Hard drive troubles-Need advice

M

Markbot

1
Here are the facts:
I was copying 7 GB of data from one PC to another through my home network. The receiving PC got an error message about not being able to write or save. So I rebooted.

The PC will not boot successfully into Windows XP Pro with the receiving hard drive connected.

I can boot into safe mode with it connected.

I can copy data from the hard drive to another hard drive in safe mode. So I can recover all my files.

I can not write to the disc in Safe Mode. Therefore I can not delete. I have not tried formatting it. Still have data to move.

I tried testing the HD with Norton DiskDoctor in safe mode but DD hangs every time.

It is a WD 120 GB w/ 8 MB cache ATA 100 7200 RPM drive. Full 120 GB NTFS partition.

It is still under warranty so it can be replaced (another replacement will be the 2nd replacement for 3 total).

The drive is connected to my RAID controller which is setup in a 0+1 or "non-RAID" mode. mobo=ASUS A7V333

The drive has a bunch of "sensitive" information on it that I do not want to send to Western Digital.

I need to be able to wipe or repair this drive or I can not send it in for replacement. I need a tool that either runs in safe mode or from boot up that can fix/wipe this drive. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
 
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M

Markbot

1
It is no longer part of this forum. The link to it takes you to the forum with a different IP address. I searched the WWW and it seems this maybe a Gateway hard drive tool? Is this one in the same?
 
ipdave

ipdave

1
If you haven't bought Partition Magic 8.0 yet, I think it is well worth the money. You can make a boot CD/Floppy to check partitions, copy data, wipe it out. Try using it to check for errors. After you get all your data off, you can delete and re-add the partitions (Primary and Extended). Or try using a WD util to wipe it. (Sometimes you can even use a Maxtor Maxblast to quick format other mfr's drives - then you can make new partitions, making the drive pretty much unreadable to others if you then install a fresh copy of an OS onto it...

Ontrack DataEraser is very secure on wiping NFTS, FAT, etc -- all from a boot floppy. Even supports SCSI RAID.
 
M

Markbot

1
You guys kick ass! I will try some of these and report back. First I shall try several beers to get geared up though. Cheers!
 
VIPER_1069

VIPER_1069

1
a good program to use for future large file transfers that i use also is "ADVANCED LAN PUMP " its freeware too :)

info :-

General information

Advanced LAN Pump is a powerful utility designed for unbreakable file copying on Local Area Network Microsoft Windows (LAN Download Manager). The program can copy files and folders and automatically tries to restore copying process after an error occurred. The program has user-friendly interface, "Quick Info" graphical window with alpha blend channel, support drag&drop files, provides flexible copying process management. It helps you to save your time, network traffic and to decrease stress.

Main features

Support unbreakable files and folders copying process.
Automatically restoring copying process after an error occurred.
Provide graphical "Quick Info" window with alpha blend channel (alpha blend available only on Windows 2000/XP).
Support drag&drop files and folders.
Provide flexible copying process management.
Display copying process detail information.
Ability to minimise to the system tray icon.
Multilingual support.
Saves list of copied files in special log file.
Ability to turn off computer or (and) start application when all downloads is finished.

:)

avail here www.advlanpump.by.ru

:)
 
S

scarecrow

1
There is no SECURE way to wipe your data off the disk other than the Gutmann method. Modern forensic tools are stirctly hardware based and can recover data erased by all other erasing standards.
 
M

Markbot

1
Well I'm not paranoid about WD trying to recover data of my hard drive once it’s formatted. I just don't want it to be blatantly present when I send it in for replacement. I don't think they have time to recover data on all their returned hard drives.
 
B

bionic

1
Another fine wiper is Acronis DriveCleanser (Also includes wiping with the Gutmann alg)
Some time ago i had probs with a Seagate barracuda disk, and seagates diagnostics prog would crash. What helped me out was a prog called hdd regenerator, wich fixes (supposedly;)) bad sectors.
http://www.dposoft.net/

:)
 
S

scarecrow

1
Yeah, I think that even a plain format would be nuff for WD.
Zoze: Unless something has changed, EVEN FBI cannot recover something useful out of a Gutmann standards erased area.
 
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VIPER_1069

VIPER_1069

1
for a REALLY TRUE WIPE OF A DRIVE is to erm PHYSICALLY DESTROY the drive ... so you take a big hammer and ........ well you get the idea only problem is now you have destroyed the drive completely :confused: lol and as this is not advice just a statement of fact! that technically there are always ways of finding data on a drive ..take the case of the 2 students that purchased 150 drives that were supposably wiped with such tool as above from E-BAY and successfully as part of a university project recovered over 5000 credit card numbers and details and various other private data and of course an infinate amount of erm PORN on drives that came from schools !? i would assume the schools had previously had the computers dontated !?:confused: :confused: at least thats what the article read ?! :)


So no data is truely safe from people with the specialist equipment to recover even the most wiped data :(
 
M

Markbot

1
Update: Well I have been slowly copying the data I need off the hard drive to another hard drive in safe mode. Last night I moved about 50 GB and that took 2-3 hours. I have just a little bit more to go before I really start trying the suggested utilities on the drive. I did try to test it with Fix-It utilities 4, but it reported that it couldn't access the drive. I tried renaming a folder on the drive and that locked the PC up. I booted to a Partition Magic 8 boot CD and it showed the entire drive partition to be yellow whatever that means. I couldn't do much in PM8 since I had a USB mouse and probably need to hook up the serial one to navigate.

Once all the copying is done, I'll move it off the RAID controller and have it be the only drive connnected and then get serious with some bootable utils.
 
L

LTR12101B

1
Now I've seen suggestions that the Gutman erase methods were actually geared to technologies such as MFM and RLL drives usin peak detect - and mostly aimed to minimize the leftovers that could be read using a more potent detection system.

Modern drives tend to use a PRML read channel, so the data is on the ragged edge under normal operation.

Some test programs offer a "destructive" multi-pattern test.

I would say one important stage in "secure deletetion" is NOT to leave the drive looking interesting - a drive full of boring data - and maybe some tempting passworded zips as a distraction, may attract less attention than one that has been severely erased.
 
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