This is a review of Redo Rescue, a free and open-source bootable backup-and-restore utility.
I write software reviews and how-tos for business users and have offered IT training and support for decades. I’ve taken an in-depth look at Redo Rescue to let you know whether it will meet your needs.
Redo Rescue isn’t a data recovery application but can help you with data loss disasters if you backed up your computer first. If that’s not the case, you’ll need a data recovery tool instead. Jump to the Alternatives section of this article for some tools that I recommend.
In this Redo Rescue review, I’ll explore what it can do and whether it can recover your data in case of an emergency. Let’s get started.
Contents
Redo Rescue Overview
Redo Rescue is a backup and restore utility. It lets you get up and running again quickly by restoring your system to your hard drive or a blank drive.
It doesn’t run as an application on your computer. Instead, you create a bootable CD or USB stick that takes you through the backup or recovery process step by step. On Mac, for example, you create the bootable USB stick using the balenaEtcher utility and a disk image downloaded from the official website.
Because it’s open-source and licensed with a GNU GPLv3 license, the software is free to use and free to distribute.
Recovery Features
Methods of data recovery offered: To recover your data, you must first back it up by starting your computer from the Redo Recover bootable CD or USB stick you create. After losing data you can use the same drive to restore your data.
The software also includes a web browser and file explorer so you can read online documentation and copy and edit files when your system won’t boot.
User Experience
Creating the bootable drive is a little technical, but clear instructions are available on the website. Booting from an external drive also takes additional steps, such as pressing F8 or Delete on Windows, or holding down Option on Macs.
Unfortunately, the drive I created wasn’t recognized by my 2019 iMac. I didn’t spend time trying to troubleshoot the problem, and it’s possible I may have eventually got the software working. System requirements for the software have not been published.
The software guides you through the backup and restores processes step-by-step, but the questions are not presented in a way that beginners will find easy. The software assumes a moderate to advanced knowledge of computing.
A few examples:
- When choosing the drive to back up, the information is presented in a technical way
- This is even more true when selecting the destination drive the stores the backup
- When restoring the data, a terminal window is displayed to indicate progress
Effectiveness
SourceForge rates Redo Rescue 4.7 stars based on 89 reviews. [1] User satisfaction is high, but keep in mind that the SourceForge audience is very technical. It has not been reviewed at all on sites visited by less technical consumers, such as G2 and Trustpilot.
Customer Support
Only very basic help on creating the boot drive is available from the official website. [2] A little-used discussion forum can be accessed from SourceForge. [3]
FAQS
Is Redo Rescue really free?
Yes, it is an open-source project that’s free to use and free to distribute.
I lost important data from my computer. Can Redo Rescue recover help?
Only if you used the application to back up your data first. It is not a data recovery application, and can’t scan your hard drive for lost files like the alternatives listed below.
Alternatives
If you lose data without first creating a backup, Redo Rescue won’t be able to help. Here are some alternatives that can.
Stellar Data Recovery is an easy-to-use application with a wide variety of features. It is a reliable and effective application, but its scans can be time-consuming. It’s available on both Windows and Mac.
EaseUS Data Recovery offers an easy-to-use wizard that will scan your drive quickly for lost files. It’s available for both Windows and Mac.
R-Studio is an advanced tool suitable for data recovery professionals. It’s available for both Windows and Mac.
Recuva is Windows-only recovery software from the CCleaner developers. The free version will meet many users’ needs.
Final Verdict
Redo Rescue is an effective backup and recovery tool for technical computer users. Whether you choose this or another computer backup application, I strongly recommend you create regular backups of your data. If you do, data loss will pose much less of a concern.
However, if you lose data without first creating a backup, you’ll need a different type of application: a data recovery tool. Stellar Data Recovery and EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard are two easy-to-use applications that give users with no technical knowledge a good chance of success. I recommend them.
Recuva Free is an effective alternative for Windows users looking for free software, and R-Studio offers technical users the best chance of rescuing their lost files.
References
Dwight Parker
You state users can recover data if they made a previous backup with Redo. Actually, they can recover everything that hasn’t changed since the last backup. Any data that has been modified or added since the last backup needs to be recovered by a different method. The Redo flash drive has (g)ddrescue on it which will be up to that task as long as the original hard drive isn’t broken or severely damaged/corrupted.