Old hard drives yield data bonanza

User Comments: 15

1. January 15, 2003 7:57 PM
   ---agissi--- said:
   Man - Intresting story! So did they like Undelete or was the data just left on the HDs? How could you do a [i]true[/i] [b]100%[/b] format on a harddriver if windows cant?
   Reply
2. January 15, 2003 8:16 PM
   poertner_1274 said:
   The only true way to do it is to write and rewrite over and over multiple times until you feel it is gone. I'd say it would take about 6 or 7 times if not more.....Even then I'm sure there is still a way to get it back.
   Reply
3. January 15, 2003 9:52 PM
   Vehementi said:
   Heh I could go for that...Nice article!
   Reply
4. January 15, 2003 11:20 PM
   StormBringer said:
   I read somewhere that the UK government only considers data completely gone when the drive has been destroyed. This was explained in further detail as the platters being ground into a powder and sealed in containers for more than 7 years. This is to ensure that the particles have become demagnetized. According to the same article, the US Gov. uses a method of writing and rewriting data 7 times. Norton's Wipe Info supposedly uses the same process as that of the US Gov, thou I think if I really wanted to make sure the data was gone, I'd be more likely to use something closer to the UK method of destroying data.
   Reply
5. January 16, 2003 2:19 AM
   young&wild said:
   [quote][i]Originally posted by ---agissi--- [/i][b]Man - Intresting story! So did they like Undelete or was the data just left on the HDs? How could you do a [i]true[/i] [b]100%[/b] format on a harddriver if windows cant? [/b][/quote] There's a program called "killdisk" which claims to be able to permanently delete every files in your hard disk. [url]http://www.killdisk.com/[/url]
   Reply
6. January 16, 2003 2:25 AM
   TS | Julio said:
   I always thought a low level format was good enough for destroying data, at least for a newbie to recover, not meant for critical national security data, of course ;)
   Reply
7. January 16, 2003 5:38 AM
   Per Hansson said:
   Well, a hammer is both quick cheap and fun:D
   Reply
8. January 16, 2003 5:54 AM
   Phantasm66 said:
   if you wanna destroy data on a disk, the linux commanddd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hdawhere hda is primary master, hdc secondary master, etc... would go some of the way.modern hard drives have no bad sectors because they are mapped out. but just because a sector has been mapped bad to write to does not mean its bad to read. so you still have some risk there.however, writing with zeros would probably give a computer forensic detective serious problems getting anything back that was worth a damn.BUT! how many people do that? How many people even would do quick format? people are ****** and this story illustrates that perfectly.
   Reply
9. January 16, 2003 1:08 PM
   Vehementi said:
   [quote][i]Originally posted by Per Hansson [/i][b]Well, a hammer is both quick cheap and fun:D [/b][/quote] Or for our French friends, a trip to the Eiffel Tower can hit two birds with one stone...:D
   Reply
10. January 18, 2003 11:01 AM
    Bob B said:
    So if I understood this correctly, someone bought some old hard drives and found episodes of Bonanza? I must be missing something...
    Reply
11. January 18, 2003 11:11 AM
    Bob B said:
    [quote]as the platters being ground into a powder and sealed in containers for more than 7 years[/quote]Now wait a minute here. Ground into a powder sure, but after that is it really necessary to seal it in a container for 7 years? That is ridiculous, must be an urban myth. I mean as if someone is going to be able to read data from a pile of dust. If they are that paranoid why take the powder up in a plane and sprinkle it over the Pacific ocean. Sheesh...
    Reply
12. January 18, 2003 12:57 PM
    iss said:
    Maybe they are just playing it safe. and be extra careful till the 7 year statute of limitations runs out on certain felonies. :haha:
    Reply
13. January 18, 2003 2:36 PM
    SNGX1275 said:
    Or instead of grinding it into a powder and storing it it might be cheaper just to melt it down, stir it up a bit, and then recycle it or throw it in the nearest landfill.
    Reply
14. January 18, 2003 2:56 PM
    Vehementi said:
    How about playing baseball with it?Or how about taking a trip to your nearest volcano?This has turned from "Old hard drives yield data bonanza" to "name your favorite way to destroy a hard drive."
    Reply
15. January 18, 2003 3:17 PM
    Unregistered 2 said:
    Personally I would just use a transporter to beam it into space...
    Reply

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