Diskeeper Undelete 2009 Pro

If you’re concerned about losing vital files and documents from your PC, it would be wise to invest in a file recovery application such as Undelete 2009.

The ‘Pro’ edition we tested enables you to recover files across a network, so it’s ideal for those running multiple machines with a Lan at home. For half the price you can pick up the ‘Home’ edition, which offers a similar range of features without network support.

The initial installation enables you to run an instant recovery or set up the program on your system, which replaces the Windows recycle bin with Undelete’s more powerful alternative. The former is a useful option as it prevents files being copied to your computer, which could overwrite deleted content and prevent you performing an effective recovery.

Once installed you’ll find a new recycle bin with a Windows Explorer-style interface, allowing you to browse by folder layout or perform a search for specific files or types of file on your computer’s drives.

The new version improves on previous efforts by effectively eliminating the performance overheads involved in additional monitoring processes, as well as incorporating a ‘Secure Delete’ feature that uses industrial-strength algorithms to permanently delete content from a drive.

You can also perform a ‘clean wipe’ that will do the same for an entire partition, and create a dynamic recovery bin that automatically adjusts the recoverable size limit based on how much free space you have available. Another feature of note is version recovery for Microsoft Office documents, which allows you to revert to previous versions of files even if you’ve overwritten the current one.

Undelete 2009 is very easy to use and offers an extra level of security that should offer peace of mind for home users. The unobtrusive nature of the software and its low price mean that there are very few reasons not to invest in an upgrade to the recycle bin – you’ll feel more comfortable knowing it’s there.