BIOS and Formatting?

[Beno]

Hi Every1,

BIOS is the processors programme that is first used when the power switch is turned on to load up an Op.Sys and to ask all the components if they are ok and functioning. BIOS also acts as a bridge with data flow.

This is what I am a little confused about - - - - so as I am typing this message out to you all.....is BIOS always taking the letters that I am typing and then giving them to the CPU and Keyboard Buffers to process??

Does everything I do on my comp involve BIOS all the time???

And how are BIOS and CMOS different??


Also I want to know something about formatting??
When I format my hard drive does this mean that I am wiping all the data of it and making the hard drive appear to be brand new straight of the shelf or am I just cleaning the address tables and not actually getting the data of at all.

Whats so good about formatting??
Why should I do it??

Thanks a lot

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Have a nice day

[Paleo Pete]

I think BIOS only operates until the OS takes over. The BIOS tells the machine what components are there, and checks to be sure they're OK, then the OS loads, and whatever you type gets sent from the keyboard through a circuit to the CPU, memory and video card to the screen, and sent out through the modem to the internet. That's a very loose description, but maybe it'll suffice...it's about as technical as my old hairless noggin can get. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

BIOS is essentially software, usually called firmware, loaded into a chip called CMOS or Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. It's the chip BIOS is stored in, and holds the information by means of a battery that supplies power while the computer is shut down. Parts of the BIOS are permanent, written into the CMOS chip during manufacture, and cannot be erased.

Formatting does not actually wipe all data from the drive, it rearranges the magnetic structure of the drive's physical surfaces and prepares them for use. Data can be retreived though, if one is determined enough and has the proper tools to do so, so if you want to make it unretrievable you'd have to format a dozen times or so.

Formatting is usually only done when necessary, such as immediately after installing a new drive, or before reinstalling the Operating System. It is a good thing to do when reinstalling because it removes all data, therefore it removes any corrupted data, drivers or dll's that may have been causing problems with the OS. Reinstalling without formatting often brings old problems along, and does not remove unused files and unnecessary clutter.

Now watch someone come along and tell me I'm way out in left field... http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Seriously, if I did get something wrong, feel free to correct me...I'm not positive about how formatting works anyway, just have a general idea...

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
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[xor_chad]

Hey
Ok. Formatting was the topic of the very first post i made.
I have gotten no definitive response on this subject.
So untill someone tells me otherwise and give undeniable proof, this what i believe.

High Level (OS level) Formatting on a Hard Drive only prepares the HDD for the OS, as you said. Mostly it is writing the FAT and etc.

Low Level formatting actually creates the sectors(not done anymore due to ZBRecording).

If you want to REALLY wipe the data, what you to do is actually write over the data with something else; wether that be the '%' symbol or straight 0's.

What happens is that the magnetic flux (n-s or s-n) is set again.
It is common that ppl claim that this data is recoverable, so multiple writes are done. To me this is absoutly absurd.

It is a magnetic flux, period. When it changes, it is CHANGED. You cant tell if it used to be S-N or N-S, and if you could then how would you know when and to what file it was previously associated with.

This is my spill and i may be entirely wrong. Besides i just like following up to petes "Now watch someone come along and tell me I'm way out in left field... " http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif
Laters...

ps
I am very very welcome to anyone proving me wrong.
I would love to settle this once and for all.

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Chad Wilson
C++/ASM Programmer
PC Support Technician

[Paleo Pete]

Wise Guy... http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I tend to agree with you on the wiping data issue, once the magnetic structure of the platter is changed, I wouldn't think it would be possible to get it back to the previous state. Some data recovery companies do, however, claim they can recover data that has been formatted or written over up to 7 times or more. I can't verify this, I've never tried it or seen it done, just repeating what I've been told concerning data recovery companies. Not disputing your comments either, I view those claims with reservations...

We had a post here on the forums concerning this a while back, but I haven't found it yet, maybe a bit more digging...

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

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[Hefaistos]

It is sometimes possible to recover erased data because:

1 - when you delete a file, all that is done is that its entry in the file list is deleted. The content of the file is still there on the platter until it is overwritten by another file. There are programs you can download which can scan the entire disks for such file remnants.

2 - Even if the file is overwitten, it may have been on the same place for a prolonged time, and the magnetization is "leaking" into the material around it. There is a weak zone of magnetization built up around the point where the read/write point is. The companies who salvage such information takes your HDD, mill off a VERY thin layer of the platter surface, and record those fuzzy zones of old magnetization beneath it.

This is understandably not a very reliable method, but you can usually recover a decent amount of the lost data. Just don't count on it. Make backups of your important files on removable media!

[xor_chad]

OK,

So you say that by reading resonating fluxes you can determine what the data was?

Say you have one spot that was written to 100x, and one spot written to 50x.

How then would you be able to tell what resonating fluxes (sectors) belonged to other sectors?

Would you input ferromagnetic decay into some equation?!

Please dont take this as me attacking your response.

I am VERY glad you responed, but i want logical proof.

Do you know of any site that has a detailed description of this supposed process?

Let me know what you think about my arguement please. Maybe i am overlooking the obvious. Laters...

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Chad Wilson
C++/ASM Programmer
PC Support Technician

[xor_chad]

Hey

OK, due to lack of response i decided to settle this matter for myself, by myself.

I talked to the two leading data recovery companies and asked them many questions.

The contacts at both said that they do not even attempt to revover data after a single zero fill, but that they believe that the government may be able to recover the data.

Neither contact knew of any possible procedures that the government may be using.

One claimed that the government may look at its molecular level.
The other had no reasonable suggestions but when asked he said he would physically destroy the drive to be completely safe.

This settles the arguement for me. I conclude with, unless you think the DOD wants your drive, a single zero fill should be adequate. Laters...

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Chad Wilson
C++/ASM Programmer
PC Support Technician

[Paleo Pete]

Good enough for me...

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[mjc]

I recently read somewhere (I can't remember where now) tha even the Dept. of Justice (FBI) considers 3 wipes and zero fills sufficinet to have wiped all data. So I think that if there is a way to recover data after one wipe then it is too expensive and time consuming to make it worth what is gotten back. A strong enough magnetic field would get down far enough into the platter to rearrange it too, so a good degauss should wipe every thing also. Of course a good "cleaning" would do it too.

www.pcguide.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000017.html (http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000017.html)

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mjc

[Paleo Pete]

I knew that would come in handy.

http://www.zing.com/picture/pef26e089d815b464dcd1aa87d391dfc6/ff4c2e30.gif.orig.gif

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

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