Hard Drive Recovery, What's the best software and methods to use?

Hello I know this should be in the applications forum but this is a multi oriented question. I'd like to know what the best hard drive recovery software is when you want to recover all your files. I'd also like to hear methods you can use to recover from hard drive failure, or how you can notice signs of hard drive failure before it happens [whether it be from virus', the drive itself, etc].


Thanks! This hasn't happened to me yet but I know it is part of every pc users life and will happen to me one day. I would like to be ready! I know this thread will give a lot of new info to many new pc users. Tell some horror stories too if you have any!



P.s.
I'd really like to know what the best software for this is because I want to buy it now just to have around.

 

Everyone will give you a different program name probably because there are a ton of them out there and most are free. The free ones are quite efficient so there may be no need to get a paid utility, I suggest you give at least a couple of them a try before buying a commercial program.

Some of the reputable ones I know:
PC Inspector File Recovery: mainly for restoring deleted files folders and even scans for deleted partitions, quite powerful!
Restoration: This is utility is effective with general deleted file recovery not as powerful as the above one but what I like about this one is it is a standalone program that you can run it from a Flash disk even! This way you do not risk overwriting the sector where the previously deleted data could still be residing on.
Smart Recovery: This is a recovery utility designed more specificly for Compact Flash, Smart Media, Memory stick, Secure Digital Card, Microdrive, Multimedia Card.

Also see MG's own Data Recovery download page.

 

I forgot to add, imho, the best recovery is making regular backups to a reliable media. Also having a small bootable HD (fully functional Windows XP, etc) handy, in case of a non-bootable or malware infection, slaving the drive to a bootable master drive to transfer (salvage) data might be a better or even only option when all other software options failed. I used to have a file server on my Home LAN but using a simpler and cheaper alternative such as a NDAS drive is a way better option for more users with their own home networks. I use the Ximeta's NDAS drive casing, I popped in a 300GB drive that connects to my router via an RJ-45 (Ethernet) cable, then you install its own software to each drive that will access this drive and that is it! You can even disable the Windows File Sharing to provide extra security to your PCs while NDAS Drive still being accessible to every machine on the network! It uses a port on your router/switch but no IP assigment is needed cause it is not used. In 'My Computer' it shows up as another drive (partition)!

 

To avoid losing important data due to damaged hd it is necessary to backup you data and os. There are a lot of backup programs. I use True Image. I have the backup of the whole hd and make scheduled backups every week.
GetDataBack is recovery software. Someome use freezing method to recover data.