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Pandora Recovery

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on June 30, 2009

File recovery has never been easier thanks to Pandora Recovery. The program's wizard-like approach to finding and retrieving lost files will appeal to all users.

The user interface is about as straightforward as it gets. Clean and simple menu and command buttons run across the top of the paneled window, while a tree-menu containing hard-disk folders to browse resides in a sidebar. But what stood out the most was the program's wizard, which walked us through the process of locating long-lost files. It first prompts you to check your Recycle Bin, which sounds obvious, but is a necessary time-saver. The program has three search settings (Browse, Search, Deep Scan) and each has its own description so that you'll know which to choose. Depending on the search setting you select, the program's interface changes to accommodate the search. We started with a Deep Scan, which detects deleted file types. Once we selected the file types to include in the scan (All, Images & Photo, Archived Files, Music & Sounds) the program immediately went to work scanning our hard disk. Considering the task at hand, the program quickly pulled up deleted files.

We liked the quick help links located throughout the interface to answer specific questions, but the program does included a very thorough built-in Help file. Our only complaint is that it left files that had to be manually deleted during uninstallation. However, we highly recommend this free program for any user looking to quickly locate a lost file.

 
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Publisher's Description

From Pandora:

Pandora Recovery is a powerful free tool that provides its users an effective way to attempt recovery of permanently deleted files. And that does not mean restoration of a file from Recycle Bin. The software recovers files removed from Recycle Bin, deleted using Shift + Delete keys bypassing Recycle Bin and files deleted from DOS prompt. Pandora Recovery lets its user browse, search, preview and recover files deleted from NTFS and FAT volumes, supporting hard drives, flash drives and memory cards. It successfully handles archived, hidden, encrypted and compressed files and recovers Alternate Data Streams (ADS). Pandora Recovery features classic interface wizards, hints and context-sensitive help. Pandora Recovery allows user to browse and search the tree of deleted files where show deleted items only button comes handy. Finally, it has ability to scan drive clusters, picking up files whose MFT record has been reused by OS, damaged or recreated (it can restore files on formatted drives).

Version 2.1.1 supports Data carving (surface scan) of Adobe PhotoShop PSD and MS Outlook PST.

What's new in this version: Data carving (surface scan) of Adobe PhotoShop PSD and MS Outlook PST supported, access to Recycle Bin and GUI improvements.

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All User Reviews
  • All versions:

    4.1 stars

    out of 501 votes

    • 5 star: 303
    • 4 star: 92
    • 3 star: 23
    • 2 star: 24
    • 1 star: 59
  • Current version:

    4.0 stars

    out of 285 votes

    • 5 star: 161
    • 4 star: 51
    • 3 star: 14
    • 2 star: 17
    • 1 star: 42
  • My rating:

    0 stars

    Write review

Results 1-10 of 285

  • 1.0 stars

    "DOESN'T EVEN OPEN THE DRIVE"

    February 8, 2012  |   By acpergam

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    NONE WHATSOEVER

    Cons

    IT IS ABLE TO SEE THE DRIVE, BUT DOESNT GET TO OPEN ANYTHING. AND I KNOW FILES ARE THERE, JUST THAT OTHER APPS ASK FOR MONEY, AND I CANT AFFORD IT.
    BESIDES, TRANSLATION INTO SPANISH IS PITIFUL!

    Summary

    DONT WASTE YOUR TIME!

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  • 2.0 stars

    "Can not recover the files from flash drive"

    February 5, 2012  |   By mkhmkh98

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Easy to install, friendly interface.

    Cons

    Crushed several times when trying to analyze flash drive. Did not find most deleted files n D drive.

    Summary

    No use for me, probably because of my unpatience. Problems with flash drive analysis.

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  • 4.0 stars

    "Used to recover accidentally-deleted photos"

    January 28, 2012  |   By martin447

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Found my pictures with the Deep Scan

    Cons

    Doesn't support that many files - my 1080i-videos are still lost.

    Summary

    Was relieving to at least get my pictures, so I am happy with this little program - hopefully they will update it to support more file-types

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Absolutely Rocks!"

    January 20, 2012  |   By fywdude

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Works just as well as the expensive commercial software that I did not have with me when I lost some critical files on the road. Pandora recovered them just as quickly as the the expensive app does.

    Cons

    The time remaining shown during scanning is wrong. It's free, get over it :)

    Summary

    Will donate first chance I get. Very valuable tool.

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  • 2.0 stars

    "Crashes too much"

    January 17, 2012  |  

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Found all my external drives. Started to recover my files almost at once. I like the photo preview feature.

    Cons

    Crashes all the time at 2 to 4% of scan. Once program crashes, there is no way to recover the files that it has found. They are gone...again.

    Summary

    Scanned a 750G hd. Said 26+ hours to do the scan. OK, will leave and do other things. Came back and the program had crashed somewhere around 2-4%. Found 33801 files that I could not copy to another drive. Needs a Pause button so you can copy the files it has found and then resume the scan. Only has a STOP button. After you stop and copy the files it has found, the program starts over. Have uninstalled, downloaded and reinstalled 4 times with same problem. Would be 5+ stars if it would not crash and loose all the files it has found. Sent crash report to author but have heard nothing from them about the problem.

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Perfect!! photos were found"

    January 16, 2012  |   By rosie815

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Recovered all 250 photos i deleted from my CF card!!

    Cons

    None..it worked like a charm.

    Summary

    I read in these reviews that different tool bars were installed. That only happens if you don't uncheck the option. Also, I first tried to do the 'deep scan' or something like that. This option didn't work for me. The first (or default) option is what worked like a charm. I'm so happy my photos were found.

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  • 5.0 stars

    "It simply works."

    January 11, 2012  |   By hlsmlane

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Installs quickly, has a clear interface, and does the job it is intended to do without fuss.

    Cons

    None noted

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  • 4.0 stars

    "Works like Magic, Good Job Pandora"

    January 2, 2012  |   By mur6tynt

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    The programme helped me recover a folder i deleted by mistake from my desktop. I have tried other programmes some of which require payment to recover my lost details but were not as effective as this. I highly recommend this to any one contemplating of downloading it.

    Cons

    none so far

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  • 5.0 stars

    "very easy to use..."

    December 30, 2011  |   By kani1991

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    its free, very easy to use..

    Cons

    it didnt recover some files

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Very easy and effective to use"

    December 29, 2011  |   By nipunkrishna

    Version: Pandora Recovery 2.1.1

    Pros

    Very easy and effective to use

    Cons

    Very easy and effective to use

    Summary

    Very easy and effective to use

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Results 1-10 of 285

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