Alternatives to TestDisk & PhotoRec
Recovers lost partitions, makes non-booting disks bootable again, and undeletes files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext filesystems. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
TestDisk & PhotoRec
Recovers lost partitions, makes non-booting disks bootable again, and undeletes files from FAT, exFAT, NTFS and ext filesystems.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as TestDisk & PhotoRec.
DiskGenius
Combined partition manager, data recovery tool and backup utility for Windows.
DiskGenius offers a graphical Windows interface for recovering lost partitions and deleted files, but it is closed source and larger recoveries need a paid licence.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
GNU ddrescue
A command-line data recovery tool that copies raw blocks from failing disks while working around read errors.
smartmontools
Reads the SMART health data built into disks and runs self-tests, giving advance warning before a drive fails.
Hiren's BootCD PE
Bootable Windows PE rescue environment full of diagnostic and repair tools.
GParted
The partition editor for Linux, usually run from its own live USB so it can resize the disk it is not booted from.
CrystalDiskInfo
Reads the health data your drives already record and tells you plainly whether one is dying.
