If the hard drive of a desktop computer is reformatted once, is it still possible to retrive deleted files?

Question

I use an old model desktop computer at home. Once an email account that had a very senstive email got de-actiuvated. That particular mail had been opened several times on that computer.
I was reading in a Ludlum thriller that there are methods by which everything that has ever been done on a computer can be retrieve from the hard drive, even the deleted files. The problem is that due ti virus infection this computer was once sent for cleaning or reformatting or whatever it is called. So, can the email still be retrieved?

Answer 1

http://www.cortlandpc.com has an article about this. Hope this helps

Answer 2

Definitely YES.



A hard drive contains a File Allocation Table which contains map of all of the file locations on the drive.



Deleting a file removes its entry in the File Allocation Table and marks the area where it is located on the drive as free space. The data still exists on the drive until it is overwritten by another file.



Reformatting a drive only clears all entries from the File Allocation Table, all of the data still exists on the drive.



Anyone handy with using a disk editor can recover this information from the drive



The safest way to securely remove the data is by using a disk wiping utility. These utilities write random characters in several passes, completely overwriting all portions of the hard drive



I use Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) when ever I need to dispose of a PC or hard drive. I use the DoD wipe with 3 passes. Very unlikely someone can recover anything off of a drive wiped this way.



By the way, the military doesn't simply reformat a drive a few times and call it good enough. They either use a secure wipe utility or destroy the drive by cutting it up. Sometimes they do both.



DBAN is free. No Spy-ware or Ad-ware.

Answer 3

Maybe. There are 2 kind of formatting, quick format takes only a few minutes and gives the impression that the drive is clean but actually still leaves all files retrievable on disk. A full format probably takes half an hour and deletes files so that they are harder to recover.



Overwriting files several times is the best way to render them impossible to recover and there are some security erase programs which do this.

Answer 4

Generally it is not feasible. You may have to go to an expert for this. I can give you a link that deals with hard drive problems.

Some drive problems can be easily fixed by yourself using easily available tools. I found the info at http://fixit.in useful. Try this site, if you can get what is required

Answer 5

format it seven times at least heck do it ten just to be sure the government does it seven