https://mydailydiscovery.com/spo/fact-or-fiction-is-the-25-computer-real-the...
I wonder, does this really work?
It's running Lubuntu which is a lightweight version of Ubuntu. There's nothing to stop anyone installing that or another lightweight distro onto a USB stick on their own, all these guys have done is pre-install it for you so you don't have to worry about it.
It's no different conceptually than a bootable Linux CD.
I use dd to wipe hard disk, and the bundled memtest86 to test RAM in new PC builds. :)
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 5:50 PM, Alan Bourke alanpbourke@fastmail.fm wrote:
It's running Lubuntu which is a lightweight version of Ubuntu. There's nothing to stop anyone installing that or another lightweight distro onto a USB stick on their own, all these guys have done is pre-install it for you so you don't have to worry about it.
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 8:53 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
I use dd to wipe hard disk, and the bundled memtest86 to test RAM in new PC builds. :)
While dd is okay to blank out a disk, extreme techniques could still recover some data. You might want to check out "scrub" also available in most Linux distros, and some live CD/DVD/USB sticks:
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/scrub.1.html
Hillary's Bleach Bit.
From: Ted Roche tedroche@gmail.com To: "profox@leafe.com" profox@leafe.com Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2017 9:06 AM Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 8:53 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
I use dd to wipe hard disk, and the bundled memtest86 to test RAM in new PC builds. :)
While dd is okay to blank out a disk, extreme techniques could still recover some data. You might want to check out "scrub" also available in most Linux distros, and some live CD/DVD/USB sticks:
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/scrub.1.html
[excessive quoting removed by server]
I wonder how US Government wipes hard disks. In fact, does US Government always thermite their old hard disks? :)
On Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 12:55 PM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
Hillary's Bleach Bit.
From: Ted Roche <tedroche@gmail.com>To: "profox@leafe.com" profox@leafe.com Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2017 9:06 AM Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 8:53 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
I use dd to wipe hard disk, and the bundled memtest86 to test RAM in new PC builds. :)
While dd is okay to blank out a disk, extreme techniques could still recover some data. You might want to check out "scrub" also available in most Linux distros, and some live CD/DVD/USB sticks:
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/scrub.1.html
[excessive quoting removed by server]
That was only done in emergencies
From: Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com To: ProFox Email List profox@leafe.com Sent: Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:49 AM Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
I wonder how US Government wipes hard disks. In fact, does US Government always thermite their old hard disks? :)
On Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 12:55 PM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
Hillary's Bleach Bit.
From: Ted Roche tedroche@gmail.com To: "profox@leafe.com" profox@leafe.com Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2017 9:06 AM Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 8:53 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
I use dd to wipe hard disk, and the bundled memtest86 to test RAM in new PC builds. :)
While dd is okay to blank out a disk, extreme techniques could still recover some data. You might want to check out "scrub" also available in most Linux distros, and some live CD/DVD/USB sticks:
http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/scrub.1.html
[excessive quoting removed by server]
On Mon, Jul 3, 2017 at 11:59 PM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
That was only done in emergencies
Yup, if a ship was boarded or a camp overrun, there are procedures to destroy classified info.
So, MM, not to drag the thread back on-topic, but did you have any followup questions on using an old machine with USB booting a Linux distro? I've done this for years to recover hard drive problems or to test-drive a new distro before installing, but I usually end up installing the distro, as it's faster and doesn't have the space restrictions a USB drive does. These days, though, with multi-gigabyte thumb drives so cheap, it could certainly be done. As someone said earlier in the thread, a slow CPU will still be slow.
We found that the bios had to allow USB booting, and the USB system also had to be in good shape, no oxidized contacts and the like, which is a problem with older machines in Florida . . .
On 07/04/2017 07:12 AM, Ted Roche wrote:
On Mon, Jul 3, 2017 at 11:59 PM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
That was only done in emergencies
Yup, if a ship was boarded or a camp overrun, there are procedures to destroy classified info.
So, MM, not to drag the thread back on-topic, but did you have any followup questions on using an old machine with USB booting a Linux distro? I've done this for years to recover hard drive problems or to test-drive a new distro before installing, but I usually end up installing the distro, as it's faster and doesn't have the space restrictions a USB drive does. These days, though, with multi-gigabyte thumb drives so cheap, it could certainly be done. As someone said earlier in the thread, a slow CPU will still be slow.
Physically destroying hard disks is still the best way to securely erase data. The metal part of the hard disks need to be recycling anyway.... :)
On Tue, Jul 4, 2017 at 11:59 AM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
That was only done in emergencies
Thanks. But do you need a special tool if you used /dev/random as input to the dd command? Of course, you are to run run dd if=/dev/random multiple times.... ;)
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 9:00 PM, Ted Roche tedroche@gmail.com wrote:
While dd is okay to blank out a disk, extreme techniques could still recover some data. You might want to check out "scrub" also available in most Linux distros, and some live CD/DVD/USB sticks: http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/scrub.1.html
On Sat, Jul 1, 2017 at 5:46 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
Thanks. But do you need a special tool if you used /dev/random as input to the dd command?
How many passes do you make? Do you ensure you flip each bit on and then off? What about the spare space automatically allocated by the drive and then hidden from view? What about bad sectors?
Like encryption, it's often better not to DIY.
Paranoia is a bottomless pit. If you just want to scrub old accounting files, I'm sure your technique works fine. (As does one of my clients who takes his old HDDs to the shooting range for target practice.)
But for the lazy amongst us, issuing the scrub command with appropriate settings can get your disk scrubbed to DOD standards or better.
I often take apart the drive afterwards to salvage the supermagnets (hint: a compass helps locate them).
5 pound sledge hammer (oh, and wear your safety glasses).
-----Original Message----- From: ProfoxTech [mailto:profoxtech-bounces@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Ted Roche Sent: Saturday, July 1, 2017 5:40 AM To: profoxtech@leafe.com Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
On Sat, Jul 1, 2017 at 5:46 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
Thanks. But do you need a special tool if you used /dev/random as input to the dd command?
How many passes do you make? Do you ensure you flip each bit on and then off? What about the spare space automatically allocated by the drive and then hidden from view? What about bad sectors?
Like encryption, it's often better not to DIY.
Paranoia is a bottomless pit. If you just want to scrub old accounting files, I'm sure your technique works fine. (As does one of my clients who takes his old HDDs to the shooting range for target practice.)
But for the lazy amongst us, issuing the scrub command with appropriate settings can get your disk scrubbed to DOD standards or better.
I often take apart the drive afterwards to salvage the supermagnets (hint: a compass helps locate them).
[excessive quoting removed by server]
So it's about the algorithm. Well, then we need to find out why we could trust those tools. If we figured out the algorithm, then we might write a simple script to do the same process. The focus should be 'how', NOT 'who' nor 'which'! ;)
Unless... unless... the algorithm is patented and/or copyrighted? Meow...
On Sat, Jul 1, 2017 at 6:40 PM, Ted Roche tedroche@gmail.com wrote:
On Sat, Jul 1, 2017 at 5:46 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
Thanks. But do you need a special tool if you used /dev/random as input to the dd command?
How many passes do you make? Do you ensure you flip each bit on and then off? What about the spare space automatically allocated by the drive and then hidden from view? What about bad sectors?
Like encryption, it's often better not to DIY.
On Sun, Jul 2, 2017 at 9:23 AM, Man-wai Chang changmw@gmail.com wrote:
So it's about the algorithm. Well, then we need to find out why we could trust those tools. If we figured out the algorithm, then we might write a simple script to do the same process. The focus should be 'how', NOT 'who' nor 'which'! ;)
As far as I know, scrub implements _published_ standards of NIST and DOD. And the source is open source and available for your inspection. That _is_ the simple script of which you write.
Unless... unless... the algorithm is patented and/or copyrighted? Meow...
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
I believe that the UK MoD requires each bit on an HDD to be toggled between 1 and 0 and back 1000 times before disposal. Most of the time they just cut them open with an oxy torch and consider that sufficient :-) Personally I cut them in half using an angle grinder'
John
John Weller 01380 723235 07976 393631
Want a hammer? :)
On Sun, Jul 2, 2017 at 11:46 PM, John Weller john@johnweller.co.uk wrote:
I believe that the UK MoD requires each bit on an HDD to be toggled between 1 and 0 and back 1000 times before disposal. Most of the time they just cut them open with an oxy torch and consider that sufficient :-) Personally I cut them in half using an angle grinder'
Short answer -> YES it does
Dave
-----Original Message----- From: ProFox [mailto:profox-bounces@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Michael Madigan Sent: 29 June 2017 10:34 To: ProFox Email List profox@leafe.com Subject: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
https://mydailydiscovery.com/spo/fact-or-fiction-is-the-25-computer-real-the...
I wonder, does this really work?
[excessive quoting removed by server]
Yes.
Any other questions?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 5:33 AM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
I wonder, does this really work?
Not yet - but, I'm sure Michael's working on it!
Regards, Kurt Wendt Senior Systems Analyst
Tel. +1-212-747-9100 www.GlobeTax.com
-----Original Message----- From: ProfoxTech [mailto:profoxtech-bounces@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Ted Roche Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2017 7:33 AM To: profoxtech@leafe.com Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
Yes.
Any other questions?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 5:33 AM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
I wonder, does this really work?
Our local group started down that road, but then they got all infatuated with Raspberry Pi in 3D printed cases and forgot all about the flashdrive project. They did get a couple of examples working but you still need a CPU, monitor, speakers, keyboard, and so on.
A couple of examples worked but it wasn't easy and it wasn't really cheap (hours and hours of work) or convenient. It might boot on one machine but not on another, for example . . .
If you need a whole Linux machine, nowadays everyone has a few old notebooks kicking around. I have 3 of them in this room, all old, all Linux.
Maybe a better way is to just use the flashdrive as originally intended, for user files saved in a portable file format readable on any OS.
On 06/29/2017 09:05 AM, Kurt Wendt wrote:
Not yet - but, I'm sure Michael's working on it!
Regards, Kurt Wendt Senior Systems Analyst
Tel. +1-212-747-9100 www.GlobeTax.com
-----Original Message----- From: ProfoxTech [mailto:profoxtech-bounces@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Ted Roche Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2017 7:33 AM To: profoxtech@leafe.com Subject: Re: [NF] has anyone played with Linux on a thumb drive?
Yes.
Any other questions?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 5:33 AM, Michael Madigan mmadi10699@yahoo.com wrote:
I wonder, does this really work?
On Thu, Jun 29, 2017 at 8:58 AM, Pete Theisen petetheisen@verizon.net wrote:
Our local group started down that road, but then they got all infatuated with Raspberry Pi in 3D printed cases and forgot all about the flashdrive project. They did get a couple of examples working but you still need a CPU, monitor, speakers, keyboard, and so on.
A couple of examples worked but it wasn't easy and it wasn't really cheap (hours and hours of work) or convenient. It might boot on one machine but not on another, for example . . .
If you use a boot manager like YUMI, http://tinyurl.com/zb7abw2 https://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/ it's actually pretty easy to make a bootable USB containing multiple distros and other repair tools to choose from.
One big advantage to the DIY route over buying a ready made drive as in the orignal link is that you can choose a faster drive which can greatly improve performance.
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Alan Bourke -
Dave Crozier -
Dave Thayer -
John Weller -
Kurt Wendt -
Man-wai Chang -
Michael Madigan -
Mike McCann -
Pete Theisen -
Ted Roche -
Vince Teachout