Hard drive - wipe

**kuby** · 10-26-2010

Had my first customer that wants the hard drive out of the copier they leased. Their IT guy says there is information that someone could get with the right software. I told him that the drive has already been wiped, reformated, partition deleted, reformated, partition deleted and put in the machine and reformatted and system software reloaded. So there is nothing that can be gotten off the drive. He says he can still get the information off. I don't think he can, but I wanted your information on this. I know all about the TV show that show them getting information off, that is why we delete the partition and go through the steps we take and then reload everything. Am I wrong in thinking he can get information long gone after what we did?

Thanks

**Hemlock** · 10-26-2010

If you wanna be a pedantic about it (and have the time to spare) why not offer him the drive and ask him to show you what's still there?

**nick55** · 10-26-2010

I've heard about it. Even all data were erased/deleted, still can be recovered w/ the right tool and probably the only recovery source that could do it is the fbi..the surest way to keep ur confidential file is to install a new hard drive and smashed ur old one.....just a thought...

**Jules Winfield** · 10-26-2010

The guy would have to have access to same kind of forensic recovery software that the FBI uses in order to recover the original data off of that hard drive. And then I still doubt it would be possible. Download the UBC4WIN utility suite, create the bootable CD and run the hard drive wiping software from the CD. One or two passes with that should satisfy the guy unless he's just being a total douchebag (which is probably the case).

**kuby** · 10-26-2010

Hey he is a IT guy, what do you think?

Think $ 350.00 for the hard drive is fair. Since all lease machine must be returned in working condition. I have to get another drive and reload everything.

Thanks

**Hemlock** · 10-26-2010

After you pull the drive and give it to him, tell him you had to ghost it to keep the machine running. Enjoy watching his head asplode.

**costd** · 10-26-2010

From my past life when I worked with "Buck Rodgers" stuff attached to No Such Agency - If you have access to the right equipment (and the knowledge/desire to do it) yes, most of the data could still be recovered HOWEVER it is not something your "typical" hacker could do. That is why the govt always physically destroys hard drives (floppies, tapes, and anything that records using magnetism). So technically he is correct though I doubt he knows why.

What we do is if they insist on having the HDD, we give it to them and then charge them for a replacement drive and the tech time to reload the system software.

A "ghost" of a HDD that has been cleared first, as you have done, will not contain the residual data.

**JustManuals** · 10-26-2010

You don't need the FBI to recover a reformatted HD. There are tools around to do it very easily.

Paul@justmanuals.com

**SCREWTAPE** · 10-26-2010

You get those tools online.

Replace the drive. This would be the best way to assure the client that confidential and other sensitive information on the drive is in there hands to do what they want to do with it.

Charge them for labor and for the HDD.