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Thread: Hard disk recovery tools

  1. #1
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    Hard disk recovery tools

    I have erased the hard disk using Dban (one round) as suggested by members.
    Pl. let me know the good recovery tools.

    This I am planning to use it in my organization for debonding different category of computing assets.

    Thanks all.

  2. #2
    maybe you can find it in here:

    http://www.stellarinfo.com/

  3. #3
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hi Anban,

    Am I correct in thinking that:

    1. You have used Dban to erase a hard drive?
    2. You want to use a recovery tool to audit (check) the erasure?

    You want to use it to erase data from assets you are going to dispose of, or use somewhere else?



    EDIT: Winhex is a good low level data recovery tool:

    http://www.x-ways.net/winhex/index-m.html

    Remember that you will see data on the drive as you have been overwriting. What you should be checking for is can any of the original data be recovered?

  4. #4
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    Thank you.
    I have few latptops and desktops which we planned to re-use and debond. Incase of debonding we will go with dban 7+ rounds or deguassing.

    Since dban takes lot of time, we would like to evaulate few commercial tools, at the same time I want to ensure that the erasing is beyond recovery.

    This is the reason I am looking for tools through which I can recover the hard disk.

    Thank you for suggesting Winhex I will try this right away.

  5. #5
    Computer Forensics
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    I've got to tell you that you are most likely wasting your time with trying to recover something after running an erase with something like dban(depending on the wipe). You will most likely be wiping to the point of erasure where software utilities can not recover information.

    Try the following: write a file to the disk, record it, then wipe, then search for it.

    That said:
    Winhex
    DTI Data recover it all
    recover my files
    Any of the major forensics packages
    foremost
    data lifter
    Antionline in a nutshell
    \"You\'re putting the fate of the world in the hands of a bunch of idiots I wouldn\'t trust with a potato gun\"

    Trust your Technolust

  6. #6
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hi hogfly

    I've got to tell you that you are most likely wasting your time with trying to recover something after running an erase with something like dban(depending on the wipe).
    I agree entirely, and think that is what anban wants to hear. In government/military/medical/financial environments they either destroy the stuff right out, or they require a proven secure deletion. I have worked in many environments where one guy deletes and another has to audit that deletion. Neither of you know who the other is, so you have to do it properly..............because there is a sample audit by the "cream donut guys" after.

    Once you have done your job you have to sign it off

    I think that anban is asking about deletion and audit tools? and is required to test their efficiency first.


  7. #7
    Computer Forensics
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    Nihil,
    hmm I thought he was just looking for audit tools..if I missed the request for wipe tools..my bad. Anyways, here's a few..



    Wiping tools:
    wipedrive pro
    dban
    shred
    wipe.exe -george garner
    gdisk -ghost(5220.22)
    <you name it 5220.22> software
    dd (/dev/zero,/dev/urandom,/dev/random)
    NTI DiskScrub



    Yes..wiping takes time. Honestly...deal with it. Dban takes time because of the wipe you've chosen..gutmann will take a loooong time. We set up wiping stations specifically for this purpose. Just a couple of old boxes with open connections for disks.
    Antionline in a nutshell
    \"You\'re putting the fate of the world in the hands of a bunch of idiots I wouldn\'t trust with a potato gun\"

    Trust your Technolust

  8. #8
    Senior Member
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    Another neat software tid-bit is MicroScope. It has a disk wipe utility that will pass over the drive as manytimes as needed (like the others). The manual states that it complies with all military and government standards for data removal.

    It is kind of expensive, but well worth it.
    It also lets you test the computer and comes with a card you plug in and troubleshoot the computers hardware.

    I have been using it for about 6 months. At first I didn't like it but it does have some good uses.

    Also the SystemRescueCD has some very nice tools for trying to recover and remove data.

    Everyone else pretty much covered the rest.
    Whats a \"START\" button?

  9. #9
    For a wipe tool in Windows, I have used sdelete from sysinternals http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/SDelete.html

    It does a reasonable job, better used for securely deleting individual files or folders rather then drives or volumes

    I have only used WinHex for a forensic type/analysis tool but found it good

  10. #10
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    I completly agree with nihil.
    As of now we dont have any tool to test the effectiveness of hard disk erasing we do.
    I am trying out Winhex, if there are some tools pl. let me know.

    Thank you all for sharing your ideas.

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