Recover Lost Computer Files

Losing a file on a computer's hard drive can be devastating. When this happens, all hope is not necessarily lost. These six programs may help recover deleted files.

Liane Cassavoy, writer for PC World, shares six programs you can use to recover lost files.

Six free and cheap tools to help you recover (almost) anything

Few things are more panic-inducing than losing an important file on your PC. Whether it's a big project for work or a priceless family photo, the data stored on your hard drive is precious. But it's also vulnerable to everything from viruses and OS crashes that corrupt and destroy data to accidental deletions and careless computer user errors.

Don't despair: Not all hope is lost. I tried six utilities that promise to help you track down almost any file, no matter how deep it's been buried in the bowels of your hard drive.

I set these free and low-cost tools to the task of tracking down both a video file I'd deleted and an email attachment I'd edited and forgotten to save. Find out which ones did the best at locating and restoring the missing files.

Read the entire article Six Free and Cheap Tools to Help You Recover (Almost) Anything on PC World.