Windows XP starting to fail

[Archonsod]

Untrue. You do know that for the best techs, some data is recoverable even from a reformat?

Reformatting simply removes the pointers in the FAT  to the info rather than actually deleting it (assuming you just use Window's inbuilt format anyway). Hence all you need to do to reconstruct the data is actually look at the disk sectors to see what's there rather than asking the FAT. If you really want to get rid of the evidence, then you need something to overwrite those sectors too.

no ****

reformatting removes all info like who didnt know that

so lets reformat & reinstall Windows each week

why reformat just do checkdisk
in MS-DOS chkdsk /r

does the same thing as reformatting

You, evidently

 

[leprechaun]

Untrue. You do know that for the best techs, some data is recoverable even from a reformat?

Reformatting simply removes the pointers in the FAT  to the info rather than actually deleting it (assuming you just use Window's inbuilt format anyway). Hence all you need to do to reconstruct the data is actually look at the disk sectors to see what's there rather than asking the FAT. If you really want to get rid of the evidence, then you need something to overwrite those sectors too.

Bingo!

 

[Worbah]

If you really want to get rid of the evidence, then you need something to overwrite those sectors too.

or hit it with a hammer repeatedly. Did this a couple of times when I worked in the glamorous world of computer repairs.

 

[leprechaun]

To be fair, just breathing all over the actual disc inside the drive is often enough to nuke it. Hell, I heard that just exposing it to air might be enough, but I couldn't say for sure if that's true.

 

[Cirdan]

Id still introduce it to te Thermite reaction. You can never be safe enough.

 

[Archonsod]

Hitting it with a hammer works only in that it destroys the drive. Unless you break the actual disk itself it can still be read. Simplest way to wipe it is to introduce it to a magnet.

 

[Worbah]

Hitting it with a hammer works only in that it destroys the drive. Unless you break the actual disk itself it can still be read. Simplest way to wipe it is to introduce it to a magnet.

You'd question the fervor of a rage-filled twenty year old computer-fixer with months of sexual frustration?

 

[leprechaun]

You'd question the fervor of a rage-filled twenty year old computer-fixer with months of sexual frustration?

Welcome back.

 

[Cymro]

Hitting it with a hammer works only in that it destroys the drive. Unless you break the actual disk itself it can still be read. Simplest way to wipe it is to introduce it to a magnet.

I've seen HDDs (I've seen them with my eyes ) live even after being stroked multiple times by a strong magnet. Our favrouite method of disposal is to flame the disk with a blowtorch, but with any disks worth saving (80GB plus, for RAID arrays mostly) , we zero-byte fill then format the HDDs. Can you* still get data back from that?


*Note, by “you” I mean anyone who isn't Archonsod

 

[Archonsod]

I've seen HDDs (I've seen them with my eyes ) live even after being stroked multiple times by a strong magnet.

Yeah, you need an electromagnet to do it. Also helps if you know just where to apply it.

 

[Rabid Potatoe]

I'm in favour of any method involving fire.

 

[Worbah]

I'm in favour of any method involving fire.

Actually we did set one to fire. After hammering of course.

 

[David Derde]

To be fair, just breathing all over the actual disc inside the drive is often enough to nuke it. Hell, I heard that just exposing it to air might be enough, but I couldn't say for sure if that's true.

Stroke a ***** then touch the disk. Instant wipe.
Trust me. I did it once while I had my computer
opened up to install some new RAM, turned it on
and found I had to re-install Windows. A bugger.

 

[leprechaun]

I'd imagine that would be the buildup of static electricity.

But why was the disc itself open, you don't need to crack the hard drive open to swap out your RAM.

 

[David Derde]

I got distracted, and figured
I'd have a poke around while I was in there.
I'm weak. I'm only human.

 

[Archonsod]

Stroke a ***** then touch the disk. Instant wipe.
Trust me. I did it once while I had my computer
opened up to install some new RAM, turned it on
and found I had to re-install Windows. A bugger.

You sure it wasn't Windows having a disagreement with the RAM? Disks shouldn't be affected by static.

 

[bugman]

To be fair, just breathing all over the actual disc inside the drive is often enough to nuke it. Hell, I heard that just exposing it to air might be enough, but I couldn't say for sure if that's true.

Stroke a ***** then touch the disk. Instant wipe.
Trust me. I did it once while I had my computer
opened up to install some new RAM, turned it on
and found I had to re-install Windows. A bugger.

Cats are a *****.

 

[David Derde]

Once I'd installed Windows, it worked fine, but all my files had gone.