Re: Switch from New Mac

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

From: TJ (xboxREMOVETHISdruggie_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 11/05/04 

Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2004 11:34:57 -0500

On 11/5/04 9:50 AM, in article eIx0Qb0wEHA.3260@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl, "Chris
Inacio" <inacio+msnews@ece.cmu.edu> wrote:

> So I'm curious, will that just reset the system files, and clean the
> directory structure?
>
> Basically, what I'm asking, is that if I used some reasonably good
> recovery software, using that method of "cleaning" the hard drive, would
> it be recoverable? Or at least partially?
>
> There are Unix based programs that will "wipe" things, which is usually
> done by writing over the whole file with 1's, then writing it with 0's,
> and then writing it with 1's. (If you're really anal, like DoD types,
> you do that, then incinerate the hard drive!) IBM demonstrated, almost
> a decade ago now, I guess, that they could recover hard drive data after
> the drive had been in a really strong guassian magnetic field - but I
> doubt that anyone would go through that kind of effort from a machine on
> ebay.
>
> chris

That entire example gave me a good laugh!

My suggestion would be just to "Low-Level" format the HDD and re-install the
OS. If there is super duper ways for someone to recovering data even if a
drive has had sever magnetic field damage then no matter what you do should
completely stop someone from recovering it.

Hey you could buy a new HDD and plop it in there :)