Comments on: Hard resets are your friend…a Gear Diary Public Service Announcement http://www.geardiary.com/2009/09/22/hard-resets-are-your-friend-a-gear-diary-public-service-announcement/ Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 02:34:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Qhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/09/22/hard-resets-are-your-friend-a-gear-diary-public-service-announcement/#comment-50122 Q Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:33:23 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=49488#comment-50122 The title of this post is a bit ironic, as sometimes hard resets aren't enough (e.g. Palm OS Treo models). While it takes a bit of effort that's well beyond the average user, it's still possible to recover data from them post-hard reset. On the other hand, there are other resets (factory or zero-out) that overwrite all data with 1s and 0s. Takeaway: always confirm--from the manufacturer or a *verified* source--what the best approach is to wipe all data. I read an article on this about 3 years ago in the Washington Post, and the web version had a link to a guide for different models. The directions for a Treo 650 were for a hard reset rather than a factory reset--when the difference is limited and only takes a few seconds. Can we say "FAIL," boys and girls? (I'd skip zero-out, too--Palm's directions for that one actually talk about needing both hands and holding the stylus in your teeth!) The title of this post is a bit ironic, as sometimes hard resets aren’t enough (e.g. Palm OS Treo models). While it takes a bit of effort that’s well beyond the average user, it’s still possible to recover data from them post-hard reset. On the other hand, there are other resets (factory or zero-out) that overwrite all data with 1s and 0s.

Takeaway: always confirm–from the manufacturer or a *verified* source–what the best approach is to wipe all data. I read an article on this about 3 years ago in the Washington Post, and the web version had a link to a guide for different models. The directions for a Treo 650 were for a hard reset rather than a factory reset–when the difference is limited and only takes a few seconds. Can we say “FAIL,” boys and girls? (I’d skip zero-out, too–Palm’s directions for that one actually talk about needing both hands and holding the stylus in your teeth!)

]]> By: jkj1962http://www.geardiary.com/2009/09/22/hard-resets-are-your-friend-a-gear-diary-public-service-announcement/#comment-49841 jkj1962 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:10:00 +0000 http://www.geardiary.com/?p=49488#comment-49841 My company once purchased some used DOS-based PCs and found all of the personal info of the previous users, resumes, personal correspondence, etc. still intact. There was even several expensive software packages left, like Lotus 1-2-3, and WordPerfect. I wiped the personal info, and kept the software. :~) My company once purchased some used DOS-based PCs and found all of the personal info of the previous users, resumes, personal correspondence, etc. still intact. There was even several expensive software packages left, like Lotus 1-2-3, and WordPerfect.

I wiped the personal info, and kept the software. :~)

]]>