Best Free Bootable Data Recovery Software

[darkmarauder]

I am looking for advise on a free data recovery tool to add to my arsenal of software tools.
Now I am looking for it to be bootable from CD, hence not requiring the operating system of the host PC to boot.
I am not looking for file recovery tools by the way. This is a hard drive recovery tool I am after.
I have been using RT Studio for hard drive recovery but due to cost and the need for it to be registered with only one machine per license I need an alternative.

 

[JPNpower]

I think Acronis has something. Not free I think but very affordable.

 

[darkmarauder]

I think Acronis has something. Not free I think but very affordable.

I think what you are thinking of is Acronis Backup and Recovery (currently at version 11.5). Ths is not what I am looking of.
Acronis B&R allows you in various ways to take images of your PC and save them elsewhere, so should your PC fail you are able to restore a backup image in very quick time. Excellent tool but as I say, not what I am looking for.

I'm talking the sort of tool to sit there and dig away recovery the content of a damaged hard drive. But thanks anyway.

 

[RetiredChief]

Might take a look a UBCD (Ultimate Boot CD). It's Free and has a LAQRGE collection of Utilities - From HDD utilities -> memtest 86.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

 

[darkmarauder]

Might take a look a UBCD (Ultimate Boot CD). It's Free and has a LAQRGE collection of Utilities - From HDD utilities -> memtest 86.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Whilst UltimateBootCD is a great set of tools, I'm looking for a 'full bodied' dedicated hard drive recovery tool.

 

[darkmarauder]

Any more suggestions please?