# Question about the FBI, Raid 0 and Data recovery...



## GSG-9 (Jul 5, 2008)

Lets say I had some drives in Raid 0, and at some point formatted them, and sold them to a friend.

Now...lets say the FBI confiscated that rig in relation to pirating and distributing movies. (Not from the drives, from distribution of copyrighted material)

Since the drives were never used again do you think they can recover the data even though they dont know the drives were in raid, and if they do figure that out they don't know what controller it had?

These are hypotheticals..


----------



## thebeephaha (Jul 6, 2008)

Yes they can get it back. At work we do data recovery and we can tell pretty darn quick if a drive was in software or hardware RAID and we then can try non destructive data recovery tools to get it back using hardware raid software emulation or other means.

The FBI has even better methods. If the FBI comes snooping my way I'd blow up the drives or something. Formatting does nothing.


----------



## ShadowFold (Jul 6, 2008)

thebeephaha said:


> Yes they can get it back. At work we do data recovery and we can tell pretty darn quick if a drive was in software or hardware RAID and we then can try non destructive data recovery tools to get it back using hardware raid software emulation or other means.
> 
> The FBI has even better methods. If the FBI comes snooping my way I'd blow up the drives or something. Formatting does nothing.



Well thats good to know.


----------



## intel igent (Jul 6, 2008)

that's kind of a silly question....... it's the FBI we're talkin' about here


----------



## thebeephaha (Jul 6, 2008)

ShadowFold said:


> Well thats good to know.



Haha yea. Kinda scary when you think about it.


----------



## mrw1986 (Jul 6, 2008)

This wins for best thread because you know GSG is in trouble  Best thing to do is drill out the platters...that's what I do


----------



## exodusprime1337 (Jul 6, 2008)

yeah always drill, i never sell hdd's if i sell a rig, i'll write zero's to a drive format it over and over, but in the end me and a carbide bit do the trick, it's how we did it in the navy, and it works really really well.


----------



## rampage (Jul 6, 2008)

i think i would format with a shot gun


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 6, 2008)

I dont have the drives, they were 2 80gigs I sold to a friend. He may have made a living selling/bootlegging copyrighted material. One of his confiscated rigs had said drives in it. I dont think they go back to me, hes probably in enough trouble as it is...



mrw1986 said:


> This wins for best thread because you know GSG is in trouble  Best thing to do is drill out the platters...that's what I do



Im not in trouble..yet...


----------



## From_Nowhere (Jul 6, 2008)

Almost all data is retrievable from a hard drive unless it is physically damaged. So if the FBI is wanting to get data from it, and the drives are intact, they can get it.


----------



## DaedalusHelios (Jul 6, 2008)

Zero'ing out the drives is fine. The FBI wouldn't go to the trouble to use an electron microscope to recover the data. 

That is........... unless you are .... delving into things that are far worse than copyrighted materials.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 6, 2008)

Even if they do recover data I had on the drives (Windows XP Pro X64 Ed Trial, w/ lots of music and movies and games) I dont see it coming back to me, I just dont like it.


----------



## Kreij (Jul 7, 2008)

It's possible that someone could find files on the hard drive that point to your computer. Many programs record information about the computer on which they were created.

That being said, I would not worry too much. The FBI does not get involved with copyright infringement. What it looks like, is they are going after him because he is copying and _selling_ the material, most likely on an interstate level.

The FBI rarely go after "small fish". If they are after this guy he is most likely involved in something much bigger that just a garage operation (think country or global network of illegal activity).


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 7, 2008)

Kreij said:


> It's possible that someone could find files on the hard drive that point to your computer. Many programs record information about the computer on which they were created.
> 
> That being said, I would not worry too much. The FBI does not get involved with copyright infringement. What it looks like, is they are going after him because he is copying and _selling_ the material, most likely on an interstate level.
> 
> The FBI rarely go after "small fish". If they are after this guy he is most likely involved in something much bigger that just a garage operation (think country or global network of illegal activity).



He generated enough revenue to buy a boat, not sure how much that is or what he did with it all, but im staying away from this one.

I dont even have the same power supply as that rig. I could see them finding my old IP address, but I also have a different router than I had then.


----------



## cdawall (Jul 7, 2008)

the FBI itself uses a method thats name i have long since forgotten but it erases and writes over the data 54 times i would just use that and run it twice lol


----------



## mdm-adph (Jul 7, 2008)

Kreij said:


> That being said, I would not worry too much. The FBI does not get involved with copyright infringement. What it looks like, is they are going after him because he is copying and _selling_ the material, most likely on an interstate level.



Well, I can agree with you that the FBI _shouldn't_ get involved with civil matters like copyright infringement, but in today's world, they sure as hell do (you can thank the massive RIAA/MPAA lobby for that).

And GSG -- if you're this person's "friend," it really doesn't matter what data, if any, the FBI can glean from those drives -- you're _already_ involved.  Even if they didn't know your name before they nabbed him, they sure as hell do now that he's talked -- oh yeah, he's told 'em everything, down to what he had for supper four months ago.  Doesn't matter if you're involved in anything he was doing or not -- I'd assume the FBI makes sure and interviews anyone who even had contact with a suspect, just as part of protocol.

But, don't worry, just get a good lawyer -- because IANAL.  Oh yeah, and if you've got anything legit you don't want the FBI to find (nude pics of your girl/boyfriend, subversive literature, nothing illegal), go get some TrueCrypt and start encrypting.  (Don't worry, they can't legally make you give up your Truecrypt password, either.)  Then buy some new drives and copy your protected stuff to them.

And then zero write the old drives.  

And then burn them.

And then burn down the house.


----------



## flashstar (Jul 7, 2008)

The FBI cannot investigate unless you are selling illegal material across interstate lines. They are the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a reason!


----------



## mdm-adph (Jul 7, 2008)

flashstar said:


> The FBI cannot investigate unless you are selling illegal material across interstate lines. They are the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a reason!



Yeah, I'm sure they totally can't put a wiretap on your house without a warrant, either. :shadedshu

I'm quite certain they will investigate anything and everything they want to anytime they want to -- it's called "abusing National Security Letters."  It's the reason why they're currently being investigated by the EFF.


----------



## Kreij (Jul 7, 2008)

flashstar said:


> The FBI cannot investigate unless you are selling illegal material across interstate lines. They are the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a reason!



The FBI can get involved in issues within one state, but it is usally something very serious (ie. murder, kidnapping, etc.). 

They would not become involved in an individual downloading something unless there was a "federal" reason. They have enought to do as it is.


----------



## Solaris17 (Jul 7, 2008)

man that would be scary if one of my buds got busted for doing a crime bad enough to get the feds in volved id put in deriks boot and nuke and gutman the F#$% out of my drives..and destroy all dvd back ups....


----------



## PVTCaboose1337 (Jul 7, 2008)

The only way I would surely get rid of the data on my drive would to have a thermite mixture on top, and when the feds open the door, to set it off and run away.  Now it would burn through the HD...  and the table...  and the floor...  but it would destroy the data is a very neat way.


----------



## ShadowFold (Jul 7, 2008)

PVTCaboose1337 said:


> The only way I would surely get rid of the data on my drive would to have a thermite mixture on top, and when the feds open the door, to set it off and run away.  Now it would burn through the HD...  and the table...  and the floor...  but it would destroy the data is a very neat way.



I want some..


----------



## Kreij (Jul 7, 2008)

You really don't have to go to that extreme. Enough magnetism will render a drive unreadable.


----------



## razaron (Jul 7, 2008)

man thats some bad luck.........well atleast you aint brown otherwise they would've been asking where the bomb is:shadedshu


----------



## Davidelmo (Jul 8, 2008)

Yeah that really sucks but at least you know better for next time.

Dariks Nuke and Ban would have worked - http://dban.sourceforge.net/

As someone earlier said, get Truecrypt and use that to hide anything REALLY don't want people to find.

But the FBI have much more important things to do than chase you for mp3s and a few movies. That said, I am 100% certain your name is already known to them because more than likely your friend will have told them where he got the drives.


----------



## zatblast (Jul 9, 2008)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Thermite/?comments=all

btw, when the feds ask why you just thermited your computer, be all like what do you mean? i was ocing... see if they fall for it..

and dont forget to hit your ram/proc with termite while your at it i mean if your worried enough to burn the drives as the feds walk through your door....might be worried about the current working data as well

also fun, just for the heck of it...


----------



## panchoman (Jul 9, 2008)

you'd have to zero all of the drivers 128 times to make sure that no data remains.. but its best just to microwave the drive


----------



## flclisgreat (Jul 9, 2008)

the magnesium ribbon on my hdd's says your going to jail


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 9, 2008)

haha, this has become somewhat amusing. 
I doubt I will be needing a lawyer, I sold him drives (That I had already formatted). If he does tell them everything what is he going to say about me? Let me tell you if I was the one booting things I would hope to have a better system than the one I have.


----------



## WhiteLotus (Jul 9, 2008)

lol your "friend" is going to have a rough couple of days.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 9, 2008)

I think he just destroyed his life. I had a Graphic Design Class with him at a Tech College 2 years ago. After that he moved to another town so we did not hang out but kept in touch, Probably a good thing.


----------



## candle_86 (Jul 9, 2008)

Just remember if a black surbaban shows up run out the backdoor, towards mexico and dont stop till you get there


----------



## wolf2009 (Jul 9, 2008)

wow, this thread is interesting . makes me think twice about selling my ide hdd to solaris . lol .


----------



## das müffin mann (Jul 9, 2008)

well if FBI shows up on your do[or step let me know just in case (very very unlikely) i would lol if they were there because of circuit city...you know instead of the whole "pirate and selling of copyrighted materials thing"


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 9, 2008)

das müffin mann said:


> well if FBI shows up on your do[or step let me know just in case (very very unlikely) i would lol if they were there because of circuit city...you know instead of the whole "pirate and selling of copyrighted materials thing"



Did you ever meet puck? 
lol, circuit city. Good times, the FBI would not come for that, thats like the ripping your tag off a mattress level in trouble.

Im still selling my 250Gb drives btw...I like money more than I dont like the risk..


----------



## panchoman (Jul 9, 2008)

data can only be recovered if it hasn't been overwritten multiple times(fbi can recover some overwritten data)... so if you were to overwrite the drive complete with bs and then zero it multiple times, then you have nothing to fear.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 9, 2008)

panchoman said:


> data can only be recovered if it hasn't been overwritten multiple times(fbi can recover some overwritten data)... so if you were to overwrite the drive complete with bs and then zero it multiple times, then you have nothing to fear.



In my experiance people dont even like to buy zero formatted drives because they think they will not function as well/will have a shorter life.


----------



## AsRock (Jul 9, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> I dont have the drives, they were 2 80gigs I sold to a friend. He may have made a living selling/bootlegging copyrighted material. One of his confiscated rigs had said drives in it. I dont think they go back to me, hes probably in enough trouble as it is...
> 
> 
> 
> Im not in trouble..yet...




They have no proof of you doing any thing of the sort, UNLESS your saying you have bootleg gear at home.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 9, 2008)

AsRock said:


> They have no proof of you doing any thing of the sort, UNLESS your saying you have bootleg gear at home.



haha, I have never burned a single dvd (or cd etc) of any sofware I own except XP 64 Trial Bootdisks.


----------



## das müffin mann (Jul 9, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> Did you ever meet puck?
> lol, circuit city. Good times, the FBI would not come for that, thats like the ripping your tag off a mattress level in trouble.
> 
> Im still selling my 250Gb drives btw...I like money more than I dont like the risk..



no they wouldn't but out of the .00000001% chance they would come for that me and you are going to take a little vacation 
i hear Ireland is nice this time of year


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 9, 2008)

Your coming with, We will play Rugby while were there.



das müffin mann said:


> no they wouldn't but out of the .00000001% chance they would come for that me and you are going to take a little vacation
> i hear Ireland is nice this time of year


----------



## das müffin mann (Jul 9, 2008)

drunken rugby sounds fun


----------



## panchoman (Jul 9, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> In my experiance people dont even like to buy zero formatted drives because they think they will not function as well/will have a shorter life.



drivers come zero formatted with a ddo... if a customer doesn't want a zero'd drive, send them a formatted drive. simple.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 10, 2008)

People are paranoid..


----------



## AsRock (Jul 10, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> haha, I have never burned a single dvd (or cd etc) of any sofware I own except XP 64 Trial Bootdisks.




Well you do not have to be the one who burned it on a CD \ DVD.  As long as you do not and have not owned bootleg software and any thing else that could put you in the slammer you be fine.


----------



## tkpenalty (Jul 10, 2008)

anyone heard of killdisk?...


----------



## pentastar111 (Jul 10, 2008)

Just get a fake mustache and a bald-head wig, that way if they do come for you, you can say "you" went on vacation and you're just there watching the house....But seriously...Scary stuff man....Use a drill


----------



## Fitseries3 (Jul 10, 2008)

i'd have to say it depends on what was on the drives that will make the decision on this one. 

if you had 1tb of porn then i think your fine. if it's 800gigs of software,  music, and movies that you dont own a physical copy of then your F**KED.

if you own a physical copy of more then 60% of what you had on the drive then your good. 

if it was loaded with cracks, serials, keygens and other similar items then your not good either.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 10, 2008)

They were 2 80gig ide drives first of all


----------



## Fitseries3 (Jul 10, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> They were 2 80gig ide drives first of all



oh... LOL! sorry. 

what are you worried about... of you dont mind telling. i think a lot of people have DLed a few things here and there that we arent supposed to have. 

pirated copy of windows im guessing? if so, you fine.


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 10, 2008)

Nope not even that, I had Trial x64 on there.
Hes in pretty deep for it im 99% sure im in the clear, it was little things hear and there.

So...im 1% sure Im taking Muffin man with me to Ireland.


----------



## das müffin mann (Jul 10, 2008)

well im 99% sure you are


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 10, 2008)

What the hell your up? Why the hell arnt we out drinking or something?


----------



## theJesus (Jul 26, 2008)

lol I think you should just stop looking at cp, we all know that's what you're really worried about xP


----------



## ex_reven (Jul 26, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> He generated enough revenue to buy a boat, not sure how much that is or what he did with it all, but im staying away from this one.



Wait.
He made enough to buy a boat.
But hes still tightass enough to buy second hand drives?

What the hell ?


----------



## TheMailMan78 (Jul 26, 2008)

ex_reven said:


> Wait.
> He made enough to buy a boat.
> But hes still tightass enough to buy second hand drives?
> 
> What the hell ?



Bwahahaha! Good point but FYI you dont make that kinda money spending money you dont need too. Plus maybe he was just getting started!

Anyway I wouldn't worry about the Feds and your old drives. Iv had TWO run ins with the feds in the past. Trust me you haven't been scared of an agent until youv had one put a gun to your head and asked you to "back away from the keyboard".

They are not after you. Chances are unless your doing something major they could care less about you. Just dont go all crazy and spill your guts. Just play dumb on everything until you get a lawyer. Better yet dont say shit until you see a lawyer. Of course having a good lawyer ready might help too. PM me and Ill get you a number of firm that deals with the feds exclusively. Of course the best thing you can do is........ ready for it ......... dont break the law!


----------



## ex_reven (Jul 27, 2008)

TheMailMan78 said:


> Of course the best thing you can do is........ ready for it ......... dont break the law!



Or you could...






Oh wait...


----------



## ShiBDiB (Jul 27, 2008)

ur all paranoid jesus... 

U sold him drives not knowing what he'd use them for, your in no way responsible for the illegal acts he commited with them. And unless you live somewhere extremely boring the regional FBI office wont waste time on you downloading some songs and a $100 OS.

and i lol'd at whoever posted about the EFF investigating the FBI.... i mean really r u expecting anything to come from that


----------



## GSG-9 (Jul 27, 2008)

ex_reven said:


> Or you could...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I like that idea the best so far. But I think the FBI will inquirer about the those two toys even more than the two hardrives..



ShiBDiB said:


> ur all paranoid jesus...
> 
> U sold him drives not knowing what he'd use them for, your in no way responsible for the illegal acts he commited with them. And unless you live somewhere extremely boring the regional FBI office wont waste time on you downloading some songs and a $100 OS.
> 
> and i lol'd at whoever posted about the EFF investigating the FBI.... i mean really r u expecting anything to come from that



I think im good to


----------



## das müffin mann (Jul 27, 2008)

GSG-9 said:


> I like that idea the best so far. But I think the FBI will inquirer about the those two toys even more than the two hardrives..



only one way to find out...


----------



## mdm-adph (Jul 28, 2008)

ShiBDiB said:


> and i lol'd at whoever posted about the EFF investigating the FBI.... i mean really r u expecting anything to come from that



Yeah, that was me.  

And what do you mean "expecting anything to come from that?"  Something has already "come from that" -- the exposure of the nasty shit they were doing.  *That was the point of the investigation.*

Now, it's up to you, the voter, to do something about it.  If you don't, that's your problem -- don't blame the EFF because you can't be bothered to get off your ass and vote.


----------

