Data Recovery Blog

Seagate is a popular brand of hard drive, both external hard drive and internal hard drive. Hard drives are versatile pieces of equipment that can be used as both portable or stationary mediums for storage. If you have an external hard drive that you want to convert into an internal hard drive, this can be accomplished easily using a screwdriver and some basic knowledge of the inner workings of a computer.

Step 1. Ensure that your current computer can support the external drive. If you currently have an IDE drive installed in your tower, your external drive must be IDE as well. This is the same for SATA drives. You can locate your hard drive specs on the hard drive label itself.

Step 2. Unscrew the support screws on the external drive using your screwdriver. Unplug the cord that connects the hard drive to the case. Gently slide the drive out of the case and place it to the side.

Step 3. Unplug the computer tower from all devices and power sources. Lay the tower on a flat level surface to serve as your work space.

Step 4. Remove the sides of the tower and lay aside. Locate the hard drive, which is normally located under the CD-ROM drive. Unscrew the support screws and unplug the wires leading to the drive. Gently slide the drive from the tower. Set the drive aside.

Step 5. Insert the Seagate drive that you removed from its external case in Step 2. Replace the supporting screws and carefully plug the cords back into the appropriate areas. Ensure everything is tightly secured and then replace the sides of the tower.

Note: If you are not sure whether your drive is IDE or SATA, take the components to your local computer store and have then examine and identify the parts for you.

You will most likely need to format the new hard drive in your computer tower before use. Back up all information on the hard drive and then format the drive. By backing up your information, you can then replace the data on the new drive.

Data Storage

Top Backup Services And Charge

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago5 years ago02 mins

www.mozy.com
Disk Space: Unlimited
Price:
MozyHome: $4.95/month
MozyPro:
Desktop Licenses: $3.95+$0.50/GB/month
Server Licenses: $6.95 + $0.50/GB /month
Home User: 2GB Free
(Get one month FREE when you sign up for an annual account or three months FREE with a biennial subscription.)
Trail: Yes
Mac: Yes

www.carbonite.com
Disk Space: Unlimited
Price:
Three Year Subscription: $129.95/Year
Two-Year Subscription: $99.95/Year
Two-Year Subscription: $54.95/Year
Trail: Yes
Mac: Yes

www.sosonlinebackup.com
Disk Space:
Price:
SOS Home Edition:
2 GB USD 19.95/Year
5 GB USD 29.95/Year
15 GB USD 49.95/Year
SOS Business Edition:
500 MB USD 4.50/Year
2 GB USD 36.00
10 GB USD 180.00
…….
Trail: Yes
Mac: No

www.idrive.com
Disk Space:
Price:
Idrive Basic: 2GB Free
Idrive Pro:
150 GB USD 49.50/Year (Personal Use)
500 GB USD 149.50/Year (Family Pack Up to 5 PCs)
Idrive Pro For Business
50 GB USD 99.50
100 GB USD 199.50
500 GB USD 499.50
Trail: Yes
Mac: Yes

www.backupandshare.com
Disk Space: Unlimited
Price:
Indivitual:
10 GB USD 49.95/Year
Business:
Unlimited USD 150.00/Year
Trail: No
Mac: Yes

www.keepit.com
Disk Space: Unlimited
Price: 4.95 $/month
Trail: 30 days money back
Mac: No

www.elephantdrive.com
Disk Space: Unlimited
Price:
Home User: 49.95 $/year (2 months free)
Home Plus Edition: 99.95 $/year (2 months free 4 computers)
Pro Edition: 349.95/year (2 months free 10 computers)
Pro Plus Edition: 99.95/month (20 computers)
Trail: Yes
Mac: No

www.memopal.com
Disk Space: 150GB
Price:
Personal:
150GB 49€/year
250GB 69€/year
Business:
49€(10GB) + 2.4€/GB per Year
Trail: Yes
Mac: Yes

www.symantec.com
Disk Space: 25GB
Price: $49.99/Year
Trail: Yes
Mac: No

Computer Forensic

What Does a Computer Forensics Investigator Do?

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago5 years ago13 mins

A Computer Forensics Investigator is trained in combating crimes ranging from crimes against children to file system recovery on computers that have been damaged or hacked. The Computer Forensics Investigator, also known as a Computer Forensics Specialist, recovers data from digital media that will be used in criminal prosecution. Digital media refers to all methods of electronic data storage and transfer devices including computers, laptops, PDAs and the images, spreadsheets and other types of files stored on these devices. Once a Computer Forensics Investigator retrieves the necessary information they will prepare very detailed and technical written reports on the collected data that will later be presented in court. Part of the Computer Forensics Investigator job description is to testify in court regarding the information they had recovered and the methods they used to recover that information.

Computer Forensics consulting firms or Freelance Computer Forensic Investigators are also hired by large corporations to test the information systems security they have in place. Computer Forensic Specialists will mimic how a malicious hacker might attempt to gain access to a corporation’s computer network.

Requirements and Qualifications to Become a Computer Forensics Investigator
Being that computer forensics is such a new field there has not been a consistent range of requirements or qualifications set across agencies. Many individuals gained their training and skills in computer forensics by working in law enforcement or the military. Now that many colleges are offering computer forensics degrees and related information systems – security degrees/cyber crime degrees, an education has become a minimum requirement to stay competitive in the industry.

Top Computer Forensics Schools

Computer Forensic

Top Computer Forensics Schools

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago13 years ago08 mins

Computer crime is one of the fastest growing areas of crime in the world. With the internet expanding its boundaries and email becoming the more prevalent way to communicate in business as well as on a personal level, personal and corporate computers have become extremely vulnerable to attack. This has created an increased need for individuals educated in computer forensics or computer forensic investigators.

Computer Forensics Investigator Job Outlook and Salary
Computer forensic jobs are forecasted to grow faster than the average with most of the job growth being in law enforcement agencies and corporations. For individuals with a master’s degree, growth in freelance and consulting firms will be significant. Computer forensics salaries vary significantly depending on whether you work for a law enforcement agency or in a corporate setting and what level of education is attained, thus a computer forensics investigator salary can be anywhere from $50,000 to over $100,000 annually. Freelancers and those working in consulting firms can earn significantly more money. Some computer forensics careers will require certifications such as, CISSP, CISM, CISA, or CCSP.

The Computer Forensics degree programs offered here will provide you with the skills to succeed as a computer forensics investigator.

1. University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix makes higher education highly accessible.

Computer Forensics Programs
* BS in Information Technology Information System Security

2. AIU Online
Earn your Associate’s, Bachelor’s completion- even an MBA- from the comfort of home at AIU Online. Choose from career-track programs such as Visual Communication, Information Technology and more.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Bachelor’s (BIT) Internet Security

3. Strayer University Online
Strayer University Online offers degree programs designed to fit your busy schedule. Attend real-time courses via the Internet, or complete coursework at times most convenient to you.

Computer Forensics Programs
* BSIS: Computer Security
* BSIS: Security Administration
* Diploma: IS: Computer Security

4. Jones International University
Earn a high quality degree in Business, IT, Education, or Communications. Jones International University® offers self-paced bachelor’s and master’s degrees tailored to your needs.

Computer Forensics Programs
* MBA in Information Security Management

5. Virginia College Online
Earn your associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree from Virginia College Online. Our extensive programs are offered 100% online, so you can launch the career of your choice from the comfort of your own home.

Computer Forensics Programs
* BS Network Cybersecurity
* MS Cybersecurity

6. Champlain College
Take your career to the next level. Champlain College Online can help you develop the skills you need to achieve your goals and transform your career. Our accelerated, flexible online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs have been designed to teach you the latest concepts in business and technology.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Computer & Digital Forensics

7. Utica College
Help combat economic crime. Train for a high-paying, in-demand career with an online Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in economic crime prevention from Utica College.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Online Bachelor of Science Degree in Economic Crime Investigation
* Online Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity Cybercrime investigation
* Online Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity Information Assurance

8. Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University
Earn a respected degree. When you choose Keller to pursue your advanced education, you will earn a graduate degree from an accredited, nationally respected university recognized by leading employers across a wide range of industries.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Certificate Information Security

9. Brookdale Community College
Brookdale Community College offers IT certifications that you can earn on your terms, online or on campus. All of our programs offer a satisfaction, money-back guarantee.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP)
* CompTIA Network+
* CompTIA Security +

10. Heald College
Heald College offers 18-month associate degree programs that will prepare you for a career in Business, Technology, or Healthcare. Small class sizes, hands-on instruction.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Network Security

11. Louisville Technical Institute
All the schools in the Sullivan University System focus their programs on career-specific courses only”so you can get the education you need faster.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Information Systems Security

12. Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College is a private, for profit, two-year degree granting college with campuses in Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Mankato, Minnetonka, and St. Cloud.

Computer Forensics Programs
* Info. Systems Mgmt. Associate Degree Network Security and Forensics Technology

13. Strayer University
Get the right foundation for your future with a degree from Strayer University. Evening, weekend and online classes are all available to meet the needs of busy adults.

Computer Forensics Programs
* BSIS: Computer Security
* BSIS: Security Administration
* Diploma: IS: Computer Security

14. TechSkills
TechSkills offers affordable, flexible IT and business certification training that fits your busy lifestyle. Get the skills you need for a successful career”start today.

Computer Forensics Programs
* CompTIA Security+

Hard Disk Repair

How to Prepare Your Offsite Computer Repair?

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago13 years ago24 mins

With the economy being in such a precarious condition, many computer users are repairing and upgrading an existing computer rather than buy a new one. If you have a laptop or computer that requires offsite repair, you should take a few precautions to protect your computer files and sensitive information.

Note: If you are using a reputable computer repair technician, you shouldn’t have to worry about anyone accessing your private information. However, it’s best to take the necessary precautions to protect your information.

These precautions are not fool proof. Computer information can be retrieved even if it is deleted. However, taking these precautions makes it a little more difficult to access your private information.

Step 1: Backup your laptop/computer if possible.
If your computer suddenly dies, the opportunity to back it up is lost. However, if you back up your computer at the first sign of trouble, you might be able to prevent being stuck. Signs such as a pink tinge on the computer screen when it boots up is a sign that the backlight might be ready to go out. Or, if you notice that your system isn’t booting up as quickly as it used to, backup your sensitive information.

Step 2: Remove or password protect important files.
After you’ve backed up your computer, you can either delete or password protect sensitive files right before you ship your computer out for repair.

Step 3: Clear your browser history, clear passwords, delete cached information, remove cookies and clear authenticated sessions.
Doing so adds an added layer of protection. For example, if you use an online email service on which you have set the cookies to remember you on the computer, anyone using your computer will be able to sign into your email account.

Step 4: Empty your recycle bin.
The files that you deleted from your computer go into the Recycle bin. Empty it before you send your computer out for repair.

Step 5: Reformat your hard drive.
If you have enough time and your computer cooperates, you can reformat your computer before sending it out for repair. This is a nice option, but if your computer is really in bad shape, it may not be able to limp through the reformatting process.

Step 6: Overwrite your hard drive.
If they wanted your info, the best way you could stop them is overwriting your hard drive with junk.

Hard Disk Repair

NTFS File System Frequently Asked Questions Part I

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago3 years ago07 mins

Q: Is the boot limitation for NTFS still 7.87GB?

A: No. NTFS volume size limit is 2TB.

Q: Where can I get a lot of details about the NTFS encryption and security ?

A: Security (NTFS) and Encryption (NTFS,NTFS5) are wide topics.
You can get a lot of information about it on Microsoft’s MSDN Web Site (http://msdn.microsoft.com)
Security Topics: File Security and Access Rights
Encryption Topics: File Encryption , Encryption, Sparseness, and Reparse Points

Q: How do you lock files from other machine users on NTFS file system ?

A: NTFS has built-in security feature. Owner of the object can assign certain rights to certain users to restrict access to the object.
If file or folder is located on NTFS, just go to its Properties in Windows Explorer and on the Security tab add users being able access the object, and then remove Everyone user from users list, or restrict its rights.

Q: For Windows 2000 Professional using NTFS — Must All partitions be NTFS or can a FAT32 partition be functional as well?

A: Windows 2000 Professional as long as other Windows 2000 and XP family operating systems have full support for FAT32 and FAT16 file systems, as long as CDFS, HPFS, etc.
Operating system communicates with file system via logical level Win32 API that, in turn, redirects function calls to physical level (file system drivers), so if proper file system driver is installed, operating system can access and work with file system properly.
Drivers for NTFS, NTFS5, FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, CDFS are always installed when you install Windows 2000 / XP.
Drivers for NTFS, FAT12, FAT16, CDFS are always installed when you install Windows NT, there is no built-in driver for FAT32 in Windows NT.

Q: How do you format a blank hard disk drive to NTFS or NTFS5 ?

A: There are no standard utilities to format HDD to NTFS from DOS.
However there are solutions:
Attach HDD to another machine having Windows NT installed if you want to format to NTFS, or to Windows 2000 / XP if you want to format it to NTFS5. Then format drive using Disk Manager utility that is included in OS.
You can start Windows NT / 2000 / XP installation using bootable CD-ROM. On first steps of installation you will be asked about target location and you will be suggested to format the partition to NTFS. Go this way, and after format is completed, just cancel the installation process.

Q: Is there any problem with my games if I installed it under NTFS filesystem?

A: NTFS file system itself cannot cause problems to any software including games, because NTFS is just a way of data storage.
Software in Windows accesses files via upper-level Win32 API. Win32 API, in turn, redirects function calls to the drivers for the particular file system (NTFS/FAT/CDFS, etc.). Thus software, generally speaking, is not aware of file system it is installed on.
What could cause problems with games is Operating System itself. As long as Windows NT / 2000 / XP are more secure operating systems, and do not support 16-bit device drivers and real mode, some of games that work well under MS-DOS, Windows 95 / 98/ ME might not work under Windows NT / 2000 / XP.

Q: When Data is written to the NTFS disk at what position does in start the write? EG Assuming a file has been deleted (and deleted from the recycle bin if applicable) would it first overwrite this file, or would it start at the next totally unused cluster?

A: It depends on many factors including file system fragmentation, free space, etc.
In most cases it would start with a next totally unused cluster.

Q: When deleting a file at work from a HDD what is the best way to ensure that the file cannot be recovered? ie that the data no longer exists on the drive, rather than just resetting the flag of the relevant file/cluster? Is there any way NTFS will do this? Registry hacks e.t.c?

A: There are no standard mechanisms for this.
Please use third party privacy software (such as Disk Wiper feature in ZDelete) to eliminate unused MFT entries and overwrite clusters containing deleted data.

Hard Disk Repair

NTFS File System Frequently Asked Questions Part II

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago13 years ago07 mins

Q: Is it possible to convert a FAT32 Hard Drive to NTFS without losing all data on the drive? I like to change from FAT32 to NTFS, my operating system is Windows XP PRO, how can I do that? Without the lost of my programs?

A: Standard Windows utility that is called CONVERT serves this purpose
Just go to the Command Prompt and execute the command:
	C:\> CONVERT  C:  /fs:ntfs
Where C: is a name of the drive you want to convert.
After machine re-boot conversion process will start and you’ll have your FAT32 converted to NTFS without of data loss.

Q: How does NTFS compared to FAT32 in Windows XP, and which is faster?

A: NTFS has much more built-in features than FAT, so generally it is a bit slower.
However it depends on many factors such as cluster size, average file size, etc.
For example, NTFS can keep small files inside MFT entry, so if the file size is less than cluster size, most likely it will be accessed much faster on NTFS than on FAT.
Generally speaking the performance of NTFS on large volumes is higher than performance of FAT32. NTFS performance on small volumes is lower than performance of FAT/FAT32.

Q: How can I copy files from a hard drive formatted to NTFS, to a FAT32 hard drive ?

A: You probably asking about Windows NT that does not support FAT32.
There are third party FAT32 drivers for NTFS, or you can use FREE NTFS Reader to copy files in DOS environment. Just make sure that your DOS supports FAT32. You can use Bootable Floppy Creator to prepare such a floppy containing DOS and NTFS Reader for DOS.

Q: Which version of NTFS is installed on my Windows XP system ?

A: The following versions are currently available:
NTFS v1.2 on Windows NT
NTFS v3.0 on Windows 2000
NTFS v3.1 on Windows XP

Q: When I use the following command “FORMAT” on a volume (Windows XP) what is really written on this volume ?

A: Clean Master File Table (MFT) containing some system records is created for the volume.

Q: I am using a 249 megabyte drive as a backup drive on my xp system. I have it formatted in NTFS and compressed, yet the size of the drive is still the same as before I compressed it. Why?

A: Actual disk size cannot be changed. By applying compressed attribute for the volume you just ordered operating system to try to compress any object that will be placed there.
If object that is placed onto the volume can be compressed, operating system compresses it and it takes less space on the drive than uncompressed one. Thus more free space is left on the drive for other data.

Q: The files I place on the compressed drive are only compressed from 1.15MB to 1.14 MB , is it normal this should be only 100kb of compression per MB?

A: Compression on NTFS uses modified LZ77 algorithm. It is very fast but not always effective.
If works pretty well for the files/documents containing a number of repeating sequences of symbols. Example of such files types: text files, RTF, BMP, HTML files, etc…
For other file types, such as binaries, GIF, JPG, ZIP files, etc. this compression algorithm is not useful so that these files might not be compressed at all.

Q: Could I read file from my pc running windows XP with NTFS5 file system, from a machine under windows 95 on the same network?

A: Surely you can do it, if you configure Networking properly, i.e. create Network Share on WinXP for the folder where file is located and assign proper access rights to the share.
After performing these procedures if you can lookup WinXP machine across the Network you’ll be able to see this network share from Windows 95 and access files inside.

Q: Which is better? NTFS or NTFS5?

A: As for advances in technologies the latest versions are usually better than previous ones.
In addition to all NTFS features, NTFS5 has support for Encryption, Disk Quotas, Sparse Files, Reparse Points, Volume Mount Points.

Data Storage

Which Backup Media Should You Use?

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago13 years ago04 mins

Using external hard drives for data backups

For small businesses, buying and using an external hard drive for data backups is the method I recommend. External hard drives are cheap compared to tape drive systems ; you can get one for several hundred dollars. They’re also easy to use; in many cases, all you have to do is plug the hard drive into your computer’s USB port. And while hard drives do fail, their failure rate is much lower than that of backup media such as CDs.

Using CD-Roms as data backups
Using CD-Roms as data backups is popular. Blank CDs are inexpensive, and copying data onto CDs is easy. However, this is the most unreliable method of all the data backup methods listed here. Who hasn’t had the experience of putting a CD into a drive only to find that the data is unreadable and the disk “doesn’t work”? CDs, like the floppy disks they’ve replaced, have a limited shelf life. I don’t recommend this method of data backup for any small business. If you are writing your data backup files onto CDs, make sure that you make (and keep) multiple copies over time.

Using tapes as data backups
Tape backups are ten thousand times as reliable as CD-Roms, but tape drives and their associated media are much more expensive than CD-Rom writers and CDs. A good tape drive can still cost over $1000, and individual tapes for the drive can cost up to $40 each. If you can afford the equipment, however, tape backup is far and away the best backup method.

Using Online backup services as data backups
There are many companies offering online backup services, but I can’t recommend this method. Besides the potential of bandwidth problems, there are just too many security issues that have yet to be dealt with. Firstly, the method is only as reliable as the company offering the online backup service, and Internet service companies have been coming and going faster than the common cold lately. Secondly, if your business data is sensitive, (and whose isn’t?), why would you want to put it on the ‘Net?

Data Recovery

Best AntiVirus Software (7): Eset Nod32 Antivirus V.4.0

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago3 years ago03 mins

Antivirus protection is spelled “NOD32.” Built on the award-winning ThreatSense engine, ESET NOD32 Antivirus software proactively detects and eliminates more viruses, trojans, worms, adware, spyware, phishing, rootkits and other Internet threats than any program available. No matter what your system, there is no better antivirus protection. ESET NOD32 Antivirus was awarded the “BEST Antivirus Solution” in 2007 and 2008 by AV-Comparatives.

Eset Nod32 Antivirus V4.0 Features:

Smarter Scanner – Threats don’t always enter your network in ways you expect. ESET NOD32 Antivirus inspects SSL-encrypted communication channels like HTTPS and POP3S and intelligently scans compressed files to find hidden threats other products miss. Proactive protection begins at the earliest point in system startup to ensure your computer is always secure.
Clean and Safe Email – Email scanning for Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, Windows Mail, and other POP3/IMAP mail clients, ensuring your email is free of viruses and other threats.
Removable Media Security – Threats can enter your PC from removable media such as USB thumb drives. For self-running media, ESET NOD32 Antivirus scans autorun.inf and associated files when the medium is inserted, in addition to scanning any file on any removable device when it is accessed, or during a full-scan of the media. Power users can adjust ESET NOD32 Antivirus to perform additional levels of scanning on removable media.
System Tools – ESET SysInspector and ESET SysRescue simplify diagnosing and cleaning of infected systems by allowing deep scans of system processes to find hidden threats, and creating bootable rescue CD/DVD or USB drives to help you repair an infected computer.
Self Defense – ESET NOD32 Antivirus has built-in technology to prevent malicious software from corrupting or disabling it, so you can rest assured your system is always protected.

By: Navarre
Platform: Windows 2000 XP/Vista
Version: 4.0/3 User
Official Price: $69.99

Data Recovery

Best AntiVirus Software (8): Trend Micro Antivirus & Antispyware 2010

DATARECOVERYUNION.COM16 years ago5 years ago02 mins

Trend Micro AntiVirus & AntiSpyware is the essential security you need so you can email and share files with confidence. You can rest easy knowing you have ongoing, easy-to-use protection against the latest malicious viruses, worms, Trojan horse programs, and spyware.

Trend Micro AntiVirus & AntiSypware Features:

Trend Micro AntiVirus + AntiSpyware provides ongoing, easy-to-use protection against the latest malicious viruses, worms, Trojan horse programs, and spyware
Powerful anti-spyware technology guards your personal information and privacy against spyware, rootkits, and other malicious software
Improved security policies find and stop unwanted attempts to change your operating system and critical software
Automatic updates immunize you against new computer virus outbreaks for the full duration of your subscription
Get FREE phone, email, and online chat support with your annual subscription

By: Trene Micro, Inc.

Platform: Windows XP/Vista

Version: 2010

Official Price: $39.95

Amazon.com Price: $35.99 (You saved $3.96)

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