computer repair and privacy

ANSI

A friend who is a very private person asked me for advice . She might have to send PC away for repair. She was thinking of making a backup to an external disk then returning to factory settings. When she gets it back she could copy back the. material Would the techs be able to see her stuff. What would be best to do?

It is a hardware issue so deleting progs should not matter?

tricky D

Any tech who is determined could recover most files. However I've never come across anybody in the repair business who had any interest in going through peoples 'drawers'. Too busy with work usually. Your friend really has nothing to worry about.

hearny

If its a hardware issue can she send it back without the hard drive.

ANSI

hearny wrote: »

If its a hardware issue can she send it back without the hard drive.

never thought of that thanks;)

tricky D

Then they can't boot it up properly to check that it is properly fixed.

The best advice is not to worry.

BostonB

Whats her plan if her computer got nicked?

seamus

If it's not a warranty repair, she could pay a little extra to have the work done in her home under her watch.

ANSI

tricky D wrote: »

Then they can't boot it up properly to check that it is properly fixed.

The best advice is not to worry.

encrypt the hard drive?

ANSI

tricky D wrote: »

Any tech who is determined could recover most files. However I've never come across anybody in the repair business who had any interest in going through peoples 'drawers'. Too busy with work usually. Your friend really has nothing to worry about.

even dban?

Jimoslimos

If concerned about personal info, backup the data and use a program like ccleaner to wipe the free space I'd suggest.

BostonB

ANSI wrote: »

encrypt the hard drive?

You'd have to un encrypt it for people to fix it.

Keep the data encrypted certainly. Or encrypt an external drive.

ANSI

BostonB wrote: »

You'd have to un encrypt it for people to fix it.

Keep the data encrypted certainly. Or encrypt an external drive.

Like container encryption here? rather than whole drive encryption above it?
Not sure what you mean by excrypt an external drive?

But what when the info is on the same partition as the boot files?

BostonB

Yup container encryption you create a file on your disk which you can only see if you mount it as a virtual drive with the correct password. You can have this on the boot drive if you only have one drive.

Alternatively you can encrypt an external drive which you can't view unless you know the password. of course it doesn't help with passwords, and browser history. You have to clear that seperately.

That said most people have nothing that important on their computers.

seamus

ANSI wrote: »

But what when the info is on the same partition as the boot files?

Most drive encryption software will allow you to encrypt the boot partition/boot drive. The difference is that you are presented with a "pre" login screen when the machine starts up, which allows the drive to be decrypted, and then the OS loads.

It's not really much use if the machine is being handed to a tech, because the tech will need to be able to load up the OS to verify that the issue has been fixed.

The "container" encryption mentioned there would be better because it allows the OS to load, but restricts access to specific files.

There would be a few caveats there, basically you would need to know what you're doing. Someone could cause a whole world of pain for themselves by deciding to encrypt a system folder because they think they're being extra safe.

ANSI

BostonB wrote: »

Yup container encryption you create a file on your disk which you can only see if you mount it as a virtual drive.

and put everything into it? email as well?

BostonB

ANSI wrote: »

and put everything into it? email as well?

Very detailed questions for a "friend"

Depends where your email is.

If you are using keeping it in (or backing it up to) a PST file in outlook, you could keep that in the container certainly. Its just like a hidden drive you can mount and dismount.

BostonB

Of course if you lose/forget your password there no way of getting it back. All your data would be gone. So might be wise to have another backup unencrypted somewhere.

Good idea to have a backup in a different location to the main machine anyway. In cases its robbed, goes on fire, etc. If you backup is beside it, it will probably suffer the same fate.

seamus

It would depend on what you use for email, how your email is stored and whether your friend has the technical competency to remember to mount and decrypt her drive before launching her email client.

BostonB

Theres always online backup too. https://spideroak.com/

I've not used that myself.

Tazium

The terms and conditions of the repair centre might also oblige or compel them to disclose any illegal material for which prosecution can be achieved. i.e. dodgy child pictures, not ripped movies/music.

seamus

Tazium wrote: »

The terms and conditions of the repair centre might also oblige or compel them to disclose any illegal material for which prosecution can be achieved. i.e. dodgy child pictures, not ripped movies/music.

T & C would be irrelevant. The repair centre would have a legal obligation to report such content, the data protection act and any privacy-related laws become irrelevant in that case.
But as you quite rightly point out, only for content which is specifically illegal to hold, such as CP. It is not illegal to be in possession of copyrighted material.

ANSI

[QUOTE=BostonB;74855027]Very detailed questions for a "friend"

Depends where your email is.

If you are using keeping it in (or backing it up to) a PST file in outlook, you could keep that in the container certainly. Its just like a hidden drive you can mount and dismount.[/QUOTE]meaning? stay out of it if you do not want to help. I said she asked me for advice and since I do not know I asked here. And there is nothing illegal like porn etc on the machine.

ANSI

Tazium wrote: »

The terms and conditions of the repair centre might also oblige or compel them to disclose any illegal material for which prosecution can be achieved. i.e. dodgy child pictures, not ripped movies/music.

you have a dodgy mind

BostonB

ANSI wrote: »

meaning? stay out of it if you do not want to help. I said she asked me for advice and since I do not know I asked here. And there is nothing illegal like porn etc on the machine.

Where did I suggest that?????

ANSI

BostonB wrote: »

Where did I suggest that?????

what you mean by putting friend in quotes? very busy now no time to argue. if you cannot help the question give it a miss

BostonB

Meaning if the person can't figure this out for themselves, doing it for them is dangerous. As they will likely screw it up, (not being technically minded) then lock themselves out from their own data. So if its for a friend its a bad idea, if its for you then, at least you know the risks.

You can't control the answers you get. Thats the way forums work.

ANSI

BostonB wrote: »

Meaning if the person can't figure this out for themselves, doing it for them is dangerous. As they will likely screw it up, (not being technically minded) then lock themselves out from their own data. So if its for a friend its a bad idea, if its for you then, at least you know the risks.

You can't control the answers you get. Thats the way forums work.

but you can ignore them. your first para is sound advce but does not warrant putting friend in" " i would not rule out doing it for them if i were sure how. and techs sometimes do look at stuff i know one who boasted to me how he could get by any password. staff in shop once used a computer to surf porn too

Tazium

ANSI wrote: »

you have a dodgy mind

Nah, completely appreciate the privacy angle. It's more of an FYI, and how do I know your friend isn't doing that? It'd be worse to get it back from repair with dodgy pictures on it right?

If you want to be sure, use a boot and nuke dban type of utility and re-install the OS after, before you send it away and again when it's returned.

BostonB

Should perhaps have done to that to identity the fault too.

boglet

hi. i am looking to put a bit of information bout something that happened to a friend on the net to try and get help. what is the best way to do this? we not great computer experts. thanks

ANSI

BostonB wrote: »

Should perhaps have done to that to identity the fault too.

the problem is not with windows os

ANSI

Tazium wrote: »

Nah, completely appreciate the privacy angle. It's more of an FYI, and how do I know your friend isn't doing that? It'd be worse to get it back from repair with dodgy pictures on it right?

If you want to be sure, use a boot and nuke dban type of utility and re-install the OS after, before you send it away and again when it's returned.

OK thanks dodgy comment withdrawn.;) I do know my friend is not into that. Thanks

ANSI

boglet wrote: »

hi. i am looking to put a bit of information bout something that happened to a friend on the net to try and get help. what is the best way to do this? we not great computer experts. thanks

what is it about? Computers?

boglet

ANSI wrote: »

what is it about? Computers?

no the problem is not computers but what we need is to know how to use the computer to put the story on the net. if that makes sense. thanks

BostonB

Perhaps do a short web design/social media course.

BostonB

bedlam wrote: »

Assuming it's not a hard drive issues, in which case just cut your losses and buy a new drive, just:

• Backup personal data
• Wipe drive with, as you said, DBaN
• Reinstall OS
• Send computer in for repair

+1

what he said.

ANSI

boglet wrote: »

no the problem is not computers but what we need is to know how to use the computer to put the story on the net. if that makes sense. thanks

you could set up a blog

RoyalMarine

make 2 partitions on your hard drive.
install windows on the first,
install truecrypt and encrypt the entire second partition.

install all your programs, store all your files, e-mail etc etc in the truecrypt container.

when you turn on your pc, all you have is a basic version of windows... you will need to mount the truecrypt volume to access anything personal or run programs.

Doylers

Your friend is very paranoid tbh. Im working in a repair center. Half of the time we do things with the bios testing tools otherwise we use a boot cd to test other aspects. Seems like so much hassle to get the pc repaired. If its going to a reputable place for repair you shouldnt worry at all with any of this.

coylemj

The repair people usually only look at the user data when they're told not to, that's how Gary Glitter got caught!

Seriously OP, the repair people don't give a XXXX about people's e-mails and other stuff.

Greyfoot

BostonB wrote: »

+1

what he said.

+2

As someone mentioned earlier if its defo a hardware issue bar the hdd then take it out and send the laptop in for repair.

Johnboy1951

ANSI wrote: »

A friend who is a very private person asked me for advice . She might have to send PC away for repair. She was thinking of making a backup to an external disk then returning to factory settings. When she gets it back she could copy back the. material Would the techs be able to see her stuff. What would be best to do?

It is a hardware issue so deleting progs should not matter?

Simplest answer I think is to replace the HDD with another, install an OS on it, and store the HDD from the PC until the PC is returned.
Replace the HDD after checking the fault has been cured.

Last PC I returned (under warranty), I removed the HDD.
This was not only because of privacy concerns, but also because it provides no opportunity to anybody in the repair centre to mess up the installation and settings.

BostonB

Removing the HDD is a good idea as they can't use tha as an excuse for the problem, vs a fresh install.

Often they'll wipe it anyway.

Gone Drinking

There was a watchdog type program a few years back (from the UK) that put a few computer shops to the test. Basically, their expert installed monitoring software, that kept a report of everything on the machine accessed and even used the built in webcam to take a few pictures during the course of the usage.

They caught a few shops looking at purposely put pictures of the guys "wife" in a bikini, in a folder on the PC.

The problem they went in with was unseated memory (purposely done) but were charged by several shops for changing the motherboard.

I'm not saying that all places are like this, but I don't blame your friend for worrying about it.