DescentBB

Exibit #1


Seriously. After reading this, I'll Never buy pre-build. o_0

Even if you built the computer yourself if the hard drive failed you'd still have to take it back and make a warranty claim on it meaning there's every chance the same thing could happen.

Could happen to any hard drive, the lesson here is don't keep sensitive data on your hard drive period. Because 1: hard drives are not reliable, and 2: this same thing could happen to you.

when a HD dies on me, i chuck it.

I don't think I've ever had one die on me so soon that a warranty was still good.

Our tech guys at work hang the platters up around thier cubes.

Duper wrote:Our tech guys at work hang the platters up around thier cubes.

Effective method, but not good enough. If you have enough money and the right tools you can still get data off of those drives. The only way to be sure the data can not be recovered is to melt the thing down.

I physically bork them too, open them up for the magnets, and literally destroy the platters.

I usually send drives back formatted, but when the drives board electronics are gone you really cant.

Really good story. People don't believe me about how at big box stores you may be getting something recycled from someones return but this affirms it.

hehe.. I think the heavy duty magnets they use to hold them in place is enough to screw them up good. Not to mention scratch them adequately enough.

The real point here is:

1. Any hard disk that is replaced under warranty cannot be given back (because the servicer has to make a claim with his provider - Duh!) So try not to have sensitive data on it... Asking to have it back guarantees you'll have to pay money for it.

2. This could happen to ANYONE. Has nothing to do with \"prebuilt\". Has everything to do with honesty by the servicer or the servicer's company.

I never return a HDD if there was any form of sensitive data stored on it at a time -- I trash them myself even if they are under warranty. I rather loose $50 than have someone snooping around.

Krom wrote:the lesson here is don't keep sensitive data on your hard drive period.

Don't keep sensitive data on your hard drive UNENCRYPTED. TrueCrypt is high quality and free. It allows you to create encrypted drives on your computer that work just like normal drives. (you can drag and drop files into them, etc). BUT, all of the data is actually encrypted with modern high strength crypto algorithms (you can pick from several). No one can mount the drive without the passphrase. Probably not even the NSA. Keep all of your personal data in a truecrypt drive and you only have to worry about swap partition leftovers.

Richard Cranium wrote:The only way to be sure the data can not be recovered is to melt the thing down.

Absolutely true, but if you don't feel like taking a blowtorch to your drive, Eraser will make it unlikely that anyone other than a government agency would ever recover your data.

Eraser comes with "Darik's Boot and Nuke" utility now.

'Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot floppy that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.'

Kilarin wrote:

Richard Cranium wrote:The only way to be sure the data can not be recovered is to melt the thing down.

Absolutely true, but if you don't feel like taking a blowtorch to your drive, Eraser will make it unlikely that anyone other than a government agency would ever recover your data.

Eraser comes with "Darik's Boot and Nuke" utility now.

'Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot floppy that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.'

Only works if the HDD is still in a working condition..

If your HD breaks, put it close to a good strong magnet and move it around there for a while before returning it. That should take care of your data.

Grendel wrote:

Kilarin wrote:

Richard Cranium wrote:The only way to be sure the data can not be recovered is to melt the thing down.

Absolutely true, but if you don't feel like taking a blowtorch to your drive, Eraser will make it unlikely that anyone other than a government agency would ever recover your data.

Eraser comes with "Darik's Boot and Nuke" utility now.

'Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot floppy that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.'

Only works if the HDD is still in a working condition..

lol.. good point.

Grendel wrote:Only works if the HDD is still in a working condition..

VERY valid point.

Diedel wrote:If your HD breaks, put it close to a good strong magnet and move it around there for a while before returning it. That should take care of your data.

In theory, yes. But the question is, how strong should the magnet be in order to effectively destroy the data? Fridge magnet? Subwoofer magnet? Car pickup crane elektromagnet?

You still can't know for sure.

A Best Buy spokeswoman didn't dispute the details of Gerbus' story, but wouldn't answer questions about the incident.

Just like a little kid, they shut up when they know they messed up...

\"The allegations are very disturbing, as they are inconsistent with our standard procedures for disposing used hard drives,\" the company said in a statement said. \"The allegations, if true, would be intolerable. ... We are vigorously investigating.\"

You notice that that last blurb has 14 words with over 5 letters? That means thay're using big words to cover their ass...

Tricord wrote:

Diedel wrote:If your HD breaks, put it close to a good strong magnet and move it around there for a while before returning it. That should take care of your data.

In theory, yes. But the question is, how strong should the magnet be in order to effectively destroy the data? Fridge magnet? Subwoofer magnet? Car pickup crane elektromagnet?

You still can't know for sure.

Correct, you can stick the magnet off a 18" speaker to your hard drive, and then plug the drive in and boot off it with no problems. The shielding on the drives may not be hugely thick, but it is rather effective. Just any magnet you have sitting around on your fridge won't cut it no matter how long it is sitting on the drive, unless the magnet is strong enough to lift your fridge off the ground.

Krom wrote:

Tricord wrote:

Diedel wrote:If your HD breaks, put it close to a good strong magnet and move it around there for a while before returning it. That should take care of your data.

In theory, yes. But the question is, how strong should the magnet be in order to effectively destroy the data? Fridge magnet? Subwoofer magnet? Car pickup crane elektromagnet?

You still can't know for sure.

Correct, you can stick the magnet off a 18" speaker to your hard drive, and then plug the drive in and boot off it with no problems. The shielding on the drives may not be hugely thick, but it is rather effective. Just any magnet you have sitting around on your fridge won't cut it no matter how long it is sitting on the drive, unless the magnet is strong enough to lift your fridge off the ground.

And in that case, good luck getting it off your fridge.

BUT, if you had all of your sensitive data in an encrypted volume to begin with, then you don't have to worry NEAR as much about physically destroying the hard drive. Due to windows stupidity about swap files, its still a good idea, but you'll sleep easier if the data was encrypted.

it's simple, it's free. encrypt.

Returning Borked HDD? Grab rare earth magnet and rub it around on the outside of the HDD case: fo'shure there aint any usable data left on it after that.

Krom wrote:Correct, you can stick the magnet off a 18" speaker to your hard drive, and then plug the drive in and boot off it with no problems. The shielding on the drives may not be hugely thick, but it is rather effective. Just any magnet you have sitting around on your fridge won't cut it no matter how long it is sitting on the drive, unless the magnet is strong enough to lift your fridge off the ground.

That's because it's not the length of time you leave the magnet there that does the damage it's the change in magnetic flux brought about by bringing the external magnet into proximity of the drive. Once that stabilises no further damage will be done. Until of course you upset things again by moving the magnet out of the way. In other words, what you want to magnetically scramble a HDD isn't a hugely powerful fixed magnet but rather a moderately powerful electromagnet that you can pulse on and off.

LLF and DRILL, have a good day

Bubba has left the building.

Drills, magnets, low level formats, encryption...

Why go through all the trouble? Haven't any of you ever heard of fire? Burn it in a fire hot enough to melt it, there won't be a single bit left.