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Thread: secure HDD erase

  1. #1

    secure HDD erase

    hi
    Is it possible to recover files in a HDD that is erased more than 7 times , say using erasing tools
    such as Active@Eraser?
    thanks

  2. #2
    sorry i am not referring to state of the art machine technology that can recover HDD data .
    I meant just on normal good recovery software. thanks

  3. #3
    Frustrated Mad Scientist
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    If it has been erased properly (every sector overwritten completely) then no it's not possible using software that is available to mere mortals.

    This has been covered a few times. You might want to have a search about.

  4. #4
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    If you've used DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) then it's very likely that you won't be able to recover your lost data without the aid of a very expensive forensic lab. I could be wrong, of course. I just read about this product 10 minutes ago on some Dutch site and thought it might be useful to mention here.

  5. #5
    Leftie Linux Lover the_JinX's Avatar
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    Read about DBAN on NewsForge yesterday http://software.newsforge.com/softwa...tid=79&tid=132

    Seems like a propper tool..

    ghostmachine: Aspman is dead on with his answer..

    In these scenario's it's all about a cost-benefit relation..
    Someone might be able to recover the data, but the cost will be a lot higher then the benefit !
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    THE Bastard Sys***** dinowuff's Avatar
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    In these scenario's it's all about a cost-benefit relation..
    Someone might be able to recover the data, but the cost will be a lot higher then the benefit !
    Last time I had to recover a laptop HDD cost $2,500 Plus shipping to and from a data recovery center in California. All data was recovered and the cost was "Justified"

    btw the laptop was in a car the caught fire and was nothing more than a glob of melted plastic. I had to use a chisel to remove the drive.
    09:F9:11:02:9D:74:E3:5B8:41:56:C5:63:56:88:C0

  7. #7
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    Originally posted here by dinowuff
    Last time I had to recover a laptop HDD cost $2,500 Plus shipping to and from a data recovery center in California. All data was recovered and the cost was "Justified"

    btw the laptop was in a car the caught fire and was nothing more than a glob of melted plastic. I had to use a chisel to remove the drive.
    Chisel! LMAO, reminds me of that IBM Thinkpad commercial, where the guy wants to rip the hdd out of the computer with a butter knife!

    Seriously, what our friends at the NSA can do with data recovery is beyond my knowledge (or interest, even), but commercially available software is going to have very little that can help you, I'm afraid, if it's really a 7 pass wipe/overwrite.

    I'd contact one of these data recovery services, such as dinowuff mentions, and expect to take a serious hit in the budget.
    "Data is not necessarily information. Information does not necessarily lead to knowledge. And knowledge is not always sufficient to discover truth and breed wisdom." --Spaf
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  8. #8
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    I meant just on normal good recovery software. thanks
    The answer is NO as already suggested. Two factors to consider:

    1. Was the drive completely overwritten OUTSIDE of Windows?
    2. Was randomisation used in the overwriting?

    If a windows drive is overwritten from within windows then the page/swap file will still contain data.

    If random overwriting is not used, then the original data can be reconstructed.

    It all depends on what you mean by "normal good" software.

    Beyond standard file recovery techniques you are relying on two factors:

    1. Track overlay
    2. Magnetic remnance

    The first happens because the read/write heads are not totally accurate, and a little bit of the previous data is left at the edge of the track. This can be reconstructed.

    The second is because the media is magnetic and each character (0 or 1) has a different signature. So, 0 overwritten by 0 looks different from 0 overwritten by 1 etc. If I know what the overwriting sequence is, I can predict the final image. This is why a random overwrite, and random sequence, is important.

    Even your RAM can tell tales on you


  9. #9
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    hmm.. now it is exist lot of toolCD sets and comes more.

    UBCD (dos/lin) have tools and description on tools on it's site (for most of them)
    BartPE (win) have plugins and desription on them and "UBCD for Windows" is based on BartPE

    Here is site with a lot of lin destributions that contains tools
    You can sort them by "TYPE" of CD's
    http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php

    //here is may be more then was asked for, but I thought that this can be also usefull
    // too far away outside of limit

  10. #10
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    MrBabis

    Given that data destruction and data recovery are so intertwined, I think that was a very helpful addition.

    Others will find the post and may find an answer to a differen problem?


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