iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows FAQ
Purchase FAQ
Q: How to test if iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows can recover my lost data?
iBoysoft Data Recovery free trial version allows preview the common file types (including photos, documents, videos, audios) to see if your lost files can be recovered at all.
Q: I cannot open the files recovered by iBoysoft Data Recovery Free trial version, should I purchase full version?
A: No. Free trial version has same functions as full version, the free trial version will become full version after entering license key to unlock the recovery limitation. If free trial version cannot work, the full version won't work either. According to your situation, please send your detailed data loss problem to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: I lost documents, videos, photos, audios, etc., but the found files only have .gz and .swf files, why?
A: .swf (a flash file extension) and .gz (a compressed gzip file) are just false positives and totally garbage. In your data loss environment, the original files cannot be identified properly by iBoysoft Data Recovery, please send your data loss details to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: I have ovewritten the lost files, is there a way to recover them?
A: No.
Q: After data loss, I have wrote new data to the drive where lost data, is there a way to recover them?
A: It depends on whether the lost files are overwritten or not, but iBoysoft Data Recovery free trial version can preview the documents, photos and play videos, audio, etc. so that you can see if your lost files are recoverable before purchasing.
Q: I deleted some files from C: drive, etc., is there a way to recover them?
A: If it is SSD with Windows 7 and later version, there is no way to recover them. Otherwise, it depends on whether the lost files are overwritten or not.
Windows 7 and later version are set to automatically enable TRIM on SSD. When TRIM is enabled, Windows will send an instruction to your solid-state drive every time you delete a file. The solid-state drive can then automatically erase that file's contents so that they cannot be recovered. Refer to: How to check if TRIM function is enabled?
Q: Can I recover EFS encrypted files with iBoysoft Data Recovery?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery doesn't support EFS encryption.
Q: Would iBoysoft Data Recovery damage my storage device where lost data?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery is a reliable and safe data recovery software, it is read-only access to the storage device where lost data.
Q: Disk management cannot recognize my storage device, does iBoysoft Data Recovery recognize it?
A: No. If disk management cannot recognize your storage device, iBoysoft Data Recovery cannot recognize it either. In this situation, your storage device should be physically damaged, please send it to a local data recovery service for help.
Q: The storage device has hardware issue (Such as physical damage, I/O device error, data error (CRC), bad sectors), can iBoysoft Data Recovey recover lost data from it?
A: No. Hardware issue is beyond any data recovery software, please send it to a local data recovery specialist for help.
Q: Does iBoysoft Data Recovery support RAID reconstrucion?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery is just a common data recovery software, while RAID reconstrucion is a professional data recovery.
Q: What is the difference between trial version and full version?
A: 1. There is no function difference.
2. Free Trial version can preview the common file types (documents, photos, videos, audios) after scanning; Trial version can preview the common file types (documents, photos, videos, audios); Full version can recover unlimited data.
Q: Can iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows recover lost data from encrypted drive?
A: iBoysoft Data Recovery supports data recovery from BitLocker encrypted drive. If the drive is encrypted by other, you need to unlock the encrypted drive before using iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows, otherwise, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows cannot find the lost data.
Q: Can I recover lost password or BitLocker recovery key with iBoysoft Data Recovery?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery is a data recovery software which doesn't have password recovery function, please refer to: How to unlock BitLocker encrypted drive without password and BitLocker recovery key?.
Q: What is the difference between iBoysoft Data Recovery Trial, Basic, Professional and Technician edition?
A: iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows offers four different editions to suit the needs of various users. Here is an overview of each type:
- Trial - Allows to preview the common file types (documents, photos, videos, audios).
- Basic - One license for one computer. It provides two recovery modules: Data Recovery module and Partition Recovery module (Fix RAW partition and restore deleted or lost non-BitLocker partition), but Basic edition doesn't support BitLocker data recovery and Windows Server OS.
- Professional - One license for one computer. It provides three recovery modules: Data Recovery module, Partition Recovery module and BitLocker Data Recovery module.
- Technician - One technician license for 5 computers' usage at the same time. It covers all features of iBoysoft Data Recovery Professional and allows to provide technical service to your clients. What's more, iBoysoft Data Recovery Technician has built-in deactivate option which allows to deactivate from one computer and activate it on another computer.
Q: Does iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows support ReFS, ext2, ext3, ext4, HFS+, APFS, etc. file system?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows supports NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT file system, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac supports HFS+, FAT32 and exFAT file system.
Q: The files recovered by iBoysoft Data Recovery free trial version are corrupted, should I purchase full version to recover these files?
A: No, free trial version has same function as full version. The files recovered by iBoysoft Data Recovery free trial version are corrupted, these files recovered by iBoysoft Data Recovery full version will be also corrupted. In this situation, please send your detailed data loss problem to [email protected] for further analysis before purchasing.
Q: Free/trial version cannot work, will full version work?
A: No, free/trial version and full version use the same installation package file (After entering the license key to activate free/trial version, it will be full version). In this case, please contact [email protected] before purchasing.
Q: Does iBoysoft Data Recovery Basic for Windows support data recovery from BitLocker encrypted drive?
A: No, but iBoysoft Data Recovery Professional for Windows and iBoysoft Data Recovery Technician for Windows support it.
Q: I have one partition became RAW from NTFS/FAT32, can iBoysoft Data Recovery change/convert RAW to NTFS/FAT32 without data loss?
A: Although Partition Recovery built-in iBoysoft Data Recovery has the ability to fix RAW drive, but iBoysoft Data Recovery uses "Rebuild/Repair file system" method to fix RAW drive (non-encrypted) back to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT without data loss. If the damage to file system is serious, the only way is to recover lost data from RAW partition, so not every RAW drive can be fixed back to NTFS/FAT32/exFAT due to different cause reasons, it depends upon the specific environment, but lost data can be recovered via Data Recovery mode as long as RAW drive is not physically damaged.
Q: Can Partition Recovery built-in iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows fix a RAW drive that is encrypted?
A: No, but iBoysoft Data Recovery supports data recovery from BitLocker encrypted drive.
Q: Can the deleted files be recovered from SSD?
A: Windows 7 and above are set to automatically enable TRIM on SSD. When TRIM is enabled, Windows will send an instruction to your solid-state drive every time you delete a file. The solid-state drive can then automatically erase that file's contents so that it cannot be recovered by any data recovery software.
Q: Online store accepts debit card?
A: Yes, please select PayPal in your shopping cart and then click "Pay with Credit or Debit Card".
Q: Why the final price in shopping cart is higher than list price in official site?
A: Please check if the final price in shopping cart includes VAT. The list price in http://www.m3datarecovery.com doesn't include VAT. Due to different tax price in different countries, the final price of the product customers purchase may be higher than the list price, which is because the final price includes VAT.
Licensing FAQ
Q: Can I use iBoysoft Data Recovery Basic/Professional for Windows on two computers, even more?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery Basic for Windows is one computer license, iBoysoft Data Recovery Professional for Windows is one license for one computer. iBoysoft Data Recovery Technician allows to be used on two computers even more as it has built-in deactivate option.
Q: Can I uninstall iBoysoft Data Recovery Basic/Professional for Windows from one computer and activate it on another computer?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery Basic/Professional for Windows is computer license, its activation is bundled with hardware ID.
Q: Can I transfer my license if I change my computer?
A: We can transfer your license after your original computer failed. If you regularly change computers, please purchase Technician edition which has a built-in deactivate option.
Q: Is iBoysoft Data Recovery Basic/Professional for Windows allowed to provide technical service to my clients?
A: No, your license key will be banned if you use Basic/Professional edition to provide technical service to your clients.
However, iBoysoft Data Recovery Technician for Windows allows to provide technical service to clients, its built-in deactivate option allows to deactivate from one computer and then activate on another computer.
Q: Can I activate iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac with the license key of iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows?
A: No, iBoysoft Data Recovery for Windows and iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac are two different products.
Q: How to reinstall the purchased software after computer crashed, faiiled, changed hardware or reinstalling OS?
A: Please send your order ID or purchase email address to [email protected] for the solution.
Technical FAQ
Q: RAW drive cannot be fixed, please use Data Recovery module to recover lost data from RAW partition.
A: Please choose Data Recovery module on iBoysoft Data Recovery main interface, select the same RAW drive and then check deep scan option to scan lost data from RAW partition.
After data recovery is successfully done, please try to reformat it, the RAW drive will be working again if the format completes.
Q: RAW drive cannot be fixed, please try again later or click OK to recover lost data from RAW partition.
A: Please click OK or "Switch to Data Recovery mode" at left corner and then recover lost data from RAW partition. If there are some files missing, please choose Data Recovery module on iBoysoft Data Recovery main interface, select the same RAW drive and then check deep scan option to try again.
After data recovery is successfully done, please try to reformat it, the RAW drive will be working again if the format completes.
Q: There are some files missing after trying Partition Recovery module to recover files from RAW drive.
A: Please try below two solutions:
Solution 1: Choose Data Recovery, click "Find more partitions", select the whole hard disk and then tick Deep Scan option. After the scan completes, there would be several partitions found, please select the partition whose recovery status is Good and then extract data.
Solution 2: Choose Data Recovery module, select the same drive and then check deep scan option. After the scan completes, please check files in every folder, including RAWfiles folder.
If there are still some files missing after try above two solutions, we think these files have been lost forever after becoming RAW file system, please send your detailed problem (How to lose the data, please attach disk management screenshot) to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: Recovered files are corrupted and cannot open.
A: Data recovery is a complicated case, its recovery result depends upon the specific data loss environment, please send your details about how to lose the data and how to use iBoysoft Data Recovery to [email protected] for further analysis.
At the same time, please try these solutions:
Solution 1: Choose Data Recovery, click "Find more partitions", select the whole hard disk and then tick Deep Scan option. After the scan completes, there would be several partitions found, please select the partition whose recovery status is Good and then extract data.
Solution 2: Choose Data Recovery module, select the same drive and then check deep scan option. After the scan completes, please check files in every folder, including RAWfiles folder.
Q: Recovered files from BitLocker encrypted drive are corrupted and cannot open.
A: Please try these solutions:
Solution 1: Check "Revert decryption" option under Help menu and recover these files again.
Solution 2: Choose BitLocker Data Recovery module, click "Find more partitions", select the whole hard disk and click Next to find previously existing BitLocker encrypted partition. Once the previously existing BitLocker encrypted partition is found, please select it and then enter the password or 48-digit BitLocker recovery key to extract data.
Solution 3: Choose BitLocker Data Recovery module, select BitLocker encrypted drive and then check "Deep Scan" option to try again.
Solution 4: Contact [email protected] with detailed problem.
Q: Some recovered files from BitLocker encrypted drive are ok, some recovered files are corrupted and cannot open.
A: Please check "Revert decryption" option under Help menu and recover these files that cannot open.
If the above solution fails, please send your data loss details to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: Data has been found in free trial version, but data is not found with paid version.
A: The full version's function is same as free trial version, the free trial version will become full version after activating to unlock the recovery limit in free trial version. You can check it in this way, uninstall paid version and then reinstall free trial version to try again.
According to your situation and our data recovery experience, your external drive is unstable after it became corrupted so that it is why data is not found after later scan, because at this time your corrupted external drive is not readable. We have other customers which encountered the same problems.
Solution 1: If you saved the scan result with free trial version, please load the previously saved scan result for continuous recovery.
Solution 2: Please safely eject your external drive and then plug it in to try iBoysoft Data Recovery again.
Solution 3: If you have another computer, please connect this corrupted external drive to another computer and then try iBoysoft Data Recovery again.
Solution 4: Please connect external hard drive to your computer as an internal hard drive and then try iBoysoft Data Recovery again.
Solution 5: Please contact technical support: [email protected].
Q: When recovering data from BitLocker encrypted drive, I receive error message: Password or BitLocker recovery key is incorrect after I enter the correct password or BitLocker recovery key.
A: Maybe BitLocker metadata is corrupted so that the software cannot find BitLocker metadata and promopts incorrect password or BitLocker recovery key, please contact technical support team for further analysis.
Q: I receive error message: Unlock password is incorrect after entering the correct password when accessing a BitLocker encrypted drive where installed Windows OS.
A: The password is bundled with TPM chip so that it is invalid on another computer. In this situation, entering 48-digit BitLocker recovery key is the only way.
Q: I can recover photos, small videos from SD card, memory card, USB flash drive, external hard drive, but I cannot recover the large videos.
A: Generally speaking, the most commonly used file system of the SD card, memory card, USB flash drive, external hard drive is exFAT/FAT32. Because of exFAT/FAT32 file system its own properties, the clusters (disk space) where stored the large files are not continuous so that the large files cannot be recovered, it is a disadvantage of exFAT/FAT32 file system.
Q: iBoysoft Data Recovery won't be launched or is stuck in splash screen.
A: Before completely launching, iBoysoft Data Recovery would load storage devices firstly. If there are corrupted storage devices, they would be loaded slowly or cannot be loaded so that iBoysoft Data Recovery is stuck. In this situation, please safely eject them and then try to launch iBoysoft Data Recovery again or contact [email protected].
Q: iBoysoft Data Recovery is not working.
A: Please send your data loss details (How to lose the data, please attach disk management screenshot if it is RAW drive) to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: iBoysoft Data Recovery stuck on rebuilding boot sector.
A: Please download a tool called WinHex. Run it as administrator, select Tools, select Open Disk, select corrupted drive and see whether there are unreadable sectors or not. If there are unreadable sectors (bad sectors), it is normal that iBoysoft Data Recovery stuck when reading bad sectors, please wait patiently. If there is no new progress after a long time, please contact [email protected] or send your corrupted hard drive to a local data recovery service for help.
Q: Data is not found by iBoysoft Data Recovery.
A: Please send your data loss details (How to lose the data, please attach disk management screenshot if it is RAW drive) to [email protected] for further analysis.
At the same time, please download a tool called WinHex. After installing, run it as administrator, select Tools, select Open Disk, select RAW drive and see whether there are unreadable sectors (Bad sectors) or not.
Q: The found files are .gz and .swf files, what .gz and .swf files are?
A: GZ file is compressed files created using the gzip compression utility, SWF file is an animation created with Adobe Flash that can be played by Flash Player or with a web browser that has the Flash plugin installed.
Q: I lost documents, videos, photos, audios, etc., but the found files only have .gz and .swf files, why?
A: .swf (a flash file extension) and .gz (a compressed gzip file) are just false positives and totally garbage. In your data loss environment, the original files cannot be identified properly by iBoysoft Data Recovery, please send your data loss details to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: iBoysoft Data Recovery was unexpectedly closed.
A: Please check if there is a crash dump file: *.dmp in iBoysoft Data Recovery installation directory, if yes, please send it to [email protected] for further analysis.
Q: My file names are not English, but the recovered files don't preserve the file names (For example: _.jpg)
A: It is caused by you are using English operating system to recover non-English file names. You need to install iBoysoft Data Recovery on the operating system whose language is same as the language of your file names and then recover these files.
