Send it back so they can trace the route the data came thru? No way.
As long as the data is untouched, the Prof. (and the Prof.'s wallet) is happy.

Either demagnatize it, bonfire it, and throw it into a dumpster somewhere, or demagnatize and keep if too cheap to buy a new one.
You're talking to a guy who's been through the same situation: Give the data back - The rest doesn't matter as much.

Maybe the guy has his DL# engraved somewhere inside the computer and they can ID it without the HD.
Mere cosmetics.

>>The Wifi card can be torched without any further qualms...
>Can one wifi card really be uniquely distinguished?
I've got four chars for you: MAC@

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> As soon as the Prof. gets his data back, why should he give half a about the rest
> of the laptop?

Because giving it back will increase the chances of the thief being caught. Take what you want. Destroy the rest.

> > The Wifi card can be torched without any further qualms...
> Can one wifi card really be uniquely distinguished?
>

Yes... It's a network card and therefore it has a MAC address and all MAC addresses are unique.

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I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

You'd have to apply an extremely strong field first.

Maybe it was his mom's laptop or something. Or it could've been his favorite.
That's the his stupidity, not the thief's. 2FB for the Prof.

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> Not good enough: There'll still be latent magnetization.
What latent magnetization? Computer crime labs make an image off the HD and then look at the copy for evidence. They don't do any work on the original HD for fear of damaging the drive or corrupting the data. As long as any "maybe" leftovers cant make it to the image he should be ok.

> Seriously, just send back the data - That's all the Prof. needs and deserves.
> The thief can keep the rest.
Send it back so they can trace the route the data came thru? No way. Either demagnatize it, bonfire it, and throw it into a dumpster somewhere, or demagnatize and keep if too cheap to buy a new one. But why stop at the HD? Maybe the guy has his DL# engraved somewhere inside the computer and they can ID it without the HD.

> The Wifi card can be torched without any further qualms...
Can one wifi card really be uniquely distinguished?

> Might work....
> No it won't.
>
> If you really wanna erase the data (and the thief really shouldn't if he/she
> knows what's good for him/her), you'll want to expose the platters to a very
> very very high magnetic field, like particle accelerators.
>

Or just degauss it.

> As soon as the Prof. gets his data back, why should he give half a about the rest
> of the laptop?
>

Maybe it was his mom's laptop or something. Or it could've been his favorite.

Might work....
No it won't.

If you really wanna erase the data (and the thief really shouldn't if he/she knows what's good for him/her), you'll want to expose the platters to a very very very high magnetic field, like particle accelerators.

As soon as the Prof. gets his data back, why should he give half a about the rest of the laptop?

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> Might work.... ....not that I
> would be able to tell.
>

That will work for the hard drive.

> Cyberscrub is just one of many utils that uses multiple overwrites. The logic
> is sound, but I don't have my own FBI crime lab to check the results.
>

Well, I checked it out about 3 months ago. Results: Unacceptable recovery of files like .jpg, .bmp, etc. Download Recover My Files from download.com and use it against Cyberscrub.

Not good enough: There'll still be latent magnetization.

Seriously, just send back the data - That's all the Prof. needs and deserves. The thief can keep the rest.

The Wifi card can be torched without any further qualms...

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> Just replace the HD and use an oxyacetelene torch on the old one.
> Problem solved.
>

You still have the problem with that built-in wireless adapter..

Personally he got it out he should be able to get it back in...

The FBI, SEC, and Secret Service should be tripping all over themselves, so he shouldn't get caught..

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I'd rather speak my mind because it hurts too much to bite my tongue.

American Spirit BBQ Proudly Serving those that courageously defend freedom.

Just replace the HD and use an oxyacetelene torch on the old one.
Problem solved.

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Account frozen...

Cyberscrub is just one of many utils that uses multiple overwrites. The logic is sound, but I don't have my own FBI crime lab to check the results.

Might work.... ....not that I would be able to tell.

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> couldnt you just cyberscrub the HD and reformat/install a new OS?
>

No way, that Cyberscrub util thing doesn't work Misfit. I've tried it.

couldnt you just cyberscrub the HD and reformat/install a new OS?

You forgot one more important thing: REMOVE FINGERPRINTS.
That goes without saying.

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>

Here's the solution for the theif:<li>Shut down</li><li>Remove
> battery</li><li>Unplug AC</li><li>Open laptop case</li><li>Remove hard
> disk</li><li>Fill box with packing peanuts</li><li>FedEx the hard disk to the
> Prof.</li><li>Remove 802.11 card</li><li>Sell 802.11 on Canal St.</li><li>Buy
> new hard disk, 802.11g card, and move to Antarctica (No extradition
> laws)</li>

>

You forgot one more important thing: REMOVE FINGERPRINTS.

But most importantly, the Prof. is going to have to explain why all of this data was allowed to be mobile in the first place. It is a known fact, ?verifiable from many sources, that laptops are stolen more frequently than any other type of computer. He should've kept the confidential info in his office under lock and key, not in his satchel or attaché.

He should of chained it to his....

Here's the solution for the theif:<li>Shut down</li><li>Remove battery</li><li>Unplug AC</li><li>Open laptop case</li><li>Remove hard disk</li><li>Fill box with packing peanuts</li><li>FedEx the hard disk to the Prof.</li><li>Remove 802.11 card</li><li>Sell 802.11 on Canal St.</li><li>Buy new hard disk, 802.11g card, and move to Antarctica (No extradition laws)</li>

Actually, the 1st part about Microsoft is partly bullshit. You'd be amazed how quickly one can get a new valid licence code from Redmond (You just hafta know what to say). Moreover, MS has a Home Desktop + Mobile + Office CPU licensing scheme now, so it really is BS on the Prof.'s part.

But most importantly, the Prof. is going to have to explain why all of this data was allowed to be mobile in the first place. It is a known fact, verifiable from many sources, that laptops are stolen more frequently than any other type of computer. He should've kept the confidential info in his office, on a desktop box, under lock and key, not in his satchel/knapsack/attach&eacute;.

AFAIC they're both idiots.

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.....still berzerkley to me

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