Recover formatted files

[norty303]

As a simple enquiry can anyone tell me software for the job and reliability of data that is able to be obtained when recovering files/data from a formatted HD (obviously not a low level format) This is for the purposes of assessing information security on old machines.

Thanks

 

[jbotz]

With the proper software, it is quite easy to recover most if not all the data off of a formatted drive. Off the top of my head, I can think of several pieces of software that would work quite well for that. OnTrack Data Recovery software, Norton has an un-format utility that works rather well, and I believe even Windows has (or at least had) an unformat utility that worked somewhat. The only way to absolutely ensure that the data is non-recoverable is to physically destroy the drive. Even doing a full data destruction where the drive is overwritten with 0's is not fail-safe, as there are recovery methods that read magnetic resonance on the drive. Hope this has been some help.

-J

 

[Kofy]

There is also a program called GetDataBack for Fat, and one for NTFS that can usually resurect most files from a functioning hard drive. if you want to insure the data on the old hard drive is gone you need to run one of the DES shredder programs that write 0's and 1's to your entire hd. The only other way to "guarantee" your data cant be lifted is to physically take the drive apart and destroy the platters..