Install File Scavenger®

If you have not read Data recovery best practices, please do so now.

If you are recovering files from the boot drive (for example, drive C:, "My Documents", "My Desktop"), follow the indirect download procedure below. This procedure improves the chance of recovery by not writing new files to the boot drive. It requires a second computer.

If you are recovering files from a data drive (i.e., a non-system and non-boot drive), both the indirect and direct procedure are safe to use.

1. Indirect download procedure:

   • Use a second computer to download and save File Scavenger® (64fsu71.exe for version 7.1 64-bit) to a portable storage device such as a USB flash drive.
   • Insert the USB flash drive in the computer holding the lost files.
   • Use Windows Explorer to locate the file 64fsu71.exe and double-click on it to start File Scavenger®.
   • Choose to run File Scavenger® without installation.
   • When you are ready to purchase a license, do not launch an Internet browser on the computer holding the lost files. Click Licenses, Licensed Mode to display the Registration Code. Write it down and use the second computer to purchase a license through our web site.



2. Direct download procedure:

   A data drive is one that holds no system files required by Windows® to operate. (Note that a boot drive on one computer becomes a data drive if removed and installed in another computer as a non-boot drive.)

   The procedure is as follows:

   • Download and install File Scavenger® on the boot drive.
   • Start File Scavenger® and scan for files on the data drive.