Saved data.

[unknown_hero]

I have been having problems with my Hp laptop, which Hp have said that they will repair free of charge out of warrenty.

 

However they have informed me that any information on my hard drive will be lost.

 

I have many years of family photo's and videos and important documents containing important and sensitive information on them. I can send the laptop without the hard drive, but am still worried that for instance online banking information used within my web browsing may be accessable.

 

What i want to know is that if i remove the hard drive, will information still be accessable to whoever repairs the laptop?

[Seth]

Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help Unknown Hero.

 

All they plan on doing is returning the laptop's software back to factory condition. It's called a "Destructive Recovery" and easily done on your own.

 

The question is whether or not they plan to use a new hard drive, or your current one. I suspect the latter.

 

Even if you delete data on a drive, it is still accessible through recovery software, as the file is not deleted, but rather the directions on how to access that file. Unless the file is overwritten with other data or an overwriting program, than the data is accessible.

 

Perhaps you would like to explain the problems you're having?

[unknown_hero]

thanks for you help, it is a common fault with the pavillion laptops. First the wireless card is not reconised and cannot be installed. Then error message: operatin system not found and finally the screen stops working and the laptop does not boot up.

 

I have done the destructive recovery and installed xp service pack 3, all latest hp software and updated the bios and still i am having the same problem.

 

Hp said that they have to replace the motherboard and wireless card, i do not have to send the hard drive with the laptop, so will any of my information be accessable from any other part of the laptop?

[Goku]

thanks for you help, it is a common fault with the pavillion laptops. First the wireless card is not reconised and cannot be installed. Then error message: operatin system not found and finally the screen stops working and the laptop does not boot up.

 

I have done the destructive recovery and installed xp service pack 3, all latest hp software and updated the bios and still i am having the same problem.

 

Hp said that they have to replace the motherboard and wireless card, i do not have to send the hard drive with the laptop, so will any of my information be accessable from any other part of the laptop?

Hello and Welcome to FPCH Unknown_Hero. :)

 

If you take out the hard drive, then no information can be extracted from any other part in whatsoever way. Hope this eases you. :)

 

-- Goku

[Seth]

No. All the data is stored on the hard drive.

[unknown_hero]

Thanks for your quick response guys, your answers have helped me greatly.

[Dalo Harkin]

As Seth has previously said unless they are willing to put you a new HDD in and install an OS to that then you will have the data on your old HDD - but how will you extract it?

[Seth]

When you get the laptop back, just put in your old drive, and provided that it's ok, all the data and programs will be just the way they were.

[unknown_hero]

should I be able to boot of the hardrives recovery partition?

[Goku]

should I be able to boot of the hardrives recovery partition?

You should if the Factory Settings keep it still and don't remove it. Otherwise, I am afraid, you will need to create the partition again.

 

-- Goku

[Seth]

You won't need to.

 

The motherboard they'll replace will be identical, or with a minor alteration. As such your hard drive isn't going to notice anything different. You can put it back in and just start up the laptop.

 

If for some you need to recover data from a laptop's hard drive, you can do so with this type of adapter:

 

Sabrent USB 2.0 to IDESATA Cable for 2.5-Inch 3.5-Inch 5.25-Inch Drive with Power Adapter USB-DSC5 at TigerDirect.com

[unknown_hero]

once again, thanks guys, have a good day.