Active@ File Recovery

Active@ File Recovery is Windows software for recovering deleted or lost files and data from damaged, formatted, or deleted partitions and volumes. It supports file systems including NTFS, ReFS, FAT, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, XFS, JFS, UFS, BtrFS, and Ext2/3/4. The software can scan by file signature, including signatures defined by the user, and works with HDDs, SSDs, USB and other listed drive connections, flash drives, and memory cards. It can virtually rebuild RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and Span arrays. Disk-image tools create or open raw and compressed raw images and work with VMware and VirtualPC HDD images. The Ultimate package includes a WinPE boot disk and Linux LiveCD for recovery when a computer will not start. The free demo recovers files only up to 64 KB. Standard Personal costs $29.95, paid once for non-commercial use; Standard Corporate costs $39.95, paid once for commercial use. Personal licenses cover three PCs, while corporate license quantity is selected at purchase. LSoft Technologies has operated since 1999 and is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Active@ File Recovery covers individual file recovery, disk images, and virtual RAID rebuilding on Windows. The demo limit is small, so review the license type and package before choosing a paid plan.

Active@ File Recovery suits Windows users trying to restore files from damaged or formatted storage, including supported RAID arrays and disk images. Personal licenses are for non-commercial use; corporate licenses cover business, academic, or government use.

Active@ File Recovery is a Windows recovery tool for deleted or lost files on damaged, formatted, or deleted volumes. It suits users who need broad filesystem coverage, disk-image handling, or virtual RAID rebuilding. Its one-time licenses cover several recovery needs, but the 64 KB demo cap leaves little room to assess recovery on real files.

Overview

The software spans Windows, Apple, and Linux filesystems and works with internal and removable storage. That range is useful for mixed-device recovery, but it does not change the central platform constraint: the application runs on Windows only.

Beyond ordinary file recovery, Active@ File Recovery can rebuild supported RAID layouts virtually and work from disk images. Those capabilities make it a more specialized choice than a basic undelete utility, particularly for users who need to examine an image or reconstruct a supported array.

Key features

Filesystem, device, and signature support

Supported filesystems include NTFS, ReFS, FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, HFS+, APFS, XFS, JFS, UFS, BtrFS, and Ext2, Ext3, and Ext4. Storage support covers HDDs, SSDs, USB, SATA, eSATA, SAS, SCSI, NVMe, flash drives, and memory cards. This breadth is a practical advantage when a recovery job involves varied media or a non-Windows filesystem.

Active@ Scan recognizes files by signature, and users can define signatures. This gives the tool another way to identify files beyond filesystem-based recovery, though the demo’s small recovery allowance makes it difficult to judge that capability on larger files before buying.

Disk images and virtual RAID

The software can create and open raw or raw-compressed disk images and work with VMware and VirtualPC HDD images. Its virtual RAID builder supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and Span arrays. That combination suits users who need image-based work or recovery from those layouts; it is not a reason to choose the product if a different RAID level is central to the job.

The Ultimate package adds a WinPE-based boot disk and a Linux-based LiveCD for recovery when a computer will not boot. That is the clearest package distinction for users facing an unbootable system, while users who do not need boot media can consider a less expensive tier.

Pricing

The Demo costs nothing and allows recovery only for files up to 64 KB. It is useful for confirming that the software can recover very small files, but it is not a meaningful free allowance for most document, photo, or video recovery.

Standard Personal costs $29.95, paid once and covers non-commercial use with one license for 3 PCs, plus one year of free technical support and updates. Standard Corporate costs $39.95, paid once, permits commercial use, and lets the buyer select the license quantity at purchase; it also includes one year of free technical support and updates. These are the lower-cost options for users who do not need the Professional or Ultimate package tier.

Professional Personal costs $44.95, paid once for non-commercial use and one license for 3 PCs; Professional Corporate costs $64.95, paid once for commercial use with quantity selected at purchase. Both include one year of free technical support and updates. The provided package details do not distinguish Professional from Standard by specific features, so the extra cost is difficult to evaluate on those terms alone.

Ultimate Personal costs $69.95, paid once for non-commercial use and one license for 3 PCs; Ultimate Corporate costs $89.95, paid once for commercial use with quantity selected at purchase. Both include one year of free technical support and updates. Ultimate is the tier to consider if the WinPE boot disk and Linux LiveCD matter. Personal licenses are not for business, academic, or government use; corporate licenses cover those settings.

Platforms

Active@ File Recovery runs on Windows, with support listed for Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, and Windows Server versions 2022 through 2003. Its filesystem support reaches beyond Windows formats, but users who need a recovery application for macOS or Linux should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

Choose Active@ File Recovery if you need a Windows tool that combines broad filesystem and storage support with disk-image handling or virtual rebuilding of RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, or Span. It is also a fit for organizations that need corporate licensing and a selectable quantity of licenses. Look elsewhere if you need a useful free recovery quota, another desktop platform, or a RAID layout the software does not support.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Broad filesystem and storage support makes it adaptable to recovery across varied media and formats.
• Pro: Raw and compressed images, virtual-machine HDD images, and virtual RAID rebuilding extend it beyond straightforward file undelete.
• Pro: Ultimate includes boot media for recovery when the computer will not start.
• Con: The 64 KB demo recovery limit is too small for most real recovery jobs.
• Con: Windows is the only supported application platform, despite coverage of non-Windows filesystems.
• Con: The package details do not make the Standard-to-Professional feature difference clear.

Alternatives

RAID Data Recovery Software is a useful place to compare RAID-focused options.

• EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is worth considering if you need support across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.
• Disk Drill may suit Windows users who want a free recovery allowance of up to 100 MB, though its free Windows recovery is capped there.
• Ontrack EasyRecovery offers a free plan with up to 1 GB recovered and files under 25 MB.
• DiskGenius is another Windows freemium option with a free edition and a free trial.
• ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery is a free Windows choice with support for RAID 0, 5, 10, 6, 5E, and delayed-parity RAID 5, plus hardware RAID, software RAID, and NAS disk sets.
• Sherlock Forensics Recover has a free edition for browsing, previewing, and exporting files, as well as creating raw or E01 disk images.
• TestDisk is free software for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with partition recovery, boot-sector repair, and file undelete.
• D-Recovery Fusion is another paid alternative.

Verdict

Active@ File Recovery is a strong fit for Windows users who need broad filesystem coverage alongside disk-image work or virtual RAID rebuilding. Its main advantage is that combination of recovery tools, while its chief drawbacks are the tiny demo allowance and Windows-only platform support. Choose it when those specialized capabilities match the job; look elsewhere if you need a meaningful free recovery quota or support for another desktop operating system.