File Repair

Pros

• Restores Many Formats
• Repairs Un-Openable Files
• Extracts Clean Files From Corrupted Files

Cons

• Dull User Interface

File Repair is a piece of software that repairs files, as the name implies. It can repair a wide range of formats if they are corrupted or damaged in some way.

There are a whole host of reasons why you might lose some of your precious data through file degradation. Viruses can destroy data, interruptions to the network can cause files to fault, and other unforeseen circumstances might cause your files to degrade. If a virus is the problem, you can use anti-malware software to find and destroy those pests, but those sorts of apps don't repair problems caused by the virus, they just get rid of the virus. That's where File Repair comes into play.

The user interface for File Repair is a bit boring, but that lack of flash makes it much easier to actually take advantage of the strengths of the app. You'll have no issue maneuvering through the different menus, and the functions are clearly labeled in easily understood common jargon.

Functionally, this app doesn't technically repair damaged files. Instead, it finds files that are exhibiting signs of damage and scans them for any data that can be recovered. The software then generates an entirely new file that doesn't have any of the damage inhibiting the original file. The extracted data is used to populate the file, so the result is essentially the same as repairing a single file since the original damaged file is destroyed in the process.

There are few standard or common file formats that aren't compatible with this software. It can restore PowerPoint, Excel, and Word files from Microsoft Office, and it has no trouble with PDFs, videos, images, archive files like RAR and ZIP, and some limited audio files.

If you experience a few common problems with your files, File Repair is the most likely solution to actually work. If your computer says a file isn't in a format that it recognizes, or that a file isn't readable or accessible, there's a good chance it can adequately repair the file. Some files won't open when they are used with their default app because the app says the file format isn't compatible. File Repair can fix all these issues and more.

There aren't many downsides to the software that would really deter someone from using it. The interface is a bit plain, but it's not meant to be an entertainment app. In some instances, you'll spend a lot of time scanning a single file only to have the software tell you the file is irreparable.

Overall, File Repair is a nifty free tool for restoring damaged files and their contents. The software is compatible with numerous formats, including AVI, MP4, MOV, JPEG, BMP, PNG, DOC, DOCX, XLS, PPS, PPTX, MP3, XLSX, ZIP, RAR, ASF, MPG, FLV, WMV, RAW, PDF, PPT, and WAV.

Pros

• Restores Many Formats
• Repairs Un-Openable Files
• Extracts Clean Files From Corrupted Files

Cons

• Dull User Interface