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hard drive issue pls help....

post #1 of 9
7/28/06 at 2:28am
Thread Starter 
hi there i have a question on how to wipe everything clean on the harddrive and start all over and new on the harddrive of my laptop. i have reformatted the harddrive already and strangely the unwanted file still exist on my harddrive does anyone know the issue or what should i do please thank you in advance....
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post #2 of 9
7/28/06 at 12:59pm
What is the file?

How did you format the drive? In a different machine?
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post #3 of 9
7/28/06 at 9:37pm
Thread Starter 
dont quit know what the file is, its like spyware that just wont get formatted and im reformatting the harddrive on the same laptop....thank you much ....
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post #4 of 9
7/29/06 at 12:07am
I am confused. If you are reformatting, are you reinstalling the OS? Are you formatting a second partition? How do you that there is a file there if you don't have its name?
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post #5 of 9
7/29/06 at 3:44am
Could it be a stolen laptop and this file is actually a security tracking file used to trace stolen equipment (the kind that "phone" a server and call the cops on you? Those are the only files I know that survive a reformat.
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post #6 of 9
7/30/06 at 2:03am
Thread Starter 
no dogs i bought this laptop at circuit city 1 1/2yrs ago....imma a pc tech also and i do believe that this is just one of those harsh and bad files that get magnetically embedded to the harddrive with in return slows down the harddrive because it has something to do with spyware.(ps rick im reinstalling the os...)
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post #7 of 9
7/30/06 at 2:30am
there's no such thing as what you describe, it's simply physically impossible.

most likely it's related to one of the following: you're formatting via windows, which means the spyware/trojan/virus is just copying itself back on as soon as you wipe off, or it's on your local network in which case the same thing is happening across the wire, or it's coming over on some program or application you install after you've wiped the drive and put the OS back on.

to really do a nice format, do it via DOS with a DOS boot disk, or do it from a Linux machine that's known to be clean. I had a friend with a trojan on a BACKUP PARTITION of his disk. He was only formatting the O/S partition. Not sufficient. you have to wipe everything, including destroying the partitions.

good luck
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post #8 of 9
8/8/06 at 5:27am
Thread Starter 
thank you vega im gonna have to try that.....
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post #9 of 9
8/8/06 at 8:39am
On IDE drives there is an instruction partition that reserves some disk space for drive instructions. That partition is accessabe through the controller card on the drive rather than on the system like in the MFM/RLL days. If you do a low-level format on an IDE drive (debug g:=c800 {trying to remember the old command}) it will ruin the drive, however, IDE manufacturers usually have an IDE low-level format utility on their sites. That will wipe out the entire drive and reinstall the partition and instruction set. After that I would suggest running a DOD wipe (Evidence Eliminator works well) and depending on time and paranoia, you can wipe up to 12 times for a really fresh and clean smelling drive. Although I am not aware of a virus or malicious program that effects the instruction partition, I suppose anything is possible.
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