Author Topic: I just bought your Hard Drive. (Read 2930 times)

mistybear · « **on:** June 10, 2006, 13:04 »

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2006/06/one_year_ago_ha.html#posts

sam · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2006, 13:09 »

ooohhhh interesting... I always have taken a hammer to old drives.

Clive · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2006, 13:37 »

I have to say that this is very worrying!

Simon · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2006, 15:35 »

I believe Gary Glitter would agree with you there, Clive. :grin: Although guilty of it myself to a degree, the safest policy is not to store sensitive, personal data on your hard drive, and if you use such applications as Roboform, make certain that any information is securely password protected.

sam · « **Reply #4 on:** June 10, 2006, 16:21 »

Quote

Although guilty of it myself to a degree,

is that a confesion!! :shock: :shock: :twisted: :twisted:

p.s. i know what you mean! :-)

Simon · « **Reply #5 on:** June 10, 2006, 19:07 »

Yes, that could have been worded better! :blush2: Obviously I wasn't likening myself, or Clive, to Gary Glitter, but Clive's collection of sheep photos might be cause for unease! :twisted:

Lona · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2006, 22:07 »

Quote from: "Simon"

Yes, that could have been worded better! :blush2: Obviously I wasn't likening myself, or Clive, to Gary Glitter, but Clive's collection of sheep photos might be cause for unease! :twisted:

Not to mention is other dodgy stuff. :roll:

sam · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2006, 23:09 »

what has he stretched out to cows?? or is that just simon!! lol :-)

Simon · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2006, 23:33 »

Well, I have known a few old cows in my time. :grin:

Clive · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2006, 23:36 »

I'm quite sure that all of us have files on our computers that we would prefer to remain confidential. But I don't have anything that would be considered to be illegal. No really!

Lona · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2006, 23:50 »

Quote from: "Clive"

I'm quite sure that all of us have files on our computers that we would prefer to remain confidential. But I don't have anything that would be considered to be illegal. No really!

That's your story Clive, and you're sticking to it. :wink:

mistybear · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2006, 09:11 »

Now that I have a new PC I was going to give the old PB to the Salvo's.
But first I thought I should do another factory restore on it. I hope that will get rid of any personal information on it.

When I thought I would have to return this one (Medion 8383) when it wouldn't boot, I was worried about them accessing my personal details.

How can you be certain when you do have to return a PC that they won't.
You read about identity theft, and people selling on peoples personal details all the time.

Simon · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2006, 10:29 »

Quote from: "mistybear"

Now that I have a new PC I was going to give the old PB to the Salvo's.
But first I thought I should do another factory restore on it. I hope that will get rid of any personal information on it.

When I thought I would have to return this one (Medion 8383) when it wouldn't boot, I was worried about them accessing my personal details.

How can you be certain when you do have to return a PC that they won't.
You read about identity theft, and people selling on peoples personal details all the time.

The only way to be certain is to take out the hard drive, and destroy it, MB. I certainly wouldn't trust a factory restore to wipe out any sensitive data. there are programs available which will entirely erase a drive, but these are usually not free, and take many hours to over-write all the data, depending on the size of the drive.

sam · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2006, 11:15 »

well not even a complete format is secure but will probably do...

Reno · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2006, 23:15 »

Not very many people know and would retrieve information from a hard drive that?s been formatted. Its just too much trouble to get information that ?might? be stored on there. Even if there was someone who was willing to go through that trouble its doubtful they would find anything worth having.

As far as sensitive data, the odds of ?sensitive data? on a hard drive falling in to the wrong hands are slim. Data like that should never be stored on the hard drive. It should be backed up on cd or some other media. Hard drives have a tendency to wear out and then you loose the sensitive data you were trying to keep in the first place. Odds of someone with negative intentions, who knows how to retrieve information and who comes to possess your hard drive are just so small it?s not worth worrying about.