I think it was from a real data recovery company, talking about the DOD standards. Digging deep in my memory (ouch!) I think it is the residual charge in the bit can be available for a long time, so formatting does not change it completely, the overwriting it clears something and changes the charge in the bit, and doing it multiple times is more secure. It was all interesting but slightly over my head so I did not retain it all. Look at it like writing a number down on a piece of paper with a pencil. Only after you rub it out until you destroy the paper do you eliminate the number. If you rub it out normally you still have the imprint in the paper. Rub it out and write over it and it becomes harder to work out the original figure. Do this multiple times and you will not be able to see the original number. Obviously hard drives don't damage the platter when formatting so it will always carry the original charge for a lot of cycles, albeit reduced.
That was painful. I don't have to think that hard normally. Only an hour to go and then bliss. Tony. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Bryan Phinney > Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 4:49 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [newbie] tools for partitioning and formatting hard > drive(diatribe alert) > > > On Thursday 05 August 2004 11:36 am, Tony S. Sykes wrote: > > I can't remember where I read it, but the securest way to > wipe the data is > > to put random data in each bit, you need to do this > numerous time to get to > > each standard, one standard is 30 another 60 times (not > sure the correct > > amount of times). The reason you use random data is due to > the way the bit > > does not totally lose 0 or 1. This obviously takes a lot > longer than 30 to > > 60 formats. These tools no doubt give you these options, > but the securest > > way is to put magnetic iron filings on the drive, but that is not a > > definitive way, just a quick way. > > Which still begs the question. Who wrote that, and how do > they know? I mean, > have they actually tested it, do they have equipment > necessary to perform > advanced data recovery, etc? > > I actually think that the securest way to wipe data is to > drill open the hard > drive, grind the platters down to dust and then melt the > entire thing in a > blast furnace, but again, I haven't ever tested that method > against data > recovery methods, so I wouldn't want to say for sure. > > -- > Bryan Phinney > > > -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Business Computer Projects - Disclaimer -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- This message, and any associated attachment is confidential. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system, do not use or disclose the information in any way, and notify either the sender or [EMAIL PROTECTED] immediately. The contents of this message may contain personal views which are not necessarily the views of Business Computer Projects Ltd., unless specifically stated. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that emails and their attachments are virus free, it is the responsibility of the recipient(s) to verify the integrity of such emails. Business Computer Projects Ltd BCP House 151 Charles Street Stockport Cheshire SK1 3JY Tel: +44 (0)161 355-3000 Fax: +44 (0)161 355-3001 Web: http://www.bcpsoftware.com
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