The platters and actuator heads of a hard drive.

If you’ve found this page, you’re probably running CHKDSK, Microsoft’s built-in utility for hard disk drives — and you’re wondering why it’s taking forever to complete. 

First, a quick reminder: CHKDSK isn’t a data recovery utility. It can scan your hard drive for file system errors and repair those errors, which can improve hard drive performance and, in some cases, address minor data corruption. 

However, it cannot fix a “broken” hard drive. If your HDD has physical issues, you should not run CHKDSK or any other software, as doing so can lead to permanent data loss.

With that in mind, let’s look at a few reasons why CHKDSK may take an extremely long time to run. 

Your hard drive’s size and speed might affect the time needed for CHKDSK operations

CHKDSK works by scanning the file system, a logical structure that your operating system uses to organize files on the HDD (or SSD, but you don’t need to run CHKDSK on solid-state media). 

As part of this process, CHKDSK will typically try to locate bad sectors — physical areas on the hard drive that cannot be used for data storage. 

That means that a full scan with CHKDSK will take more time if:

• Your hard drive is extremely large.
• Your hard drive has a slow rotational speed (anything under 7,200 RPM is considered slow by current standards). 
• Your hard drive is operating slowly for another reason. 

Of these issues, the third is the only one that’s a real problem. If you’re running CHKDSK because your hard drive has already shown performance issues, a slow scan might indicate an impending read/write head failure, a spindle issue, or another serious concern.

You don’t need to worry about a long CHKDSK operation if you’ve got a 10-terabyte hard drive, or if you’re running the utility on an old drive with a 4,800 RPM speed. 

Related: Don’t Use CHKDSK On a Failing Hard Drive

If CHKDSK is taking “forever,” your HDD may be seriously damaged.

When a drive is failing, any intensive file utility can exacerbate the damage. This is one of the reasons that we recommend against running CHKDSK; the utility can make data recovery much more difficult. Occasionally, it can cause permanent data loss by overwriting important components of the file system with bad data. 

You can avoid this by running CHKDSK with the /F parameter, which checks for disk errors without checking for bad sectors. This also drastically cuts down on the time needed for the scan to complete.

If CHKDSK is taking too long, can I just shut my computer down?

We don’t recommend it. Interrupting CHKDSK could cause data corruption, which may render your drive unusable (until a qualified data recovery company addresses the underlying issue). 

So, what should you do? Unfortunately, there are too many potential factors at play for a quick, simple answer. We recommend contacting a professional data recovery provider; be prepared to explain any symptoms that preceded the issue and basic information about your hard drive (brand, model, and size). 

Our experts can help you find a solution that avoids accidental data loss. Datarecovery.com provides risk-free media evaluations — and we’re happy to discuss your case over the phone to determine whether you can interrupt CHKDSK without damaging your drive. 

If you need data recovery, we support all of our hard drive services with a no data, no charge guarantee: If we’re unable to recover the files you need, there’s no charge for the attempt.

To get started, call 1-800-237-4200 or submit a case online.

The post Why Does CHKDSK Take So Long to Run? appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

The main competitors:

• Intel
• AMD

The last-minute addition:

• Apple

But before we crown the winner, we need to go back to the starting line.

Intel: The Favorite to Win the Race

Intel created the first commercial microprocessor (the 4004) back in ’71 and introduced an 8-bit microprocessor (the 8008) a year later [1]. By the mid-’70s, most printers, cash registers, and terminals used Intel microprocessors like the 8080, which became the blueprint for subsequent designs. The company has pretty much dominated the CPU market ever since.

Intel had little competition in the ’70s. Panafacom — a company formed by Fujitsu, Panasonic, and Fuji Electric — introduced a commercial 16-bit microprocessor called the MN1610 in ’75 [2]. But there was little else that broke into the mainstream.

Intel continued its reign into the ’80s and ’90s. Sure, other companies joined the CPU race — Motorola in ’85 with the 32-bit 68020+68851; ARM in ’85; and Hitachi in ’92 — but Intel became synonymous with processors. It introduced the 80286 in ’82; the 32-bit 80386 in ’85; and the original Pentium microprocessor in ’93. (This was the first processor with the now-famous x86 “superscalar” micro-architecture.)

Intel had few competitors. But this was about to change.

AMD(American Micro Devices) Joins the CPU Race

AMD introduced x86-64 extension to the popular x86 micro-architecture in 2000. Just a year later, AMD released the Athlon (with 1 GHz!) Two years after this, AMD introduced the Athlon 64 — the world’s first 64-bit consumer CPU [3].

AMD was coming for Intel’s throne. AMD technologies proved popular and established the company as a genuine rival to Intel, which hit back with the Pentium 4, one of its most iconic models.

Intel released subsequent models under the Pentium brand name — the Pentium M in 2000 and the Pentium D in 2006 — then vPro in 2007 and the Core i-Series and Atom in 2008. The company moved to the new Platform Controller Hub (PCH) design in 2010, eliminating its famous Northbridge chip.

Intel vs. AMD 

Over the last decade, Intel and AMD have raced neck and neck. The biggest developments? Intel released its Core i3, i5, and i7 processors in 2010, while AMD released the first 8-core CPU for desktops and Ryzen processors based on Zen architecture in 2011 and 2017, respectively.

For the last 10 years or so, Intel chips tend to rank better when it comes to performance per core [4], but AMD offers more “cores” for money and advanced onboard graphics. Value-for-money is around the same. We think both companies make great laptop processors. However, AMD scores better on desktop CPUs. Our honest opinion: Intel’s products have lost their edge over the last few years, while AMD continues to innovate.

Could Apple Win the CPU Race?

Earlier this year, Apple shocked the tech sector by entering the CPU race [5]. It will create its own processors for MacBooks (based on ARM architecture). Welcome to Apple Silicon. Of course, Apple has used Intel products for years, so this development came as a shock to many of us in the industry.

We welcome this news. Apple has created strong CPUs for iPhones and iPads for a while now, and market diversity is always good.

The Winner

Intel has long been the CPU market leader, but things are changing. AMD continues to create strong products, and Apple has joined the race. But which product should you choose? It depends on various factors like device (desktop or laptop?), function (gaming or business?), and price.

There’s a lot of choices out there nowadays and, as Apple proves, there’s much more to CPUs than just Intel!

_Sources:

_{[1] http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/busicom_141-pf_and_intel_4004.html}

_{[2] http://www.cpu-museum.com/161x_e.htm}

_{[3] http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K8/TYPE-Athlon%2064.html}

_{[4] https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/amd-vs-intel/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20both%20companies%20produce%20processors,price%20and%20better%20onboard%20graphics.}

_{[5] https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/four-reasons-why-apple-is-right-to-snub-intel-and-amd-4038431}

The post The CPU Race: Who’s Ahead — and Why? appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

Occasionally, Windows users will accidentally select the wrong storage device when using the Media Creation Tool — and if you’ve made that mistake, take a deep breath. While the Media Creation Tool overwrites some data, the chances of a successful data recovery are fairly high. 

Before taking any additional steps, disconnect the affected device from your system. Leave it powered off. Operating the flash drive (or other storage device) will raise the risk of permanent data loss. 

In particular, you should not reformat the drive, delete files, edit the partition table, or create new partitions. In other words: Don’t panic. 

What happens when I reformat a drive with the Windows Media Creation Tool? 

The creation tool reformats your device, then writes the files needed to install Windows. If you interrupt the process before it completes (by canceling or simply ejecting the storage media), or if your storage device has a large capacity, it’s highly likely that your files are at least partially recoverable — but the next steps are crucial. 

Professional data recovery providers will proceed by cloning your device (making an exact copy), then running appropriate data recovery processes. This involves specialized software that can identify the original file system despite the presence of the new partition created by the Windows Media Creation Tool. 

If the recovered files are badly corrupted, they may attempt additional repairs. After verifying the success of the recovery, they can transfer the files back to you on the return media of your choice (or through a secure internet download). 

Generally, data recovery for reformatted devices is less expensive than other types of data recovery services — for example, hard drives with failed actuator heads. The services are fairly straightforward as long as you stop using the device right away. The more you use the device, the lower the chances of a successful case result (and the higher the potential cost). 

If the data isn’t important enough to justify professional data recovery, you may be able to restore your files by cloning your media and using appropriate software tools. Here’s an overview of that process.

Only use data recovery software if you’re comfortable with the risks.

One more warning: If you decide to use data recovery software, make sure you understand the risks. You generally have one chance to recover the data, and if you make a mistake, you may overwrite your files permanently. We strongly recommend working from a clone of your original media (learn how to create a clone with ddrescue here). 

Research data recovery software carefully. While we do not recommend specific software (for good reasons), you can search through the /r/datarecoverysoftware subreddit to find reviews of different applications. 

Keep these tips in mind:

• Clone your device before using (or even installing) software. 
• When using software, make sure you’re restoring the files to another storage device — not the target device that contains the lost data. 
• Research carefully, particularly if you’re paying for software. If a program shows a “preview” with the names of recoverable files, don’t assume that the files will be fully recoverable or usable — if the files have been partially overwritten, corruption will occur.

Remember, if the data is important, the best practice is to trust a reputable data recovery provider. Look for a company that operates real laboratories at each location and ask about their credentials.

Related: Before Using Data Recovery Software, Read This

Data Recovery Services from Datarecovery.com

With full support for every type of storage device, file system, and operating system, Datarecovery.com provides comprehensive solutions for data loss disasters. 

We provide risk-free evaluations for reformatted hard drives, solid-state drives, flash drives, and other devices. All cases are supported by our no data, no charge guarantee: If your target files aren’t recoverable, you don’t pay for the attempt. 

To learn more, call 1-800-237-4200 to speak with an expert or schedule a risk-free evaluation online.

The post Data Recovery After Selecting Wrong Drive in Windows Media Creation Tool appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) have a number of advantages over hard disk drives (HDDs): They’re faster, they consume less electricity, and they’re a more practical option in a wide range of operating conditions. Recently, Microsoft reportedly pressured manufacturers to avoid using HDDs as boot media, citing the advantages (and potential performance improvements) of SSD. 

With that said, SSDs aren’t perfect — like any storage medium, they’re susceptible to data loss.

They may also have a much higher impact on the environment than traditional magnetic storage media. A recent study (PDF) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of British Columbia questions the long-standing assumption that SSDs have a lower carbon footprint than HDDs.

SSDs consume less energy, but require more greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing.

According to the study, SSDs have the highest emissions of any component in home and server computer systems — twice that of HDDs. 

Why? For starters, SSDs have an operating lifespan that roughly aligns with that of a standard HDD (5-8 years, on average). They also generally have a lower capacity, and as a result, many computer owners operate multiple SSDs. 

But the high environmental cost of SSDs is primarily due to the manufacturing process. Solid-state media uses NAND and DRAM flash memory, which require state-of-the-art silicon manufacturing techniques. Those techniques require a lot of energy, most of which comes from coal and other less-than-sustainable fuels.

Over time, SSDs may become a more sustainable option.

If you’re clutching your SSD and hoping for good news, we’ve got some: The study notes that as SSDs scale in capacity and attain higher operating lifespans, their carbon footprint will drop. Unlike HDDs, SSDs are fairly well-suited for recycling, as NAND chips can be re-manufactured from previously used components without serious security and privacy concerns.

Additionally, the study was limited in its approach. The authors focused on high workload applications, and it made assumptions about the energy sources (such as coal) used in semiconductor manufacturing. We don’t have much data on whether that’s truly the case — in many countries, manufacturers don’t publicize this information.

Given that SSDs consume much, much less electricity while operating, they may currently have a lower carbon footprint than HDDs in typical home computing applications. 

Don’t panic — using an SSD in your home computer won’t ruin the environment.

Eco-minded consumers shouldn’t read too much into the results of a single study. As sustainability becomes a more crucial concern among storage media manufacturers — and given the increasing number of international laws reinforcing sustainable practices, that’s likely to be the case — SSDs are well-positioned to improve their carbon footprint.

In the meantime, you can reduce your personal footprint with one simple practice: Turn your computer off when you aren’t using it.

If you’ve lost data from an SSD or HDD, we’re here to help. Datarecovery.com offers free media evaluations, and every case features a no data, no charge guarantee. Submit a case online to get started or call us at 1-800-237-4200.

The post Are Solid-State Drives Worse for the Environment Than Hard Drives?  appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

Crypto hacks certainly aren’t new, and blockchain bridges are frequent targets. In June, Harmony’s Horizon bridge lost approximately $100 million in various cryptocurrencies. 

However, the Nomad hack is notable because of — ironically — its decentralization. Hundreds of people may have participated in the attack, which wasn’t coordinated or planned; new hackers simply copied the exploit of the first hacker (who made off with $2.3 million, per a report from CoinTelegraph).

Gizmodo reports that a routine upgrade allowed hackers to skip verification messages included in the bridge’s initialization process. Anyone with knowledge of the exploit was able to remove crypto from the Nomad system — and some bad actors immediately drained millions from the accounts of other users. 

We are aware of the incident involving the Nomad token bridge. We are currently investigating and will provide updates when we have them.

— Nomad (⤭) (@nomadxyz_) August 1, 2022

Within about four hours, Nomad’s resources were nearly depleted. One analyst referred to the attack as “the first decentralized crowd-looting of a 9-figure bridge in history.”

From $190,740,000 to $1,794 in hours

But it wasn't a flashloan, or even carried out by a single group

After an initial attacker struck, hundreds of separate accounts figured out the trick and copypasta-ed their way into grabbing stolen funds pic.twitter.com/ef0A9djdnf

— foobar (@0xfoobar) August 2, 2022

Nomad joins a growing list of major crypto hacks.

While crypto markets have fallen in value over the past several months, they still store enormous assets — and when an exchange or bridge has a security vulnerability, bad actors will take advantage. 

At time of publication, Nomad hasn’t announced specific plans to reimburse victims. However, the company has said that they’re working behind the scenes to “coordinate the return of funds.”

“We are working around the clock to address the situation and have notified law enforcement and retained leading firms for blockchain intelligence and forensics,” the startup wrote on Twitter. “Our goal is to identify the accounts involved and to trace and recover the funds.”

“Thank you to our many white hat friends who acted proactively and are safeguarding funds. Please continue to hold them until we provide further instructions on this thread.”

Generally, when crypto assets are lost to hackers, they’re gone for good. We offer cryptocurrency recovery services for every type of asset, but our service is limited to situations in which a hard copy of the user’s wallet exists — or the user knows some of the words from their seed phrase.

We urge crypto investors to exercise caution when storing assets on bridges and online cryptocurrency platforms. To learn more about our cryptocurrency recovery services, contact us at 1-800-237-4200 or submit a case online.

The post Crypto Bridge Nomad Loses $200 Million in Alleged Hack appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

For decades, analog formats like Betacam and U-Matic were standard, and even after the introduction of Digital Betacam (DigiBeta), many broadcasters maintained their video archives in legacy analog formats.

Broadcast Video Formats: A Brief Timeline

Professional broadcasters have archived content on videotapes for more than 70 years. Here’s a quick overview of major innovations.

1951-1956: Bing Crosby Introduces the First Videotape Recordings

Yes, that Bing Crosby. The singer was one of the first to recognize the potential of audio recordings, which he used to pre-record his radio shows for later broadcast.

In 1951, his company, Bing Crosby Enterprises (BCE), introduced a video recording device based on a modified quarter-inch Ampex tape recorder. This early technology did not record at a suitable quality for television broadcasts, but it spurred innovation in the industry.

Four years later, Ampex introduced a 2″ black-and-white quadruplex video deck at the 1956 National Association of Broadcasters. The Quadruplex (or Quad) was the first commercial videotape format, utilizing four recording and playback heads at relatively slow speeds. Quadruplex remained a standard until the 1980s, but helical-scan formats eventually made it obsolete.

1954-1970: The Growth of Helical Scan Recording

The Ampex Quadruplex used four heads, which combined the segments of the signal into a single video image (hence the name, Quadruplex). This was an excellent innovation for black-and-white video recording, but as color video became standard, the limitations of the technology became evident. Color distortion was common, and “joints” appeared between the signals recorded by different heads.

In 1954, Dr. Kenichi Sawazaki developed helical scan recording, which uses a single head to write on a diagonal track on a 2-inch tape. Toshiba introduced the first helical scan prototype in 1959, which had a significantly lower manufacturing cost than the Quadruplex. However, the Quadruplex remained a standard for years until helical scan tapes became a less expensive, higher quality recording solution. 

1971: The Sony U-Matic VCR

While Sony’s U-matic was intended for consumer markets, the ¾-inch format introduced a number of practical features that immediately appealed to broadcasters. Most importantly: Compared with other broadcast-quality formats, it was relatively cheap. 

U-matic was also one of the first formats to use a cassette rather than a reel-to-reel design, which made it ideal for field recordings. In the 1980s, Sony introduced Broadcast Video U-Matic (BCU), which allowed for high-band recording. 

U-Matic was popular for digital and audio archival work, but another Sony format provided superior editing capabilities at a lower price point. 

Related: Can You Transfer U-Matic to Digital Video Formats?

1982: Betacam Becomes a Standard

Sony’s Betacam was an analog component video format that utilized ferric-oxide tape, similar to the consumer Betamax format. 

However, Betacam was intended for professionals and provided a much higher quality output than consumer Betamax. One of the major draws: Sony’s Betacam decks, which provided professionals with much more control during the editing process.

Betacam wasn’t a high-quality videocassette format compared to other options at the time, but it was inexpensive (and if you’re reading this timeline closely, you’ll understand that cost is a major factor for broadcasters).

In 1986, Sony introduced Betacam Superior Quality (Betacam SP), which had an improved horizontal resolution of 340 lines. Today, many video archives still use Betacam SP (although as we’ve noted in other articles, analog formats don’t last forever — and if your organization maintains a large quantity of Betacam or Betacam SP tapes, it’s time to upgrade to digital). 

1993: Digital Betacam and Betacam SX

Digital video has enormous advantages over analog, but until the early 1990s, it wasn’t a practical option for broadcasters, educators, and other professional applications.

That changed with Digital Betacam. With a recording time of up to 124 minutes, DigiBeta recorded with 10-bit YUV 4:2:2 sampling, which provided excellent color reproduction. 

Three years later, Betacam SX, a less expensive version of DigiBeta, hit the market — but the original DigiBeta had become the go-to standard. 

2001: Betacam SP is Discontinued

By the early 2000s, the market for BetaSP had effectively vanished. While many broadcasters maintained (and continue to maintain) archives of BetaSP, original Betacam, and earlier formats, few were using them for day-to-day recording.

Sony discontinued the BetaSP format in 2001, then announced the depletion of their stock of legacy equipment in 2005. 

Related: The History of Sony Betacam SP

Digitize Your Broadcast Videos with Datarecovery.com

If your organization needs to digitize an archive of Betacam, U-Matic, Betacam SP, DigiBeta, or other formats, Datarecovery.com can help. With an expansive library of tape decks, video repair laboratories with certified cleanrooms, and industry-leading technology, we provide flexible resources for at-scale video digitization. 

For every case, we create a proprietary content management system, enabling professionals to find films based on media type, audio content (through automated transcription), video origin, or other criteria. Learn more about our Digital Content Management System or call us at 1-800-237-4200 for a free quote.

The post A Brief History of Broadcast Video Formats appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

Two people were rescued from this parking lot in Brentwood #StLouis
Check out how high the water is on that stop sign pic.twitter.com/1RbyjL9bPY

— Julia Avery (@JuliaAveryTV) July 26, 2022

Other facts about the floods:

• At least one person died in their car during the flooding, which submerged some vehicles in low-lying areas. 
• The Frontier Park pedestrian bridge in St. Charles, Missouri collapsed from erosion related to the flooding.
• In Brentwood, reports indicate that families were forced to swim from their homes to escape floodwater.
• About 100 people were reportedly trapped in an apartment complex in Hazelwood, Missouri. As of time of publication, rescue efforts are underway.
• While the rainfall has subsided as of 4:00 CDT Tuesday, additional storms are expected over the coming days. 

On Tuesday, St. Louis County executive Sam Page declared a state of emergency, which will allow Missouri to request federal funding for relief efforts. However, the metropolitan area will be dealing with the effects of the rainfall for weeks — and many homeowners and small business owners are waking up to extensive flood damage.

Historic amounts of rainfall slam #StLouis with flash flooding on Tuesday. Stay tuned for the latest by @stlpublicradio's @kgrumke, @petit_smudge and the team: https://t.co/XxabhCTtzO #stlwx pic.twitter.com/637I4m4tBp

— Brian Munoz (@brianmmunoz) July 26, 2022

Record Flooding Causes Data Loss for St. Louis Residents and Businesses

Datarecovery.com operates a laboratory in Edwardsville, Illinois, part of the St. Louis metropolitan region. While our office was not impacted by the flooding, we’ve already received an influx of flood-damaged storage media — including hard drives, servers, and personal laptops.

A chart from the Weather Service showing water levels rising to 23.43 feet in St. Peters, Missouri.

To help our neighbors recover from the unprecedented weather, we’re offering a 20% discount on services for all flood-damaged media. We’re also providing free evaluations for these cases to provide flood victims with a risk-free, local option. Get started by submitting a case online or calling our team at 1-800-237-4200.

Data Recovery Tips for Flood-Damaged Hard Drives and SSDs

If you’ve lost data due to a flood, keep the device powered off. If the device is on, disconnect the power as soon as possible. 

Exercise extreme caution when unplugging water-damaged devices. Turn off the electricity at the breaker box before handling electrical cords. If you cannot access the breaker box, or if the breaker box is in an area with standing water, contact your utility company.

To maximize your chances of successful data recovery, follow these tips:

• Do not attempt to dry your computer, smartphone, or other device. While “the rice trick” can work for devices submerged in clean water, floodwater is full of contaminants that can impact electronics after the water evaporates. 
• Place hard drives and other storage media into a plastic bag. Once again, do not attempt to dry the device; do not add more water to the bag.
• Never attempt to open a hard drive or solid-state drive. Hard drives, in particular, require extreme mechanical precision to operate. Opening a hard drive outside of a certified cleanroom can cause permanent data loss.
• Contact a professional data recovery provider as soon as possible. Put simply, floodwater and electronics don’t mix. Engineers will need to clean components before corrosion causes data loss. The longer you wait, the lower the chances of a complete recovery.

In most cases, flood-damaged media is completely recoverable, provided that devices are treated within 48 hours of submersion. Past that point, recovery may still be likely, depending on the type of media, the extent of corrosion, and various other factors.

Our Edwardsville laboratory is fully outfitted to handle water-damaged storage media. All cases begin with a free media evaluation: Engineers will safely clean your device, assess the damage, and provide a risk-free quote. 

If you need to recover data from a server, hard drive, or from any other flood-damaged device, we’re ready to help. Call 1-800-237-4200 to speak with our team or submit a case online.

The post Historic Rainfall Hits St. Louis: How to Protect Data from Flood Damage appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

Physical media destruction is always an option, but if you’re not willing to disassemble your hard drive and drill holes through the platters, file deletion software (or “file shredders”) are the next-best option. They’re effective, easy to use, and much safer than the aforementioned drilling method (to be clear, we’d put down the drill, since hard drive platters can break into sharp fragments). 

On many operating systems, deleted files are fully recoverable

Of course, every operating system has “file deletion” software; on Windows, for example, you’ve got the Recycle Bin. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending on your perspective — OS tools don’t always overwrite data. 

Hard drives store data on platters, which are coated with a thin magnetic material. To actually delete a file, you’d need to change all of the magnetic charges associated with that file. 

But in most cases, that’s unnecessary. Writing data (i.e., changing the magnetic charges) consumes energy and takes time. The hard drive’s actuator heads must visit every sector of the file, which causes mechanical stress and limits the computer’s processing power until the operation is complete.

If you’re deleting a 2-gigabyte application, it doesn’t make sense to spend resources overwriting every bit of data — instead, the operating system will simply mark the space that the data occupied as “deleted,” then use that space when it needs to execute another write operation.

To put that another way, deleting a file doesn’t actually delete anything. You’re simply putting a “VACANT” sign on the file’s address. Note that this is only true for magnetic media — solid state drives (SSDs) don’t use magnetic charges to store data, and deleting a file from an SSD will immediately destroy the target file.

How File Deletion Software Works

File deletion software actually goes through the process of changing the magnetic charges on the hard drive’s platters. It’s an intensive process, and it works — provided you’ve selected a decent application for the task. 

Many “file shredder” tools go even further, writing random 1s and 0s to the space occupied by the target file. Some tools follow the Department of Defense’s (DoD) standards, overwriting the target area up to 7 times to completely annihilate the data.

But do they work? Yes — data recovery technicians have theorized that a single overwrite (or one pass deletion) could be recovered, but multiple overwrites eliminate any magnetic artifacts that would allow file recovery. Even with a single pass, data recovery is extremely unlikely, especially for larger files.

Even so, we do not officially recommend any file shredder applications, and we don’t use them frequently in our laboratories. Why? Put simply, software (and users) aren’t perfect. When we need to eliminate sensitive data, we usually degauss the hard drive by using powerful electromagnetic fields. 

If we need to destroy a single file while keeping the media intact, we use proprietary tools built to meet DoD/NIST standards. We don’t use commercial software for secure file deletion.

With that said, several free file shredders are ideal for private use. We’re listing them below, but this isn’t an official endorsement; research data security applications carefully before using them.

• Eraser – This simple application supports 10 data sanitization protocols, and it’s available for most Windows operating systems.
• WipeFile – WipeFile works similarly to Eraser, but it has several features that may appeal to power users, including options for creating log files.
• Secure Eraser – Secure Suite is a data sanitization tool and registry cleaner. It supports several sanitization protocols, including DoD 52220.22-M.
  

Before using any file deletion software, read the instructions. Make sure you have a backup of all important files — even if you’re not targeting them with the file shredder — and understand that “shredding” a file is permanent.

If you’ve lost data due to file deletion, Datarecovery.com can help. 

With no-risk quotes and a no data, no charge guarantee, we provide reliable resources for recovering from any data failure scenario. 

Contact us at 1-800-237-4200 or submit a case online to schedule a free evaluation.

The post Do “File Shredder” Programs Really Work? appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

Below, we’ll look at a few examples of how mobile ransomware works. We’ll also provide tips for preventing malware from endangering your data.

Can ransomware infect an iPhone or Android phone?

To date, all mobile ransomware has targeted Android devices.  iOS devices like iPhones are highly resistant to malware, but malicious users have exploited vulnerabilities to trick users into believing that their devices were infected with ransomware.

While Android mobile operating systems include safeguards to protect against malicious software, those protections have limits, particularly when attackers use social engineering to trick users into downloading files.

Notable recent incidents:

• In 2014, the Koler “police” ransomware began to spread using pornographic networks. Android users are tricked into downloading a fake .apk file, which encrypts files and demands a ransom of $100-$300. By some estimates, Koler has infected more than 200,000 Android devices.

• Doublelocker is a Trojan that infects Android devices, changing their PINs and encrypting data to prevent access. It is typically distributed as a fake Adobe Flash Player. Victims are tricked into providing the malware with administrator rights and permissions.

• AndroidOS/MalLocker.B uses social engineering to lure victims into installing fake versions of games or popular apps. Instead of encrypting files, this ransomware family prevents the user from accessing their device by forcing a ransom note onto every screen.

To protect your phone from ransomware, follow these steps.

Cybercriminals use sophisticated methods to install malware and extort users. If you store important data on your phone (and realistically, that’s true for nearly every smartphone user), you’ll need to protect yourself. Some quick steps to keep your device secure:

1. Back up your data.

The best practice is to maintain at least three copies of every important file. However, even a single backup will provide enormous protection — provided that your backup isn’t prone to infection.

Here’s a guide from Google for backing up data manually on an Android device. For Apple iPhones and iPads, this guide explains the process for using iCloud. In addition to cloud backups, consider copying important data (such as pictures, videos, and contacts) to your PC or Mac on a regular basis.

2. Don’t install apps unless you can verify the source.

Most Android ransomware variants infect devices by posing as free games, utilities, or video players. By default, the Android operating system blocks users from installing .apk files from unknown sources, but users can disable this protection.

The safest course of action: Never download an .apk file through your phone’s web browser, and never open email attachments if you’re not completely confident in the contents. Only install apps using the Google Play store or another trusted app store.

If you do need to install an .apk manually, make sure you trust the source. Check that the website has valid security certificates. After installing the app, head to Android Settings -> Biometrics and Security and change the “Install unknown apps” settings back to the default.

3. Keep your device updated.

Malware often spreads by taking advantage of security vulnerabilities within apps or the mobile operating system.

Make sure your phone updates its operating system automatically. Here’s a guide to enabling auto-updates on Android, and here’s a guide for enabling automatic updates on iOS devices.

Android users should also enable automatic updates on apps downloaded from the Google Play store.

4. If your smartphone is infected with ransomware, have a game plan.

If you believe your phone is infected with malware, take notes about any symptoms, including actions that may have led to infection (such as downloading an APK file or downloading email attachments). If your phone displays a ransom note, take a picture with another device or write down the note in its entirety.

Decryption tools exist for many common Android ransomware variants. If you have a strong working knowledge of the Android operating system, NoMoreRansom.org is a trustworthy resource for finding free decryption tools.

However, we recommend working with an experienced ransomware recovery firm to maximize your chances of a successful result. To learn more, contact our team at 1-800-237-4200 or click here to set up a case online.

The post How to Protect Your Phone from Ransomware appeared first on Datarecovery.com.

If you’ve read the headline of this article, you know the answer. However, we’ll make it as clear as possible: As of March 2022, most 2TB USB drives are scams. Currently, internet retailers are flooded with fake flash drives, and consumers need to take precautions when ordering storage media online.

Are 1TB and 2TB flash drives real?

Yes and no. While some reputable manufacturers offer USB flash drives with high capacities of 1TB or more, they’re not inexpensive. For example, Kingston’s DataTraveler Max 1TB drive costs about $180 (with free shipping). The 1TB SanDisk Ultra® Dual Drive Luxe USB Type-C Flash Drive is slightly less expensive at $114.

But neither manufacturer offers a 2TB USB flash drive for general audiences, and for good reason: High-capacity flash media is difficult to produce reliably, and most consumers don’t need to store a tremendous amount of data on a USB stick. External hard drives and solid-state drives are much better tools for transferring large amounts of data.

Over the past year, we’ve received dozens of “2TB” flash drives from consumers. In every instance, the devices fraudulently advertised their capacities.

What’s inside a 2TB USB flash drive?

With a quick search, we found 2TB flash drives listed for under $40 on Walmart, Amazon, Newegg, and eBay. To reiterate, reputable flash media manufacturers do not sell 1TB flash drives for less than $100.

We disassembled several of these storage devices (and we’re using the term “storage devices” liberally) in our laboratory. Here’s what we found.

Unsurprisingly, the drive was inexpensively made (and easy to disassemble). The NAND flash chip was generic and had no markings to indicate a capacity.

The drive’s controller is a Chipsbank CBM2199E AP35981. We believe that the “manufacturer” made modifications using widely available utilities to modify the perceived size of the flash media.

Of course, we wanted to know how the scam actually worked.

Hex editors are widely used in data recovery and computer forensics applications. When accessing the flash drive with WinHex, the total capacity seemed to exceed 1.9 terabytes. When we looked closely at the firmware, however, we found this device truly had only 32 gigabytes of storage space.

If you purchase a 2TB flash drive for $20-40, here’s what you can expect:

• Most devices include a small flash chip (from 8GB to 32GB) with minor modifications to a small amount of writable space located on the beginning of the drive.
• When accessing the drive, most operating systems will see a 2TB volume (or a 1TB volume, depending on the manufacturer’s claims). However, the actual capacity of the device is much smaller.
• If the user tries to write a larger file to the flash media, the drive will appear to function normally — but obviously, it cannot write to the sectors that don’t exist. Larger files will appear usable after the “transfer,” but when the drive is unplugged from the computer, the data will disappear.
• Because the drive is operating as intended, the user will not receive any error notifications when transferring files that exceed the drive’s actual capacity.
• Many brands offering 2TB flash drives offer some type of warranty. However, they don’t provide a warranty against data loss (and since the storage devices are functionally useless, getting a replacement drive won’t solve the consumer’s problem).

Avoid scams when buying USB flash drives

• Purchase storage media from reputable manufacturers. Look for companies that have an established history of technical achievements. Datarecovery.com does not recommend specific manufacturers, but with some quick research, you can easily determine whether a company is trustworthy.
• Don’t trust the user reviews. Scammers can manipulate ratings, even on trusted websites like Amazon and eBay. We found one “2TB” USB drive with 161 ratings. In many cases, the reviews reference a completely unrelated product.
• Never buy used data storage devices. Flash media has a limited lifespan, and used devices have fewer remaining read/write cycles. Read more about how flash media storage works.
• Avoid “too good to be true” deals. Cheap storage media is just that — cheap — and your data is valuable. While you might pay more for brand-name storage from a trusted retailer, you’ll pay less in the long run.

Finally, keep at least two backups of all important files. If a storage device fails, Datarecovery.com can help — but by developing a strong backup strategy, you can avoid a data loss disaster.

The post The 2TB Flash Drive Scam: Why “High-Capacity” Flash Drives Are Fakes appeared first on Datarecovery.com.