confidential info on old harddrives.

From: allisonp_at_world.std.com <(allisonp_at_world.std.com)>
Date: Thu May 27 07:47:24 1999

On Wed, 26 May 1999, Marvin wrote:

> I think that would depend on the platform. Hmmm, were you referring to a
> low-level format vs a high leve )DOS) format?

It does but in most cases a high level format does munge most of the data.
It may not remove all of it. In both cases (HLF or LLF) the data will
require some work to recover compared to an untouched disk.

> > positioner servo information is gone.
>
> That depends on the type of drive. I have changed platters on MFM/RLL PC

Yes it does! Drive that use a stepper or mechanical/optical positioner
you may get away with it. Some drive the servo information is only on one
platter and as long as that one is ok no problem. Others it's embedded in
the data or between the data and degaussing it is destructive.

RLL/MFM PC is not an infomative description of any drive. RLL/MFM are
encoding methods for data. PC drive is less spcific.

> drives, low level formatted the thing, and it ran without problems. Did the
> same thing on an IDE drive ... that one didn't work so well afterwards :).

FYI: most IDE drives use RLL encoding and but also use wedge or embedded
servo. Think of IDE as a old drive with the controller card burried on
it.

The servo information is drive specific usually as it placed on the
platters during drive assembly.

Allison
Received on Thu May 27 1999 - 07:47:24 BST