Re: Hard Drive Destruct System?

From: Bill Unruh (unruh_at_string.physics.ubc.ca)
Date: 11/28/04 

Date: 28 Nov 2004 19:12:54 GMT

adykes@panix.com (Al Dykes) writes:

]In article <cod6ph$o3$1@nntp.itservices.ubc.ca>,
]Bill Unruh <unruh location:string.physics.ubc.ca> wrote:
]>Casper H.S. *** <Casper.***@Sun.COM> writes:
]>
]>]adykes@panix.com (Al Dykes) writes:
]>
]>
]>]As far as I know, the IBM drives have a spin-up password; they cannot
]>]be recovered, the IBM documentation says:
]>
]>] "If you forget your hard disk password, there is no way to reset your
]>] password or recover data in the hard disk drive. Neither an IBM
]>] authorized reseller nor IBM marketing representative can make the hard
]>] disk drive usable."
]>
]>Of course they would say that, if it were true or not. And the chances of
]>an authorized reseller or a marketing representative being able to
]>technically carry out the task is zero. Note that they do not say that IBM
]>is unable to do it. This is like saying-- our floorcleaners are not
]>authorized to fix your computer.
]>
]>]Some people take hardware security seriously.
]>
]>No-- some people take disingenuous advertising copy seriously.
]>
]>

]"there is no way to reset your password or recover data.."

No, the context is "If you forget.." and that can be interpreted as "no way
you can.." Their next sentence negates teh generality of the former. To
state that there an "IBM marketing representative" cannot reset your
password is like my statement about floor cleaners. I would not expect my
marketing representative to be able to do it, unless it were completely
trivial. As I said, without further evidence I regard this statement as
deliberately disingenuous.

And if they did do it for someone, they would almost certainly demand they
sign a non-disclosure agreement before they did it.

]Sounds pretty clear to me.

]What motivation would IBM have to lie about this ? If they had the
]capaility to recover data and used it for some customer the fact would
]get out and they'd look like fools, and the other corproate customers
]that bought these systems would be looking for another brand, on the
]spot.

]--
]a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
]----