On Oct 26th, Microsoft unveiled its new operating system (Windows 8) and their first tablet (Surface) to the world. The Metro titles have been seen before on the Windows 7 phones and for those lucky folks that managed to get the beta of 8 up and running on their computers. Microsoft is taking a page from competitors Apple and Google by redesigning the familiar interface that many users are used to, but underneath it all, things will most likely remain the same.

Many computer users still turn to their desktops or laptops in order to store a good majority of their files, and when the computer crashes, it more than feels like a disaster. Pictures, documents, files, music and more is easily lost when a computer OS or even hardware fails on us. The good thing however is that there are tools available to help recover your operating system and your information.

DataNumen’s Data Recovery

DataNumen is a world recognized leader within data recovery technologies. Started in 2001, DataNumen has sold their products to over 130 countries worldwide and to large companies such as AT&T, General Electric, Dell, and HP. Their data recovery software focuses on Outlook restoration.

R-Studio

R-Tools from R-Studio has won numerous awards for its program. Like DataNumen’s product, R-Tools is able to recover files and folders in the aftermath of an accidental format or a hard drive crash and is able to create a disk image. While getting great reviews, R-Tools might be a little too advanced for the casual Windows user who just wants to back up their files or wants something a bit more simpler than what is being offered.

Data Rescue PC 3

Another highly rated recovery software tool, DRPC3 can also restore files, even when Windows refuses to run. Easy to use and including the ability to work over a network connection, this software makes recovery simple when faced with the thought of a failing hard drive or a virus that doesn’t want you in Windows. Some of the downsides include limited search options when looking for particular files. This might work well if an entire PC needs to be recovered. This will work on the upcoming Windows 8 system.

Recover My Files

Another product on hand to help those moving over to Windows 8 and below, Recover My Files is the perfect middle ground for those who make an accidental change in their system. From accidentally deleting files or folders that didn’t need to be deleted, partitioning or switching partitions, and that of a hard drive issue, RMF can recover your files, even from USB and external drives.

A few downsides are that it won’t run on a non-bootable machine. So if your drive has crashed and you can’t boot into Windows, this offering is not for you.

Being able to recover your files in the case of a crash or an accidental mishap is important, especially when moving up to a new operating system, in the case of those upgrading to the new Windows 8 or those who want to try Mountain Lion for Macs. These are just a few of the products that can help get back the files and memories that were lost.