Archive file formats like the RAR format used by WinRAR are a blessing and a curse. On the plus side, they let us easily move and share multiple files as easy as sharing a single file. They also compress those files, saving hard drive space and making them easier to move around. The nature of formats like these also makes them dangerous. If a RAR file is damaged or corrupted, there is much more at risk than a single file. In a case where a RAR is damaged enough, you may not be able to recover any of the files within. That is exactly why Recovery Toolbox for RAR is such a useful tool.
System Requirements
The website for Recovery Toolbox for RAR doesn’t list any hardware requirements for running the app. That said, you’ll want enough hard drive space free to install the app and to store uncompressed copies of the contents of your RAR file. The process will also be speedier depending on the speed of your CPU. When it comes to software, Recovery Toolbox for RAR is only available on Windows. Most any recent version of Windows is supported. This includes Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10. Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2012, 2016 and above are supported as well.
Features
One of the advantages of RAR over certain other archive formats is the ability to password-protect a RAR archive. Of course, this can be particularly problematic when you have a damaged or corrupted RAR file. Fortunately, Recovery Toolbox for RAR supports repairing password-protected archives. You’ll need to know the password, but at least this won’t prevent you from fixing the file. Recovery Toolbox for RAR also supports recovering files over 4GB, which is good if you’re archiving and storing video or other large files. When you’re storing this much, you don’t necessarily always want to recover it all. For that reason, the app features selective restore. If you have a certain file lost in a damaged archive, you don’t need to recover everything to get that single file. Finally, one of the reasons you’ll usually run into damaged RAR files is that the media holding them has become corrupt or damaged. Recovery Toolbox for RAR supports recovering files from damaged media, so even if you can’t copy the file off of the original media, you can still recover your important files and information.
Using Recovery Toolbox for RAR
Like many of Recovery Toolbox’s other apps, Recovery Toolbox for RAR works in a wizard-style format. After you download and install the app, it will launch automatically and guide you through the rest of the process. You’ll start by choosing the file you want to recover. After you’ve chosen the file, hit the Next button, and the scanning process will start. This isn’t recovering the files yet – it’s just determining what can be recovered. This process may take a while depending on the size of the RAR file and how fast your computer is. Once the initial scan is complete, you’ll be able to preview the recoverable data. This lets you see what can be recovered as well as select only the files you want to recover, providing you don’t want the entire archive. After you’ve chosen what to recover, hit next and the app will ask you where you want to save the recovered files. Hit Next and the app will begin the actual recovery. As with scanning, this will take a while depending on the speed of your computer, the size of the archive, and how much you want to recover.
Pricing
There are a few different purchase options for Recovery Toolbox for RAR. Which one you pick depends on how you’re using the app. If you’re just using the app to recover your own files, you can opt for the Personal license. This is the cheapest option at $27 for a single license. You can’t use the Personal license if you’re using the software for commercial purposes or as part of a business. For this you’ll need to opt for the $45 Business license. Paying $15 more gets you the Site License for $60. This lets you install the software on up to 100 different devices, whether they’re in the same building or not.
Conclusion
No matter what sort of files are contained within a RAR file, it can be a major problem if they are damaged. Given the relatively low price of the software, it’s worth keeping Recovery Toolbox for RAR on hand just in case something goes wrong. The more you use RAR files, the more you’ll be protecting your data by keeping a copy of this app handy. If you already have a damaged RAR file, the good news is that you don’t have to pay and simply hope that it works. A free trial of Recovery Toolbox for RAR is available. Simply download it and run it on your damaged file. The app will show you what can and can’t be recovered. Once you know what you’re able to recover, you can purchase the app to actually save the recovered files to disk.
