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
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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
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
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.
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. ;)
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 !
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"Quote:
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 !
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!Quote:
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.
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.
The answer is NO as already suggested. Two factors to consider:Quote:
I meant just on normal good recovery software. thanks
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 :eek:
;)
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
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?
:)
thanks all for the replies.
ok now can i conclude that even if i erase the HDD more than 7 times, i can still recover some data by expensive techniques outside of software?
if that's the case, i might as well throw it into the incinerator ... :-)
( assuming i don't care about money factor and the HDD contains top secret data..example)
I don't recall the specifics, but there are certain US DOD requirements that include burning the platters with caustic substances (read: acid, torch, etc.) and physically marring the surfaces (read: hammer, grinder, sand-blaster etc.) I can't speak definitively about these, but I know there are requirements that include physical alteration of the media to render it harder to recover data.
Anyone have more details? Do we really need anymore?
Under UK MoD (our DoD) rules you have to crush, pulverise (as in reduce to powder) then incinerate media used for secret information.
The overwriting is OK for non-sensitive material.
Questions to ask:
1. How valuable are the data to a third party.
2. Are they aware of existence and location.
3. How current are the data (last week's football results are public knowledge.........with next week's you could make some serious money?)
If you are worried about hi tech recovery.........the Marianas Trench is a good repository........not sure if I could trust what lives at the bottom though?
:p :D :cool: