Edited by Scorpion999 since situation is now solved
thanks for any help
Yes, it is solved, and you are banned.
Do not come onto this forum, get lots of advice, and think that you can then delete the posts.
Edited by nihil :)
Edited by Scorpion999 since situation is now solved
thanks for any help
Yes, it is solved, and you are banned.
Do not come onto this forum, get lots of advice, and think that you can then delete the posts.
Edited by nihil :)
Um just relax dude...
Hola! Scorpion999, and welcome to AO.
You seem to have three questions:
1. How to deal with telemarketing spam?
2. How to securely and totally erase a hard drive?
3. How to securely erase a file and/or folder?
Firstly, let me say that I do not think that you are being "spied on" in the true sense of "spy".
Secondly, you cannot "low level format" a modern hard drive. That can only be done at the factory when it is made.
I will deal with the telephone issue first:
1. You are currently on a telemarketing list or lists. This has nothing to do with the current state of your computer equipment, and this information could have been obtained from a number of places other than your computers.
I do not know the laws and telephone services in your country, but in the UK there is a system where you submit your number to an organisation that holds lists of people who do not accept unsolicited marketing calls. It is illegal to make an unsolicited telemarketing call to such a number. It is the duty of the telemarketer to check this, and even if they are in a foreign country, the people who hire them to sell whatever it is will be in your country where the law can get to them.:lildevil:
[A] You might ask your telephone company about this blocking in your country?
[B] The simplest solution is to ask your telephone company to give you a new number and that it be unlisted (ex-directory).
Yes, I believe that is what is happening. Obviously, if they falsify the number you cannot block them, unless they use the same false number again.Quote:
or they do like mass-spammers do make fake numbers comes up , in other words the number i recive the call from has nothing to do with the calls.
That is amazing!.................. it is very, very, efficient!Quote:
They must be listening to the phone because once i tried to call a local-phone book company to see if my phonenumber was in it
i didnt reach them (Closed for the day) but 1 Hour later I was shocked
to find the same Local-phoone book in my postbox (this company dont operate in my city so i never get this phone book here i was shocked)
You call enquiries and it is closed. The automated system looks up your number and finds your address. It sends a message to a local distribution centre. A man on a motorcycle delivers the directory.
I am very impressed with that service!
That is a very common tactic. Name 5 friends who might be interested and you get a discount, or a free camera or something. If you are in the telephone book, you might not even know who did it ;)Quote:
Once i got call from someone wanthing to invite me to a Carpet show when asking where he got my number from he said from 5 Friends
I will post again about your other two questions :)
Hola! Scorpion999,
To return to your other questions:
Darik's Boot & Nuke (Dban) is a very good wiping tool. I would recommend it for total disk wipes.
Personally I use "Disk Wipe" by "roadkil" (it is free :))
http://www.roadkil.net/downloads.html
Also get "Undelete" and "Unstoppable Copier" whilst you are there. Undelete will let you check deletion success, and Unstoppable Copier is very good for data recovery from defective hard drives.
As an ongoing tool, I use "Eraser" by Sami Tolvanen. It gives you a right click menu option for erasing individual files, groups of files and folders. It also wipes whole drives/partitions and allows the wiping of "free space" as an ongoing maintenance exercise.
You can get it here:
http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/
It now supports Vista, so I guess it is my top recommendation for a multifunction wiping tool.
It is free under the GNU Public Licence :D
As a general word of advice, three passes should be adequate for security purposes.
When I am just making sure that a hard drive is "clean" for a new installation, I only use one pass.
Please be sure to back up whatever it is you have on that 20Gb drive....... it is getting rather old.
:)
Edited by Scorpion999 since situation is now solved
thanks for any help
If i use Dban is it best to use the Gutmann technique (37 passes) or is the DOD 5220.22-M method (7 pases) good enough?
I heard Gutmann sometimes can fail saying not enough memory whys that
will i have some problems on my 1024MB memory notebook?
should i maybe try DOD 5220 first and then Gutmann ?
or just jump right to gutmann?
I know Gutmann probaly is way to extreme (unless we talk about F/-Bi or such) but it would make me feel terrible secure.
As i understand it most people Recomend Dban now
so i guess is better than Killdisk?
anyway instruction how to easy use Dban
Hola! Scorpion999, como esta usted?
I would just get "Eraser" and run it over freespace, then defragment your drive. Pretty standard housekeeping as I see things?............ not "I have something to hide....wipe the lot"............... sometimes the tools cause the questions? ;)
My advice is to get the "Eraser" software and erase the freespace. Then defragment and forget about it. You do not have the films, so there is no evidence.
Any that there is; exists in your ISP log files:cool:
Why do you talk in spanish :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by nihil
About the ISP log probaly but we talking about p2p softwares
As for eraser i am more thinking if i should use Dban
How do you Nihil isn't in with the one's spying on you? ;-)
how about you change your phone number if your that concerned about it. Problem solved. I mean if 'they' dont even have your address (you seem to think thats the point of the offers), then chances are they won't be able to find a new phone number.
Why didn't they just tell you that you've won some contest and needed your addy to ship some free stuff to you, that would probably be an easier pitch then selling stuff...
all seems fishy to me, but better safe then sorry in these days, change your number.
I already though about that i will move to new adress and change phone number shortly ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by cross
Now i just need to Wipe the PC so i am totaly sure.
:drink: :drink: hmmm yea right :pQuote:
Originally Posted by isildur
Now the neighbour under is using this strange machine again
it sound like 2 fast Beep like a phone but very fast and is very high
it happened once every 2 minuts or so.
I know i can be paranoid sometimes but i never heard this thing
It annoy me a lot High beep-beep could it be Satelite phone ?
But no wonder i want to feel safer
DBAN should be find with the 7 passes. Thats what I use when I'm erasing hard drives that our company wants to get rid of. I've tried the 35 wipes... but it takes FOREVER on larger hard drives.
You are probaly right in the DBAN faq it says:Quote:
Originally Posted by phishphreek
"Q: Is the Gutmann method the best method?
A: No.
Most of the passes in the Gutmann wipe are designed to flip the bits in MFM/RLL encoded disks, which is an encoding that modern hard disks do not use."
So ok i will try the 7 wipes thing as long as you cannot do 10 Wipes without doing Gutmann can you?
SOME QUESTIONS, since i decided to give DBAN a try:
1. Is it better to FORMAT the PC (using Xp cd) Before using DBAN
or do i have to use DBAN first so it work propertly and then format ?
2. on the Laptop I probaly have 2 partitions the Windows one and the Recover partition One from the Factory. Is it safe to remove both Since i can use the Factory recover CD, or will i have lot of problems if i remove the recovery Partition, keep in mind i want all traces removed that why i though of removing both partitions is that ok?
3. the other 7 year old pc is one that i made the shop build
i have the Sound,graphic card drivers etc... on cd
so is it safe to remove all partitions (if there is more than one) ?
4. Do Nuking a Hardrive remove the Bios (i guess not) if it does how do i install bios again then, i doubt i have a bios installer cd?
5. After the Nuking is Done do i place the Windows CD installation or the Factory-drive Restoration CD first in the PC (i have both) ?
6. If i have a powerfailure during the Nuke with dban
what will happen, do i just restart the Nuking or do i have to install the Windows again before nuking it again, or can i harm my hardrive if a power-failure happen?
i mean is not as dangerous as flashing a Bios right?
7. And again i heard is not good use formating tool except the ones from Microsoft or the Hardrive provider, will I still be safe with DBAN?
The HARDRIVE on the laptop i want to nuke with DBAN is
FUJITSU mhu2100AT (pm)
Hope someone can answer this so i can start my nuking
SOME QUESTIONS, since i decided to give DBAN a try:
Nope, just boot the the DBAN cd and nuke away! You'll have to run a format from the install cd when you go to reinstall.Quote:
1. Is it better to FORMAT the PC (using Xp cd) Before using DBAN
or do i have to use DBAN first so it work propertly and then format ?
I normally wipe everything... because I'm sure that my install media is good. Are you confident that your recovery media includes everything? Probably since if you loose your HD, you can't recover that data anyway. I'd think that you're ok to wipe it all provided you have the OS disk and at least network drivers to get online to get updated drivers for the rest of your devices.Quote:
2. on the Laptop I probaly have 2 partitions the Windows one and the Recover partition One from the Factory. Is it safe to remove both Since i can use the Factory recover CD, or will i have lot of problems if i remove the recovery Partition, keep in mind i want all traces removed that why i though of removing both partitions is that ok?
As long as you have the operating system, and device drivers... sure. I don't even need to tell you to backup the data you want to keep to some external media (flash, cdr, dvdr, etc.) ;)Quote:
3. the other 7 year old pc is one that i made the shop build
i have the Sound,graphic card drivers etc... on cd
so is it safe to remove all partitions (if there is more than one) ?
The BIOS is typically installed on flash built onboard of the motherboard. I think that Compaq used to try to cheap out and put the BIOS on the HD? But, I don't think anyone is *that* cheep in this day and age where flash is so damn cheap for what a BIOS requires.Quote:
4. Do Nuking a Hardrive remove the Bios (i guess not) if it does how do i install bios again then, i doubt i have a bios installer cd?
I normally just use the OS cd... because I don't want all the other bundled crap that comes with their recovery CD. When it comes time to load the drivers, there is normally a separate CD for that, or you can include the recovery CD as a place for windows to include in it's search for drivers.Quote:
5. After the Nuking is Done do i place the Windows CD installation or the Factory-drive Restoration CD first in the PC (i have both) ?
Nope, just reboot and start DBAN again. DBAN is a bootable CD and you can boot and wipe as much as you want. :)Quote:
6. If i have a powerfailure during the Nuke with dban
what will happen, do i just restart the Nuking or do i have to install the Windows again before nuking it again, or can i harm my hardrive if a power-failure happen? i mean is not as dangerous as flashing a Bios right?
All a format really does is prepare a partition it for a certain file system. I've used many 3rd party tools (mostly open source to resize partitions) to create partitions and format it for certain filesystems. Though, why do more work than you need to? It's really quite simple to just boot to the OS install media and Windows will require you to create a partition and format it in order to run the install.Quote:
7. And again i heard is not good use formating tool except the ones from Microsoft or the Hardrive provider, will I still be safe with DBAN?
You should be safe with DBAN. I've nuked countless hard drives and I've always been able to reinstall onto them. We like to recycle our hardware at work. If it's not good for one application any longer, too bad. We'll nuke the HD (sometimes remove it completely depending on what was on it) and either donate the hardware or reuse it in a less secure environment.
He has a smoke alarm that needs its battery replacing :D ..... that is the warning they give you.Quote:
Now the neighbour under is using this strange machine again
it sound like 2 fast Beep like a phone but very fast and is very high
it happened once every 2 minuts or so.
Espanol?................ I have a friend in Seville who uses the expression "stationary PC" ................ I guess it is the way it translates? ;) We say "desk top PC". Also we don't have "high velocity internet", we have "broadband":D
7 passes is more than adequate. You would need more than the police after you, to recover that, even if they could, which I doubt. People like the RIAA have no legal right to destructively test your equipment, which is what it would take, so you need not worry. They only have civil law to rely on.
phishphreek thanks for the help
I guess that if i want to do 14 passes (but not guttmans)
i can just run the 7 passes twice right?
and i even more secure (Altrhough thats is probaly unnesesary and it depend on how fast the 7 past goes ) ?
Nop, there is no smoke alarm in this part of europeQuote:
Originally Posted by nihil
BUT, it may be he have got a smoke alarm from Ebay then build the
warning thing into something else.
Nonsense!
There is no part of Europe where you cannot obtain a smoke alarm. Even Albania manufactures them locally, and imports them.
In more developed parts (EU) you can even get them free (complete with free installation and fire risk survey):
http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.php...y&F=1&id=11849
Property insurers supply them without even being asked............and will send you one if you ask for an insurance quotation................. They are getting like AOL CDs used to be :D
What "part of Europe" is that...... I do not believe you. Name me any part of Europe where you cannot get a smoke alarm, and I will give you the details of a supplier.Quote:
Nop, there is no smoke alarm in this part of europe
Or maybe he just installed it as a smoke alarm and the battery is failing as the weather is turning cooler? Battery operated clocks suffer the same problem.Quote:
BUT, it may be he have got a smoke alarm from Ebay then build the warning thing into something else.
scorpion999, just sit back and think about what you are saying:
1. I live in a country where I can get a computer.
2. I live in a country where I have an internet connection adequate to download movies.
3. People are using sophisticated methods to spy on me.
4. I have a telephone, and the economy of my country is adequate to attract telemarketeers, who use advanced telephone blocking circumvention technology.
5. We don't have smoke alarms. :rofl:
Do you have psychiatric hospitals? because I think that you are seriously in need of professional help, and I don't mean in the IT security sector.
On the other hand, you might start telling us the truth? I have found that to be a good start when asking people to help you.;)
I meant that is not obligatory to have itQuote:
Originally Posted by nihil
meaning very few have it, but yes it could be a smoke alarm
maybe he is smoking Pipe right under the smoke alarm.
But 9 out of 10 people dont have smoke alarm here
The rest of your comment i ignore since thinking about that will only hurt and no possitive discusion will come from that.
I AgreeQuote:
Originally Posted by nihil
Hmmmm,
Have you considered that he/she might come from another EU country, where these things are common? They would bring them with them?
It might be a CO alarm (carbon monoxide)...... do you use gas heating, cooking and the like? They are more expensive, but may make a slightly different sound.
Let us look at the logical, perhaps?.............. if this is a spying device, why is it making a noise to alert you?................... It seems more probable that the occupant has a device that needs a new battery, or needs some sort of recalibration?................ intruder alarms also do that.
I still await evidence that you are personally a target :eek:
Back to Subject:
PC is now Dbanned and now I just need to Install Windows again
But should i create 1 or 2 partitions
i think i remember my Notebook (HP) had 2 partitions
one big for windows and a smale one for was it "recovery-something"
I can try to call HP and find out but if anyone having a notebook know
please enlighten me
I get about 95GB to create for the partitions
and i probaly want most of it to windows
thats it if not all (if i create one partitions)
Maybe i need to do it the factory way
but i dont remember
This is my first format but i am fine i guess since i have the Xp CD licence
If it's an HP use the recovery cd that came with it. That should install everything like it was (including that recovery partition).
It can be anything he is creating/mounting the stuff selfQuote:
Originally Posted by nihil
Before he installed the beep-beep machine
he used this stuff (whatever it is either for stealing wifi or spying)
http://i10.tinypic.com/6fjlpj7.jpg
he then pulled it up to me:
http://i7.tinypic.com/61mj4e9.jpg
He then stay there for like half an hour holding it up to me:
http://i9.tinypic.com/505x3ti.jpg
until he decide to put it like this:
http://i18.tinypic.com/661rfyv.jpg
Everytime i switched my computer on he had this thing out
Close up can be seen here:
http://i17.tinypic.com/4xx0f2d.jpg
With this and all those phonecalls it realy freaks me out
But watching those photo the other beep machine can be just anything
if he create/mod it himself.
Now please dont tell me i am the Spy , i just found it strange
except of this i never watch what my neighbours are doing
Thats an good idea i will tryQuote:
Originally Posted by SirDice
thing is if that would work since i nuked the drive now
i will try it out later today.
Ok the HP recovery DVD Says this
"Application and Driver Recovery DVD"
Contains software and drivers already installed for software reinstallation and repair only.
So will it work on a nuked Drive?
Hmmmmm,
Is your connection wireless? that (in the pictures) is D-link wireless kit, maybe he is just trying to find a connection? Legitimately, or otherwise?
These "beeps"................ do you hear them in normal circumstances, or is it only through your PC? You did not specify, so I assumed that you were talking about normally audible sounds.
If he were spying on you, don't you think he is being rather obvious?
Incidentally, that device is omnidirectional............. for targetted spying you would tend to use a directional device, even the "Pringle can" :D
EDIT:Yes, it should do. Your drive is now effectively a new/replacement one, just as if the old one had crashed on you and you had to replace it.Quote:
So will it work on a nuked Drive?
It could be kismet he's running on his computer. That makes quite a few beeps if you don't mute it. Kismet is used for finding and breaking into wireless networks.
If you're using a wireless router or network, be sure to secure it with WPA2 and use a long/random preshared key. Or, if your laptop is turned on and has wifi, be sure that you have not set your wireless card to ad-hoc.
Hey phish~, you know a lot more about this than I do, but if you wanted to hook up to your upstairs neighbour's connection, would you need to hang your antenna out the window?
From Scorpion999's photographs, it looks like his neighbour is wardriving, but I would have thought he would get a better connection to Scorp~ from inside his appartment?
I don't know how the properties are constructed, I would look more to drilling into the undefloor cavity, than hanging something out the window?
Personally, I only trust hard wired connections......................
There is nothing on your computer that you need to erase.
I have personally checked all your stuff, and you are perfectly safe.
:cool:
The beep is not through the pc is a high pitch so i hear it comes from downstairs, sounds like someone pressing a phone just very fast two timesQuote:
Originally Posted by nihil
then there is 2 minuts break and it resume.
so like 2 beeps every 2 minuts
I was afraid of something like thatQuote:
Originally Posted by phishphreek
so i taken security measure and dont use wifi at all for the moment
Ok after the Nuke when i Booted the pc i expected to get
"No operative system found"
But instead i got this flashing repeately:
Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build 082)
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel corporation
For Realtek RTL8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Ethernet controller v.213 (0200326)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-MOF: Exiting PXE ROM.
_
Then i ran the Windows XP CD but aborted it to decide how to proceed
Now upon booting i only get
a flashing: _
So today i put in the Recovery CD from HP
but it wont autostart so i guess it will only work if there is a recovery partition on the Drive which is obviously nuked.
So then how to proceed?
Should i install the XP first and then put in the recovery cd?
but then what about the recovery partitions
or do i have to reserve a recovery partitions manually before Xp install?
In other words the XP cd autostart the Recovery CD not
what to do?
Rerun the xp setup cd and follow the prompts to install the OS.
The Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build 082) is the BIOS trying to boot from the network. It's last option and that is normally used in corporations to run remote install.
Ok so i Will run the XP installation cd againQuote:
Originally Posted by phishphreek
do i only create One big partition then?
i have no need of more partition except if HP need a smale one for recovery that i dont know ?
In other words i should not worry about that part since i dont have inner network.Quote:
Originally Posted by phishphreek
and i will not conect the pc to internet just yet.
You can create just one partition to fill the whole drive. You don't need the recovery partition. Then, load the drivers that windows doesn't recognize. (from the recovery cd or download them if you have network) Then install all service packs and patches. Get it 100% updated. Then install all your programs and make sure you have all their updates too. If you're installing m$ office, be sure to visit windows update again for those service packs and updates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phishphreek
Thanks, Ok i will create just one Big partition
but should i substract a amount for freespace partition I see factories do this.
Say i have 95GB then i do 95GB- 204 Mb (for example)
I dont care substracting 204Mb as long as it not show up as another drive.
As for Windows update I have SP2 so i should download absolute ALL updates after SP2 or are there anyone i should Ignore (probaly the Drivers updates) ?
I guess SP3 is not out yet so i have to install the updates one by one right?
No, use the maximum allowed. It will set that as the default. Yes, download ALL updates, including drivers and optional if you need those components.
Ok the hardisk said i had 95394 MB to partition
but when trying to partition it only allowed 95386 MB (odd)
so i removed the partition from the installation
and now when creating a new it wanted to Format the partition.
Ok so i am doing that now formating (not quick) the new partition.
before the installation
It is good atleast to learn how to format myself
because before i always made the shop do that and now i can safe money
and i guess that even if I format the partition again this will not undo the Dban nuke so i dont have to nuke it again