Undelete 2.0
Reviewed by Ken Hopkins
Microsoft Windows has included a Recycle Bin since the release of Windows 95, so you probably know how it works. Every time you delete a file from Windows Explorer, it does not really get deleted. Instead, it gets moved to the Recycle Bin until you decide to empty the bin. If you decide you need the file, you can select it and restore it to where it was deleted.
The are a couple of problems with the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin does not save files that have been deleted:
- using the command line
- using File Manager
- from shared drives
- using third party software
Undelete is an enhanced Recycle Bin from Executive Software that cures those problems. It seamlessly replaces the Recycle Bin with the Recovery Bin. There is even an Emergency Undelete program included, to recover files that were erased prior to installing Undelete, if they have not been overridden. (I have not used it).
The directory tree makes it easy to find files.My favorite feature is the correction of a shortcoming of the Recycle Bin. When you delete a directory while using Recycle Bin, it shows the directory only, not the files in the directory. That makes it impossible to restore only a given file (without restoring the entire directory tree and deleting unneeded files again). Undelete shows the entire directory tree, making it easy to restore a single file wherever it might be. There is even a search feature that finds the file you wish to restore.
As someone with an interest in system security, I find it interesting that Undelete does not save encrypted files stored under the Windows 2000 Encrypting File System (EFS). If it did, it could be a security risk. They made a good choice here, but that means you’ll need to be more careful with those files.
Undelete even includes a search tool to find those files.The bad news is that Undelete 2.0 Workstation only runs on Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Professional. If you are running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows ME, you will need to find a different solution. If you are running Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 Server, you will want to use Undelete 2.0 Server. This version is more expensive but it does let you access other Undelete engines installed on the network. System Administrators and Help Desk/ Support personnel should have the Server version installed on their systems. (I have not tried this version yet.) There are lots of different prices based upon the number of computers you want to license to run the software. Check the Web page for pricing on multiple licenses.
I recommend this program to all Windows 2000 users (and anyone still using Windows NT 4.0).
Undelete 2.0 Workstation
[$75 list, $50 street]
Note: requires WinNT4.0 or Win2KPro
(will not run on Server)
Undelete 2.0 Server
[$399 list, $259 street]
Note: requires WinNT4.0 Server or Win2KServer
Executive Software
701 N. Brand Blvd., 6th Floor
Glendale, CA. 91203
818-547-2050
800-829-6468
