Installation

The installation process is fairly simple. The software is very quick to install and causes no issues. There are no hidden toolbars, no extra software, and nothing else that could be deemed conspicuous.

A First Look

After opening Password Recovery Bundle, it greets you with a simple interface. The help file is extensive, but the software itself is self-explanatory and intuitive. The Windows Password button recovers passwords you use to log in to your operating system. “Recover From File” lets you recover passwords from Zip, RAR, PST, Reach-a-Mail, PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SQL Server, and MS Access files. The “Start Recovery” button shows you a lot of the magic it can do. A dialog will pop up showing you all the different passwords it can extrapolate. From top to bottom, the list is incredibly long, so we’ll split it up. For instant messaging:

MSNAIMGoogle TalkTrillianMirandaPaltalkMySpaceIMDigsbyGizmo5GAIMPidginIpswitch Instant Messenger

For email:

OutlookOutlook ExpressWindows MailWindows Live MailEudoraIncredimailBecky!Phoenix MailMozilla ThunderbirdThe Bat!Reach-a-MailPocomailPegasus Mail

For FTP services:

FileZillaCuteFTPSmartFTPFlashFXPWS_FTPCoreFTPFTP ControlFTP VoyagerFTP CommanderFTP NavigatorWebDrive FTPSecureFXAutoFTP32bit FTPBulletProof FTPFar Manager FTP

It’s also compatible with these browsers:

Internet ExplorerOperaFirefoxSafariChromeSeaMonkeyFlock

It also supports other miscellaneous programs, like:

Ipswitch IMail ServerTotal CommanderCamfrogEasyWebCamDialupRemote DesktopVNC

Aside from all that, there is also an option to display installed product keys and reveal passwords that are hidden by asterisks. You can also reveal passwords in the Windows Cache.

Testing Password Recovery Bundle

Considering that there’s no way I can test absolutely everything here, I’m going to just randomly test stuff I actually have installed. I tried testing password retrieval for things that weren’t installed on the computer, and it got hung up a little bit before telling me that there are no passwords present. After trying the same application again, there was no lag. It seems like the previous attempt was just a fluke. Upon clicking the “Windows Password” button, I realize that it’s not going to just show me the password outright. If Microsoft would store your Windows password in such an easily accessible manner, anyone would be able to just hack into your system without a whole lot of effort. Instead, Password Recovery Bundle sets up a wizard where you can burn a password reset disc. You’ll have to boot with that disc and set a new password. Let’s try recovering product keys: It was quick and sweet. The software managed to pull up my PKs for my operating system, games I have installed, and Microsoft Office. Now, let’s try to get some passwords from Outlook: It flawlessly got all of my passwords for each email account I had hooked up to Outlook. But notice how it heads each entry with “MS Outlook2002/2003/2007.” I’m using Outlook 2013. It’s a forgivable mistake of course, but something to address in a later version. Speaking of next versions, I clicked the “Check for updates now” link, and it takes me to the product’s home page. The average consumer today expects their software to update automatically via its own interface rather than asking the person to browse the site for new versions. It’s a minor pet peeve, but something completely tolerable considering the extensive password recovery capabilities of Password Recovery Bundle. By the way, I tested recovery on Pidgin and just as you’d expect, every password of mine is listed neatly under the account handle and protocol used for that account. This could be a dangerous tool in the wrong hands. And speaking of dangerous, with tools like these, you have to watch out for the possibility of it sending your passwords to a server. You can rest assured that this application is safe, though. I hooked it to my own home-built tool that detects when applications connect to servers, and everything was dead silent the whole time. Password Recovery Bundle is completely safe to use.

To Sum It All Up…

Password Recovery Bundle is one of the best-conceived all-in-one rescue-me applications out there. It has a very extensive list of applications it’s compatible with. I can’t find one reason why any person would pass up the opportunity to get this and have the ability to recover passwords. Image credit: young business man sitting at the desk by BigStockPhoto