Hard drive crashed. Best program for Recovery?

[ybanag]

I filed for an extension and I now need to file my 2019 taxes.
What Data Recovery Programs have you used to successfully recover your .tax files?
I have paid for and tried EaseUS but the .tax files it recovered will not open into the Premier CD TurboTax program. I get an error message
Thanks in advance.

[VolvoGirl]

What error do you get?  Is it error 190?  Have you updated the programs?  And you installed the right year?

After you get the program installed the first thing to do before you open your tax return is to update the program and install any state programs you had. Then open your file. So you first might need to start a fake return to be able to download the state program (go to File-New Tax Return).

[ybanag]

Both 2018 & 2019 installed and updates installed.
Error: 102345 "...trouble opening your file. ....use your back-up file instead".
I do not have back up files .

[Rickshay Wala]

My hard drive crashed a month before my tax return was due.  I lost all my 2020 files.  However, I had backed up my 2019 files on an external hard drive called WD easystore.  So I was able to download the turbotax files from 2018 on my restored computer.  Therefore, my recommendation is to backup your computer hard drive on an external drive every year after completing your tax return.

[Anonymous]

it is likely that no free recovery program will work. even apps that you pay for may not work. you could end up spending a fortune without success. also realized that some recovery services offered on the web would have access to any personal data on the drive and you would have to send them the drive.