| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
|
 Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:23 am Post subject: A question for computer people. |
 |
|
Just curious. I have always heard that your documents, browsing history, and downloads are never truly, 100% deleted from your computer. Supposedly, even with the history clearing and cleaning software available, the computer forensic guys could still recover most files.
The reason I ask is that last week my computer was infected with a virus so bad I had to have it reformatted, and because I had none of my files backed up, lost everything.
There was nothing I can't really live without, it's just a pain in the arse, that's all. But still, I am curious. Are my documents, spreadsheets, and torrents still floating around in my computer somewhere? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
its not quite like it is on CSI, but sometimes you can pull stuff off. No average joe commercial software is going to pull much back off that, but using some of the hardware and tools the police/fbi have they can recover some stuff, but not always complete things.
They might get half a document, or part of a picture or something like that.
basically it works like this:
Most of the stuff that is deleted just has the file header removed. The information is all still there but your computer thinks its gone. So its free to rewrite over that space. In the event you want to get something back or someone wants to try and recover files any file which hasn't been overwritten at all can sometimes be recovered. Problem is your computer generally overwrites part or all of the file pretty quick. If you formatted and reinstalled, chances are you've rewritten over most things that were on there.
Scrubbing your hard drive clean involves rewriting 1s and 0s over the harddrive several times to ensure any deleted files you don't want found aren't just sitting there. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 3:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| THANKS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| There's a program or two on www.downloads.com that will show you what's recoverable on your HDD. I forget the name. Do a search on File Recovery or Undelete -- you'll find it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| crossmr wrote: |
its not quite like it is on CSI, but sometimes you can pull stuff off. No average joe commercial software is going to pull much back off that, but using some of the hardware and tools the police/fbi have they can recover some stuff, but not always complete things.
They might get half a document, or part of a picture or something like that.
basically it works like this:
Most of the stuff that is deleted just has the file header removed. The information is all still there but your computer thinks its gone. So its free to rewrite over that space. In the event you want to get something back or someone wants to try and recover files any file which hasn't been overwritten at all can sometimes be recovered. Problem is your computer generally overwrites part or all of the file pretty quick. If you formatted and reinstalled, chances are you've rewritten over most things that were on there.
Scrubbing your hard drive clean involves rewriting 1s and 0s over the harddrive several times to ensure any deleted files you don't want found aren't just sitting there. |
One more question crossmr, and it's interesting because you and I were discussing bootlegs and copyright infringement on another post.
The local Korean computer guy who did my re-install for 30,000 won almost surely used a "counterfeit copy" of Windows XP. I didn't ask questions but that is what I was told by my Korean co-teacher.
When I try to update Windows it starts to update, and then it stops and sends a message, which though even in Korean I can tell says it detects the counterfeit and won't continue. It also tells me how I can get a free copy courtesy of them, but they want a lot of info from me that I don't know if I want to give. Also, I can't get powerpoint or Word to work, and a Korean friend says the message it gives also says something about not having an authentic OS.
Anyway around this short of buying an authentic new copy? This is an old computer that was given to me and is not really worth sinking much money into. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Anyway around this short of buying an authentic new copy? |
Sure. Find a good torrent website, download a better cracked version of XP, in English, (if you like 10 year-old software), then learn from google how to re-install windows yourself. It's actually pretty easy.
Then you won't be at the mercy of dodgy Korean computer guys and their dodgy Windows. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| eamo wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Anyway around this short of buying an authentic new copy? |
Sure. Find a good torrent website, download a better cracked version of XP, in English, (if you like 10 year-old software), then learn from google how to re-install windows yourself. It's actually pretty easy.
Then you won't be at the mercy of dodgy Korean computer guys and their dodgy Windows. |
Thanks for the tip. But I pretty much had to go with him at first because I was basically locked out of my computer - I could not get it to start up to the point of getting to the internet. I am just not very computer savvy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
the bomb dot com
Joined: 21 Feb 2009
Location: Gwangmyeong
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Without knowing your exact situation, the best advice I can offer is to go here:
http://www.undelete-plus.com/
It's freeware (use the standalone) and I've used it successfully before.
If you don't like it, there's a pay option at:
http://www.powerdatarecovery.com/power-data-recovery.htm
Note: Do not install anything on the hard drive you are trying to recover files from. Since Windows was reinstalled, you have written over some of your old files, and will have no way to recover them.
If possible, attach the corrupted hard drive to a different computer (where you install Undelete Plus/PDR). The software can then detect your wounded hard drive, and hopefully restore your files. The software can still find pieces of data that have not been written over yet, but you'll have to see for yourself what that consists of.
If that is just not possible, install/download as little as possible, and use the standalone version of that software to see what you can salvage before creating any new data on your computer.
Sorry about your bad luck, hope you can get something out of this. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
fullmulletjacket
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Location: Daegu
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
You mentioned that you got a cheap korean version of Windows. Did you look on the bottom of your system for your old OEM code. If you had that you could just reinstall your old version of Windows with no problem. you would just need the old disc. There are also two CDs called hirens boot disc and universal boot disc that have pretty much any utility i have ever needed when it comes to recovery. Admittedly ive never done a full restore before without some backup.
Good luck. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thank you everybody for the info. Looks like I came to the right place to ask.
Actually the computer was given to me by a Korean co-teacher almost 1.5 years ago in my first job in another city. It is possible he still has the discs that came with the computer. For some reason that never occurred to me before. I will contact him.
At this point I am more concerned with the computer functioning properly than in recovering any files. Like I said before, there was nothing lost that I could not live without. It sounds like from what you guys are saying it would be more trouble than it is worth. If I can't get the original discs, I may take eamo's advice. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Defragging your drive can make files un-recoverable. If the user was a defrag nut... 
A full hard drive also makes the chance of recovery harder. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
eamo wrote:
Quote:
Anyway around this short of buying an authentic new copy?
Sure. Find a good torrent website, download a better cracked version of XP, in English, (if you like 10 year-old software), then learn from google how to re-install windows yourself. It's actually pretty easy.
Then you won't be at the mercy of dodgy Korean computer guys and their dodgy Windows.
Thanks for the tip. But I pretty much had to go with him at first because I was basically locked out of my computer - I could not get it to start up to the point of getting to the internet. I am just not very computer savvy. |
I don't think that's necessary if you have a copy of XP that won't verify. What you need to do is change the "key" of XP to something that will verify. Then you can update, like normal.
I have a key changer, small program you run and which will do the job automatically (it can be quite risky and hard to find the right file in Windows to change). PM me or google. You'll still need a valid Key to use but those can be found online very easily.....
Cheers,
DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
crossmr
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Hwayangdong, Seoul
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| (it can be quite risky and hard to find the right file in Windows to change) |
No..its not. Especially since you're not changing a file.. you're changing a single registry entry then running the activation wizard.
Here are some very simple to follow steps from MS.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328874
As for finding a key.. there was a thing last year..maybe the year before about the belarc scanner which scanned your hardware, it was accidentally grabbing keys and people were posting the resultant html files online complete with legit keys for xp, office, etc |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 2:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Demophobe wrote: |
http://www.4shared.com/file/44405124/b929d614/Wpatcher.html
Use this until your next install, then go legit with the key again. |
Thanks, but what is it, and what does it do? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
