professional. Preserve important data before writing partition changes; restoring the partition is different from copying files to another disk.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- Compare editions that include a bootable environment and verify the target hardware support.
- Do not format the affected disk; review recovery options before writing partition changes.
Compare all products and editions
Compare combined file and partition recovery
You want file recovery and lost-partition recovery tools within one desktop application.
Advanced software to recover deleted files and restore lost or damaged partitions
Compare editions and options
Standard focuses on files. Professional adds partition restoration and Windows boot media. Ultimate includes Linux LiveCD and additional advanced recovery capabilities.
Matches your answers
Professional
For files and partitions in one application, including Windows bootable recovery.
- Includes Standard file-recovery features plus partition restoration.
- Windows boot media lets you work separately from the installed operating system.
- Includes signature-based scanning and File Organizer for sorting and renaming recovered files.
View this option →
Matches your answers
Ultimate
For advanced recovery workflows and an additional Linux boot environment.
- Supports RAID reconstruction; check the edition comparison for the required RAID layout.
- Includes Linux LiveCD with additional drivers and utilities.
- Adds remote recovery capabilities for suitable network workflows.
View this option →
Demo evaluation
Use the current demo to assess the disk before selecting a paid edition.
- Scan and inspect found files before purchase.
- File recovery is limited by file size in the demo.
- Professional and Ultimate can load saved scan results.
Get the evaluation →
Standard
For recovering individual files and folders.
- Recover files from existing volumes and damaged or formatted partitions.
- Recover files from supported disks and removable media.
- For partition restoration and bootable media, choose Professional or Ultimate.
View this option →
For file recovery alone, also compare File Recovery Standard. If you need the separate File Recovery utility and partition tools with both boot environments, compare Partition Recovery Ultimate.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- Check the supported file systems and edition features against your situation.
- Evaluate the demo from a healthy system and save recovered files to another disk.
Another option: Active@ Partition Recovery
Partition Recovery Ultimate also includes File Recovery, with Windows and Linux boot environments.
Compare all products and editions
Compare bootable recovery toolkit options
You need several recovery tools in an environment that starts separately from the installed operating system.
Advanced software to recover deleted files and restore lost or damaged partitions
Compare editions and options
Standard focuses on files. Professional adds partition restoration and Windows boot media. Ultimate includes Linux LiveCD and additional advanced recovery capabilities.
For file recovery alone, also compare File Recovery Standard. If you need the separate File Recovery utility and partition tools with both boot environments, compare Partition Recovery Ultimate.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- Check the included recovery tools and target CPU/controller support before selecting an edition.
- Prepare boot media on a healthy computer and use a separate destination for recovered data.
Another option: Active@ Partition Recovery
Partition Recovery Ultimate includes File Recovery and bootable Windows/Linux recovery tools.
Compare all products and editions
Evaluate recovery before buying
You have a stable, detected disk and want to check what a scan can find before choosing an edition.
Recover files and disks lost due to accidental deletion, disk formatting or virus attack
Compare editions and options
Choose Standard for file recovery, Professional for advanced analysis and RAID reconstruction, or Ultimate when the affected PC needs bootable recovery media. If you do not yet know what can be recovered, start with the demo.
Matches your answers
Demo evaluation
Assess the disk and preview what the scan finds before buying.
- Scan for lost files and inspect the results.
- Recovery has a file-size limit; this is an evaluation download, not unrestricted free recovery.
- Install on a healthy disk and use a different disk for recovered files.
Get the evaluation →
Standard
For recovering files and folders from a working Windows recovery computer.
- Recover files after deletion, formatting or damage to a volume.
- Recover from supported disk, memory-card and file-system types.
- Choose a higher edition for RAID reconstruction or bootable recovery media.
View this option →
Professional
For more complex file recovery and inspection of disk structures.
- Adds virtual reconstruction of supported RAID arrays.
- Adds Disk Editor and user-defined file signatures.
- File Organizer helps sort and rename files found by their signatures.
View this option →
Ultimate
For Professional recovery features plus a PC that needs to start from separate media.
- Includes the Professional feature set.
- Adds Windows-based Boot Disk Lite and Linux-based LiveCD recovery environments.
- Boot Disk Creator prepares USB or optical recovery media on a healthy computer.
View this option →
File Recovery and UNDELETE Standard both cover file recovery. Compare the supported file systems and workflow; scan results do not guarantee that a file's contents are intact.
Next: choose the license for your use. Current prices and available licenses are listed on the product pages.
- A scan result does not guarantee intact file contents. Follow the current demo recovery limits and save recovered data to another disk.
Another option: Active@ UNDELETE
The current UNDELETE demo is another starting point for evaluating file recovery; review its recovery limits.
Compare all products and editions
Assess the drive before running recovery software
A drive that disappears or makes unusual noises may require professional hardware recovery rather than a software scan.
Get help matching the product to your computer, disks and workflow.
- Stop using the affected drive and seek advice from a professional data recovery service if its contents are important.
- LSoft support can explain software suitability, but recovery software cannot repair a physically failing drive.
Compare all products and editions
Get help choosing a recovery approach
The symptoms or recovery environment need clarification before choosing a tool.
Get help matching the product to your computer, disks and workflow.
- Describe what happened, the disk type, the target computer, and whether the drive is detected.
- Avoid installing software or saving new files on the affected disk. Recovery is not guaranteed, especially if data has been overwritten.
Compare all products and editions
