recovery software for recovering data from post imaged HD

[macleod]

I am looking for people's advice for hard drive data recovery software. At my company, our desktop support folks imaged a hard drive at the request of a user who informed them that there was no critical information currently on the hard drive. About a day later the user told me that his "life's" work was on the hard drive and he will die if we cannot recover the data.

Instead of sending the hard drive off to a data recovery center, which will cost in the 500-1000 range(guesstimate). I was hoping that there was a $100 software solution that would enable me to recover the data off of the newly imaged hard drive.

I have heard of softwares like recover and stuff like that, but wanted to get everyone's input on the best/cheapest software recovery utility for this situation.

The old image that contained the data was NT 4.0 and the new image is XP (although that does not matter). From what I have been told, after the hard drive was imaged it was not used.

Any serious advice would be appreciated.

[WeedVender]

Ontrack EasyRecovery software?

[BJ_M]

if it was your customeers mistake and he really values the data on there -- he should just send it out and cough up the $500 (about what it ill cost)

[ChrisX]

I am looking for people's advice for hard drive data recovery software. At my company, our desktop support folks imaged a hard drive at the request of a user who informed them that there was no critical information currently on the hard drive. About a day later the user told me that his "life's" work was on the hard drive and he will die if we cannot recover the data.

This is the user's responsibility and also the user should also be responsible on data backup.

There is a sign at the computer workshop regarding reformatting of HD or anything when the computer is serviced.

It says like this: It is the customers responsibility in backup of data, otherwise a fee is charged for the service of backing up or recovery of data.

Why should you worry over something no fault of your own. The user will have to wear it.

[macleod]

Yes, I know that it IS the users' fault and I know that I should tell him tough cookies, however, the roll that I play is one that helps folks out. I do not have a reputation at my job to say, "sorry". My reputation is "we can do anything you want". And oddly enough, I am in the mortgage industry

Any other softwares out there. Anyone have success with any of them?

[BJ_M]

this one works very well http://www.runtime.org and not that expensive at all ..

[gmatov]

macleod,
I don't know whether this will help, but visit Gibson Research Co, www.grc.com and check out Spin Rite v5. The site says data recovery, but whether the type of recovery you need or no, I can't say. You probably should have a copy anyway. So should I but I'm not ready to spend the 89 bucks till I have to. It's DLable, so you don't have to wait for shipment.