Reformatting hd w/o OS

[killians45]

usually, it doesn't write just '0's during the sweep, but alternating patterns. Computer forensics can use ultra sensitive equipment to find slight fluctuations on the HDD to determine the previous state of the bit. For example, write a '0' to a '1' and it will still contain a small ghost of a charge. With the right equipment you can pickup what has been erased. Even written over material can sometimes be recovered. Sometimes by the same procedure, or sometimes through HDD data gaps where memory is sometimes dumped. Writing serveral passes of 1's then 0's will help ensure that its unrecoverable, and even then SOME of it maybe recoverabe if the price is right (talking thousands upon thousands of dollars for a small recovery amount, AND not guaranteed). At most I would say it would be fragments of info, but if they pick up the right image from those fragments... well...

 

[Pilotwings119]

okay.. but do you really think little ole Ethel from ebay (where im selling it) is going to be in the CIA and disect every little part to see what lies deep inside my 10gig hard drive?? If I was an Al Quida, i might be a little more worried, but this is just a buncha crap on this hd!

 

[Alex81388]

Well first of all, I thought the magic number was 8, but I could easily be mistaken. And if the guy on ebay is buying it to search for data, it would be a waste of the very expensive equiptment he has to try to find something useful off your HD.

You'll be fine, don't worry about it.

 

[uzi9mm]

My cousin is going to college for computer data recovery and forensics. They use programs and other apps that are available to the average prosumer and widely available on P2P programs. Just for FYI

DONT EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE BAD GUYS!!!