Generally speaking, our devices have become our most valuable possessions. Not only do they contain important work-related documents, and personal information, but more often than not, we use them to store our favorite photos and videos. Losing these is probably everyone’s worst nightmare.
Unfortunately, this usually happens as a user’s fault. One either accidentally deletes data or loses it due to disk formatting. When this occurs, people oftentimes turn to google for help. If you were to do this too, you would find numerous data recovery software that you could download, and the thing that would attract you to this is the big ‘free’ sign.
When faced with a choice between hiring professionals like DataSector to solve this issue or using free software even when they have no idea what they are doing, most people would opt for the latter. However, if you ever find yourself in this situation, you should always opt for the former option, and in this article, we are going to tell you why.
It is free for a reason
Source: in.pcmag.com
There is one thing that you probably do not know – this free software should only be used if you have backed up all the data on a cloud somewhere. Do you wonder why? Well, simply because no one can guarantee you that it isn’t going to destroy, overwrite, or corrupt the data while ‘try to recover them’.
The general rule applies to this too – if you want to receive top-notch service that you can greatly benefit from, or in this case one that can help you, you have to pay for it. Yes, we know, it might sound unnecessary due to the web and numerous guides, but you have to keep in mind that these are usually not specific enough meaning that they probably won’t be of help if you run into some sort of a problem.
It can contain malware
Source: pcmag.com
Furthermore, when it comes to downloading any kind of program from the web, you should be very careful. Yes, millions of users do the same thing, but you have to remember that some of the software that is shared on numerous websites can contain malware.
As you surely know, malware can run multiple processes in the background on your laptop without you even realizing it. There is a reason why some people think of the Internet as a dangerous place. What can happen if spyware passes your firewall?
First of all, it can replace certain data and default settings on your device which can then cause it to malfunction. This means that in the end you would be forced to take it to professional meaning that either way you would have to pay the fee. Secondly, spyware can steal your personal information thus endangering your privacy. This can be especially bad if you are trying to recover some sensitive data.
It won’t discover the problem
Source: glassdoor.com
If you have lost the data due to some problem with the device, you have to learn what the issue is, right? There is no point in recovering the data only to lose them again in a month or two. The biggest downfall of free software is that it cannot help you with this. Even if you manage to safely restore the data, which is quite unlikely, you won’t be able to learn what caused the problem in the first place.
This is just another reason why you should bring your laptop to professionals. Not only will they restore all the files and folders, but they will also thoroughly inspect your gadget thus be able to tell you if there is something wrong and how you can fix it.
It can destroy your drive
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If the problem is with your drive, running suspicious software can make things even worse. Well, actually, doing anything on your own can cause further damage. Plus, the drive might be physically damaged which means that any kind of software cannot help you.
If there are any mechanical issues with the drive it needs to be repaired first, and then one can try to recover data. If you were to try to run software without examining the drive, you would destroy it completely. This is why professionals usually ask you a series of questions when you bring in your laptop, and they always make sure to inspect the drive first before doing anything else.
It might not be free after all
Source: komando.com
This is without a doubt, the most annoying thing that usually happens. You have gone through multiple lists of best free software, read all the details about them, check out other users’ comments, and have finally found the one that seems perfect for you.
You have installed it, run the program, it has completed the process, and you have been presented with the list of files and folder. However, you cannot access them. Why? Well, usually, you are presented with the notification that you have to sign up for the premium account if you want to access the content.
It can overwrite the data
Source: blog.capterra.com
Do you know how well-designed recovery software works? Well, it scans all the files on your drive, especially the ones that are located in the bad sector i.e. the malfunctioning one. While the scanning process occurs, the program only reads the data, therefore, it doesn’t make any changes to it. This is why you are able to get them back in the same condition.
This is not the case with free software. It usually isn’t constructed in a good manner meaning that it changes the files. When this happens, you will lose all the files for good since the software will replace them with the new ones. This means that no expert will be able to get them back for you.
Conclusion
To sum up, these are only some of the multiple reasons why you should never use free data recovery software. As you can see, it has many flaws, which is to be expected because no one would create a state-of-the-art program and put it online so that everyone could use it free-of-charge. This can occur when it comes to some basic tips and tricks but not with first-class software.
