Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[freeformschooler]

My laptop is about to go kaput. I'm putting all my important data on an external HDD as we speak. I have a Squaretrade warranty on it that is applicable to the problem. However, I am worried about my privacy and safety in making a claim on the warranty.

The issue in detail:
-I know with a high amount of certainly that the graphics card has somehow become damaged or is otherwise not working. Changing the drivers does nothing, and the same things happen in both Windows 7 x64 and Ubuntu (screen freezes up for a moment then computer blue screens/otherwise crashes - happens at random but mostly during video playback/photoshop work). All of my extensive weeks of research on the specific error messages and blue screens I've gotten indicate the solution is to "remove/replace the graphics card and see if that helps."
-I cannot remove or replace the graphics card. It is a Mobility Radeon 4250, and it is built into the motherboard as with all onboard graphics cards. Most likely, this means that the laptop will have to be replaced entirely when I send it in to SquareTrade's repair depots.
-I have an enormous amount of sensitive personal/financial data on this laptop. I am very afraid that, since I likely won't be getting it back if it's replaced, this information could fall into the wrong hands. I have no idea where all that data is stored at this point.
-I cannot simply reformat the computer into its initial state. Not only did the laptop not come with a recovery drive, I don't have any Windows install discs and am averse to pirating one just so that I can overwrite most of my HDD with a pirated windows partition just so that I can send it in. Additionally, based on the current state of the laptop, it is highly unlikely it would be able to stay on without BSOD'ing through the entire install process.

The solution, obviously, would be to overwrite the hard drive with zeroes or something. However, that would make my claim details (the random crashes and such) impossible to test on the laptop as it is once I send it into Squaretrade's national repair centers. Additionally, I'm afraid that would void that warranty.

So what do I do? Get all the data onto an HDD and then cleanse it from my hard drive with digital fire? Or leave it on and pray for the best?

[Tellemurius]

I dealt with SquareTrade before, they let me keep my Hard Drive Try asking them first.

[MonkeyHead]

I reccomend magnets. Big fuckoff magnets.

[freeformschooler]

I dealt with SquareTrade before, they let me keep my Hard Drive Try asking them first.

Thanks! Really helpful. I'll ask them.

I reccomend magnets. Big fuckoff magnets.

I would, but considering this is a warranty and getting to the hard drive requires taking apart the laptop, I'm playing it safe for the moment.

[lordcooper]

I reccomend magnets. Big fuckoff magnets.

I would, but considering this is a warranty and getting to the hard drive requires taking apart the laptop, I'm playing it safe for the moment.

No, bigger magnets.

[LordBucket]

So what do I do?

Option 1:
Physically remove the drive.

Option 2:
Simply remove the sensitive data. For example, burn it to CD then delete the files. Note that simply "erasing" files does not actually erase them. For example, if you drag a file to your windows recycling bin, it's trivial to restore it. Similarly, even if you "empty the trash" it is often still possible to recover these files.

Option 3:
Use ghost or a similar drive imaging utility to create a backup, then do an unconditional format. When you get it back, restore from the image. Note that if the problem you're having is software related, when you restore back image you'll be putting all the problems you had right back.

[miauw62]

Err, give me a second.

I know of something. I'll edit it in soon.

E:
Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) 1.0.7


This should be plenty for all of your deleting ventures. One-pass, two-pass, thirthy-five-pass, it's all possible. It runs from linux.

Here's a linky:
http://www.dban.org/

(Rogueamp ftw.)

[Bauglir]

Option 2:
Simply remove the sensitive data. For example, burn it to CD then delete the files. Note that simply "erasing" files does not actually erase them. For example, if you drag a file to your windows recycling bin, it's trivial to restore it. Similarly, even if you "empty the trash" it is often still possible to recover these files.

By my understanding, if you follow up deletion with a utility with a "wipe free space" function, that will do the job. CCleaner is one such program, but there are probably more efficient or otherwise better ones that are dedicated to security instead of reducing hard drive clutter. The trick, I suppose, would be keep it running long enough. It's hard to do anything thorough with time constraints.

EDIT: Anybody know how to hook up a laptop hard drive to another computer so that it can be browsed from an external source? It'd be trivial if opening the case were an option, but it isn't. That would allow the time constraints to be lifted.

[freeformschooler]

I don't think most of these last posts have read the thread at all, especially LordBucket's. I know how to wipe my computer clean, I don't know where all my sensitive data is stored, I'm not gonna format the hard drive just yet.

I haven't been able to get hold of a decent SquareTrade rep over e-mail yet, so I may try phone today. Locking this thread for now, thanks.