Free software to recover data from external hard disk​

External hard drives are among the most common storage devices used for data backups, file transfers, and media storage. However, just like any storage medium, external hard disks are susceptible to data loss due to various reasons, such as accidental deletion, formatting, corruption, or hardware failure. Recovering data from a damaged or corrupted external hard drive can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with recovery processes. Fortunately, many free data recovery software options are available that can assist with restoring files from an external hard disk without breaking the bank.

1. Panda Assistant

Panda Assistant is a comprehensive data recovery software designed to help users recover lost, deleted, or corrupted files from various storage devices, including hard drives, external drives, USB flash drives, and SD cards. It’s part of Panda Security’s broader suite of tools aimed at improving data protection, security, and file management. Although primarily known for its antivirus and security products, Panda Security’s data recovery tools, like Panda Assistant, cater to individuals and businesses needing to retrieve lost or inaccessible data.

Key Features of Panda Assistant

User-Friendly Interface

One of the standout features of Panda Assistant is its easy-to-use interface. Whether you’re an experienced tech professional or a beginner, the software provides a clear, intuitive layout that guides you through the data recovery process step by step. This makes the recovery process accessible to users with minimal technical knowledge.

Versatility in Data Recovery

Panda Assistant supports a wide range of data loss situations. Whether you’ve accidentally deleted a file, formatted a drive, or your device is experiencing corruption, Panda Assistant is designed to recover a variety of data types, including photos, videos, documents, and audio files. It works with various file systems, such as NTFS, FAT32. exFAT, and more, ensuring compatibility with a broad range of storage devices.

Deep Scan Technology

One of the strengths of Panda Assistant is its deep scan feature. If standard recovery methods don’t work, the software can perform a deeper scan to locate files that are harder to recover. This feature is especially helpful for recovering files from formatted or corrupted drives, as it scans sectors that may be overlooked during a regular scan.

Preview Feature

Before recovering files, Panda Assistant allows users to preview their files. This feature is particularly useful when recovering large amounts of data, as it enables users to selectively recover files they actually need, rather than restoring unnecessary files and consuming extra space.

Support for External Devices

Panda Assistant is not limited to recovering files from internal hard drives. It also supports a variety of external storage devices, including USB drives, memory cards, and external hard drives. Whether you accidentally formatted a camera’s SD card or lost files on a USB flash drive, Panda Assistant can help.

File Filtering and Sorting

Once the software has scanned your storage device, it presents a list of recoverable files. Panda Assistant provides filtering and sorting options, so you can quickly locate specific files by type, size, or date. This feature simplifies the process of finding the files you need, especially when dealing with large volumes of data.

Quick Recovery Mode

For users in a rush, Panda Assistant includes a Quick Recovery Mode, which allows for a faster scan and recovery process. While it may not retrieve all lost files, this mode can quickly recover recently deleted files and provide a fast solution when time is of the essence.

Why Choose Panda Assistant?

Ease of Use: Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, the software is designed for simplicity. Its easy interface and straightforward recovery process make it a top choice for users who don’t want to waste time navigating complicated features.

Effectiveness: Panda Assistant’s deep scan and file preview features ensure a high level of effectiveness when recovering data from various storage devices, even in cases of severe data loss.

Versatility: It supports a wide variety of file types and storage media, making it versatile enough to handle many recovery scenarios, from accidental deletions to complex disk corruption.

Security Features: As part of the Panda Security suite, Panda Assistant benefits from Panda’s strong background in security, ensuring that the software is safe to use and free from harmful malware.

2. TestDisk

Overview:

TestDisk is an open-source and powerful data recovery tool that is best suited for advanced users. Unlike most commercial recovery software, TestDisk excels at recovering lost partitions and repairing disk structures. It works with external hard drives, USB drives, and SD cards.

Key Features:

Partition Recovery: TestDisk can recover lost or damaged partitions from external hard drives.

Support for Various File Systems: It supports FAT32. NTFS, exFAT, ext2/3/4. and many others.

Bootable Disk Repair: It can repair bootable partitions and fix boot sector issues.

Free and Open Source: Completely free to use, and since it’s open-source, users can modify it to suit their needs.

Pros:

Supports advanced features like partition recovery and boot sector repair.

Works on a wide variety of file systems.

Can recover files from damaged or corrupted partitions.

Free and open-source.

Cons:

Command-line interface can be intimidating for less experienced users.

No graphical user interface (GUI), which may make it less intuitive.

Step-by-Step Recovery with TestDisk:

Download and Install: TestDisk doesn’t require installation. You can simply download the software and unzip it into a folder.

Launch TestDisk: Open the TestDisk executable. Select “Create” to create a log file.

Select Disk: Choose the external hard drive you wish to recover data from.

Select Partition Table Type: TestDisk will detect the type of partition table used on your disk (e.g., Intel, EFI, etc.).

Analyze: Choose the “Analyze” option to scan for lost partitions. TestDisk will search for and attempt to recover the lost or deleted partitions.

Recover Data: Once TestDisk identifies the partitions, you can navigate through them to locate the lost files and restore them.

3. PhotoRec

Overview:

PhotoRec is a companion program to TestDisk, designed specifically for file recovery. While TestDisk handles partition and boot recovery, PhotoRec focuses on recovering individual files from damaged or corrupted external hard drives. It supports over 400 file formats, including pictures, documents, and videos.

Key Features:

File Recovery: PhotoRec specializes in recovering files from damaged or corrupted external hard drives.

Support for Various File Types: It can recover images, videos, documents, archives, and many other types of files.

Deep Scan: Like TestDisk, PhotoRec performs deep scans for lost files.

Cross-Platform: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Pros:

Can recover a wide variety of file types.

Works with damaged or corrupted drives.

Open-source and free.

Cons:

Lacks a graphical user interface, which can make it difficult for beginners.

Files are recovered without filenames, making it harder to identify specific files.

Step-by-Step Recovery with PhotoRec:

Download and Extract: Download PhotoRec and extract the files to a folder.

Run the Program: Open the PhotoRec executable.

Select Disk: Choose the external hard drive you want to recover files from.

Choose File Types: Select the types of files you wish to recover (e.g., photos, documents).

Select Recovery Location: Specify a location to store the recovered files (it should not be the same drive you’re recovering from).

Start Scan: PhotoRec will begin scanning the external hard drive for recoverable files. The process may take a while, depending on the size of the drive.

Recover Files: After the scan, PhotoRec will display the recovered files. You can move them to the designated location.

4. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free

Overview:

EaseUS is known for providing easy-to-use data recovery software. The free version of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard allows users to recover up to 2 GB of data from external hard drives. It supports recovery from various storage devices, including USB drives, SD cards, and external hard drives.

Key Features:

User-Friendly: The software has an intuitive user interface, making it easy for beginners to use.

File Recovery: Recovers a variety of file types, including documents, videos, photos, and audio.

Preview Function: Allows users to preview files before recovery.

Free Version: The free version allows up to 2 GB of data recovery, which may be sufficient for smaller recovery tasks.

Pros:

Easy to use, with a clear, graphical interface.

Allows preview of files before recovery.

Supports a wide range of file types.

Cons:

The free version has a 2 GB data recovery limit.

Some advanced features are restricted to the paid version.

Step-by-Step Recovery with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard:

Download and Install: Download the free version of EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard from the official website.

Launch the Program: Open the software and select the external hard drive you want to recover data from.

Scan: Click on “Scan” to begin searching for lost files. The software will automatically scan the external drive for recoverable files.

Preview and Recover: Once the scan is complete, preview the files and select the ones you want to recover. Click “Recover” to save them to another location.

5. Disk Drill

Overview:

Disk Drill is another excellent data recovery software that offers a free version with some limitations. It’s capable of recovering files from both Mac and Windows operating systems, and it supports a variety of external hard drives, including those formatted with NTFS, FAT, and HFS+ file systems.

Key Features:

Wide File System Support: It supports many file systems like NTFS, FAT32. HFS+, and EXT4.

Recovery of Multiple File Types: Can recover documents, audio, video, archives, and more.

Free Version: The free version allows for up to 500 MB of data recovery on Windows.

Pros:

User-friendly interface.

Preview available for many file types.

Offers additional disk management tools.

Cons:

The free version has a 500 MB recovery limit on Windows.

Some advanced features, like disk health monitoring, are only available in the paid version.

Step-by-Step Recovery with Disk Drill:

Download and Install: Install the Disk Drill software on your computer.

Launch the Program: Open the software and select your external hard drive.

Scan: Click on “Search for Lost Data” to start scanning your drive.

Preview and Recover: After the scan, preview the recoverable files, then select and recover the files you need.

Choosing the right free data recovery software depends on your specific needs, experience level, and the extent of the damage to your external hard drive. If you’re a beginner, Recuva and EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard are great choices for their ease of use. If you’re more advanced and need to recover lost partitions or deal with severely damaged drives, TestDisk and PhotoRec are excellent open-source options. For a mix of ease and capability, Disk Drill is another strong contender, especially for cross-platform recovery.