Clean HDD

[Beefy]

that's why you need software to make sure things stay deleted. :) The old NSA standard set all bits on the drive to zero, then overwrites the disk three more times, setting all the bits on the disk to one, then zero, then one again... and the Department of Defense method is heavier still...

[Mr. C]

As I understand it, the NSA and other agencies have the capability of reading trace residual magnetism(is magnetism the right term??) from many many previous writes - we're talking hundreds here!

Of course such recovery techniques are pretty much James Bond type scenarios. The cost of doing that depth of recovery is ridiculously expensive.
Of course if we got our hands on Saddam Hussein's HDD you can bet your *SS that we would spare no expense to get the data off that rascal:D

But for the budget most folks are on, a little freebie software program is sufficient to cover your tracks. The program I linked to is capable of 297 overwrite passes - so unless you are a celebrity or a criminal, you'll be in pretty secure shape after using it:thumb:

and yeah, you'd be amazed what can be pulled off a formatted drive

[ReSpAwN DeMoN]

has anyone here actually tried such a thing!?!!?!? or is this "just what you have heard"

cause truthfully after deleting the partition the drive is factory new. Or are you talking about the MBR? what if you delete that too!?!!? the drive is gone make a new partition and its fine. Not even the FBI can get access to it. I trully think so!

[Beefy]

after deleting a partition the drive isn't 'factory new'... It's like drawing on a piece of paper with a pencil. You can rub it out, but the paper isn't new again... you can still see faint marks of what was drawn on there. HDD's are kind of the same. When you delete them, as Mr C said, there is a faint magnetic residue that is left on the side of the track where the drive writes, and with some decent equipment, they can actually retrieve data that was previously there. :)

[ReSpAwN DeMoN]

eh I'm still a bit skeptical about it but I'm not gonna argue the fact. About how expensive is this "decent program" gonna cost? lol I'm sure its several hundreds right? Or is this the kind of software that you can get for free from download.com saying things like "RETREIVE YOUR DATA AFTER IT HAS BEEN DELETED!" no?

[Mr. C]

ReSpAwN DeMoN you are absolutely correct.
The level and type of recovery I spoke of is not available through a download site. While yes, software is involved it also requires specialized equipment - and I would assume disassembly of the drive to be examined. Very expensive stuff!

That is why I say that unless you are a celebrity or a criminal, the freeware I linked to is enough to get the job done for us average Joe's.

Remember last year when that dood (financier, banker or some such type guy?) sold his PC and the purchaser was able to get Ringo Starr's financial records from it? Big news - and a huge embarrasment for the financial institute.

But, I don't have to worry about such things too much:D So a bit of freeware should do the job nicely for me.


On an interesting - yet wholly unrelated topic; well, nearly unrelated;

There is going to be like a contest of sorts in the near future for folks who specialize in recovering data from audio tapes. The winner will actually get an opportunity to attempt to "bring back to life" the missing minutes of former President Nixon's Watergate tapes.
Pretty much based on the principals Beefy described in recovering data from a HDD. Residual magnetism and such.

I don't claim to understand it, but the science definitely supports the practice.

[saidin]

I am a celebrity, I am special, I want to have my hardrive l337 recovered so they can see my perverted porn collection. Me want to be famous!!! NOT! :snip:

[CMCHomer]

Low level format should do the trick :)

Guess he aint coming back :)

[FLaCo]

On an interesting - yet wholly unrelated topic; well, nearly unrelated;

There is going to be like a contest of sorts in the near future for folks who specialize in recovering data from audio tapes. The winner will actually get an opportunity to attempt to "bring back to life" the missing minutes of former President Nixon's Watergate tapes.
Pretty much based on the principals Beefy described in recovering data from a HDD. Residual magnetism and such.

I don't claim to understand it, but the science definitely supports the practice.

That is certainly a cool thing to read about...any links?

[Mr. C]

I haven't found the article I originally read, which was about a serious audiophile with a huge collection of antique recording equipment. He in fact owns equipment exactly like that on which the tapes were made and erased with - along with intimate knowledge of the hardware and its intricacies. It seemed to me if it can be done, this might be the fellow to pull it off

But there were several news stories as well as government information releases on the topic.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/t...tapes-tech.htm

http://www.archives.gov/media_desk/p...s/nr01-84.html

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/polit...ate010809.html

One of the main criteria for the chance to recover the missing audio is that it must be proved that the recovery will in no way harm or degrade the original tape.

Sounds like quite a challenge, and few people are really qualified for the job at this time.
Kinda' cool though, unlocking history's mysteries and all:thumb: