When launching iCare Data Recovery, you are presented with three simple menu options for recovering lost data from your hard drive: deleted file recovery, reformatted file recovery and lost partition recovery. There are dual advantages to iCare’s simplified menu. First, these recovery modes mimic the most common scenarios why businesses and individuals turn to a data recovery solution. Second, if your business can’t afford an IT staff, the simplified menu makes the process of retrieving precious lost files easy and simple. iCare has several of the essential features needed to be a dependable tool in the office.
We tested the effectiveness of the 10 recovery software applications on our list, including iCare, by running them through several tests. We tested each application’s ability to recover files lost due to deletion or the unfortunate result of a reformatted hard drive. In our first test, iCare Data Recovery successfully recovered all lost files that were deleted from the recycling bin. It achieved a perfect score, 100%, for its ability to retrieve images, documents, audio and video.
In attempting to salvage files from a formatted hard drive and partition, it tested well in recovering image (99%) and video and audio files (91%), but was consistently unsuccessful in recovering document files. It success rate in this area was 56%. There was seemingly no pattern as to why it had better success with certain files than others, or why the program only recovered a portion of each file format.
In the area of Ease of Use, iCare Data Recovery earned an above-average score due to its simplified, user friendly interface that walks beginners through the process, while retaining enough advanced options for experienced users.
iCare’s three preselected scan settings are a welcome, helpful element, especially for novices. If a quick scan fails to locate any significant files, the program prompts the user to begin a deep scan. The scan does not have a pause feature.
The recovery process is similarly straightforward, with a simple file tree displaying the found files that are available for recovery. Raw data is sorted by file format. A preview widget also allows you to view files before beginning recovery, including document files. The program’s biggest setback, though, is its inability to save scan results for later recovery.
iCare Data Recovery comes with several features useful for businesses. While it doesn’t have remote network access, you can install the application on up to three computers with a single license. It also has a technician version you can install on an unlimited number of computers. All versions are compatible with RAID servers, and they come with lifetime upgrades and updates from the developer.
The developer, iCareAll Inc., has a full suite of support channels, including live chat, phone and email (email support requires purchase of the software). An online knowledgebase provides helpful information on the product and data recovery.
iCare Data Recovery is an easy-to-use tool that is especially accessible to new users. It has several business-friendly features and support options. The only troubling aspect was its poor performance in recovering certain documents.
