HDD losing data

Customer brought pc into my shop yesterday. She says it is losing her
programs and it freezes often. When it runs, she c omplains that it is slow.

On removing the side panel the motherboard cannot be seen for dust (the pc
comes from a steelworks) so I removed the HDD, cleaned it off and retrieved
what data was left using a workshop computer. I then stripped the entire
thing to component level and cleaned everything, including the chassis and
then reassembled it. It appears to be running normally (P4 2.4GHz, 512MB
RAM) but it has lost AVG and IQ+ (Bookkeeping software). Her data (word
documents etc.) appear to be there. I ran AVG, AVG-AS and even checked for
rootkits. I found the usual tracking cookies but nothing else. I have not
yet run Tuff Test Pro on the HDD but will do so in the next 30 minutes or
so.

Can over-heating (from all the dirt inside the chassis) cause the HDD to
lose entire program directories? I'm puzzled as to why it would loose just
the 2 programs involved and not randomly lose files. Interestingly both
programs are not listed under the installed software - is this significant?
It is niggling at me and I'm wondering if this is malicious? Like somebody
accessed the pc and removed the software. It doesn't explain the slowness
and hanging, though.

Suggestions? Comments? Please..

Thanks

Trace

PCTECH

For all your computer requirements

Jeffreys Bay +27-42-296-0425

South Africa +27-82-485-0672

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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.

Dust, in huge quantities and loaded with metal fragments, can create all
kinds of random electrical pathways inside that system. This will
affect how data is written and read from the harddrive and from memory
so missing or corrupted data is not surprising.

As far as the programs missing, the listing in Add/Remove is just one
small part. the IQ software may have been corrupted if it does an
automatic backup or if it was up and running when one of the random
electrical events occurred.

How is the system secured and how is it connected? Every user have
passwords or is the Administrator password blank? Is it on a network or
standalone? Physical access to the system might give a clue to the
missing programs.

One thing you might do is see if they are willing to relocate the
computer to a cleaner environment or re-case it into something with
filters and ventilation system that will positively pressurize the case.
This will help keep things cleaner inside.

Tom

PCTECH wrote:
> Customer brought pc into my shop yesterday. She says it is losing her
> programs and it freezes often. When it runs, she c omplains that it is slow.
>
>
>
>
> On removing the side panel the motherboard cannot be seen for dust (the pc
> comes from a steelworks) so I removed the HDD, cleaned it off and retrieved
> what data was left using a workshop computer. I then stripped the entire
> thing to component level and cleaned everything, including the chassis and
> then reassembled it. It appears to be running normally (P4 2.4GHz, 512MB
> RAM) but it has lost AVG and IQ+ (Bookkeeping software). Her data (word
> documents etc.) appear to be there. I ran AVG, AVG-AS and even checked for
> rootkits. I found the usual tracking cookies but nothing else. I have not
> yet run Tuff Test Pro on the HDD but will do so in the next 30 minutes or
> so.
>
>
>
> Can over-heating (from all the dirt inside the chassis) cause the HDD to
> lose entire program directories? I'm puzzled as to why it would loose just
>; the 2 programs involved and not randomly lose files. Interestingly both
>; programs are not listed under the installed software - is this significant?
> It is niggling at me and I'm wondering if this is malicious? Like somebody
> accessed the pc and removed the software. It doesn't explain the slowness
> and hanging, though.
>
>
>
> Suggestions? Comments? Please..
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Trace
>
>
>
> PCTECH
>

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.

Thanks Tom and Ken, I have requested a move to a cleaner environment and we
are investigating options.

IQ was open when the first problem occurred.

I built the system originally and there is an admin password known only to
me. There are 2 other users for which I configured the system, each with
their own password. I am not convinced that they were worried about security
(until now, that is) and they seemed indifferent to the use of password
access and the boss deemed it a "PIA" to quote him. Within IQ, access was
password controlled and I ensured that this was strictly enforced when the
system was originally installed. There is another POS computer connected to
the cash drawer and receipt printer - this is where the rest of the staff
(approximately 6) access the POS system.

Since the pc has been cleaned I have been unable to duplicate any errors.
TTPro is currently running diagnostics on the HDD but so far has come up
without errors. I will leave the RAM to test overnight.

I am in two minds about doing a clean Windows installation on this system. I
think it might be a good idea since I don't know what else has been
corrupted. What would you guys do?

Trace

PCTECH
For all your computer requirements

Jeffreys Bay +27-42-296-0425
South Africa +27-82-485-0672

-----Original Message-----
From: Computer_Help_and_Discussion%40yahoogroups.com">Computer_Help_and_Discussionyahoogroups.com
[mailto: Computer_Help_and_Discussion%40yahoogroups.com">Computer_Help_and_Discussionyahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of T. Hunt
Sent: 31 May 2007 17:01
To: Computer_Help_and_Discussion%40yahoogroups.com">Computer_Help_and_Discussionyahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [CHAD] HDD losing data

Dust, in huge quantities and loaded with metal fragments, can create all
kinds of random electrical pathways inside that system. This will
affect how data is written and read from the harddrive and from memory
so missing or corrupted data is not surprising.

As far as the programs missing, the listing in Add/Remove is just one
small part. the IQ software may have been corrupted if it does an
automatic backup or if it was up and running when one of the random
electrical events occurred.

How is the system secured and how is it connected? Every user have
passwords or is the Administrator password blank? Is it on a network or
standalone? Physical access to the system might give a clue to the
missing programs.

One thing you might do is see if they are willing to relocate the
computer to a cleaner environment or re-case it into something with
filters and ventilation system that will positively pressurize the case.
This will help keep things cleaner inside.

Tom

PCTECH wrote:
> Customer brought pc into my shop yesterday. She says it is losing her
> programs and it freezes often. When it runs, she c omplains that it is
slow.
>
>
>
>
> On removing the side panel the motherboard cannot be seen for dust (the pc
> comes from a steelworks) so I removed the HDD, cleaned it off and
retrieved
>; what data was left using a workshop computer. I then stripped the entire
> thing to component level and cleaned everything, including the chassis and
> then reassembled it. It appears to be running normally (P4 2.4GHz, 512MB
> RAM) but it has lost AVG and IQ+ (Bookkeeping software). Her data (word
> documents etc.) appear to be there. I ran AVG, AVG-AS and even checked for
> rootkits. I found the usual tracking cookies but nothing else. I have not
> yet run Tuff Test Pro on the HDD but will do so in the next 30 minutes or
> so.
>
>
>
> Can over-heating (from all the dirt inside the chassis) cause the HDD to
> lose entire program directories? I'm puzzled as to why it would loose just
>; the 2 programs involved and not randomly lose files. Interestingly both
>; programs are not listed under the installed software - is this
significant?
> It is niggling at me and I'm wondering if this is malicious? Like somebody
> accessed the pc and removed the software. It doesn't explain the slowness
> and hanging, though.
>
>
>
> Suggestions? Comments? Please..
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Trace
>
>
>
> PCTECH
>

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.

Well the dirt and dust would certainly explain the slowness and hanging
if it was interfering with proper cooling. Can't say much about the
missing programs, but it definitely could be someone simply mucking about.

--
Norm Higgs
http://forbiddenpc.com
http://forbiddenpc.blogspot.com
https://linkedin.com/e/fpf/4018099
http://freetrafficbar.com?r=74276

PCTECH wrote:
> Customer brought pc into my shop yesterday. She says it is losing her
> programs and it freezes often. When it runs, she c omplains that it is slow.
>
>
>
>
> On removing the side panel the motherboard cannot be seen for dust (the pc
> comes from a steelworks) so I removed the HDD, cleaned it off and retrieved
> what data was left using a workshop computer. I then stripped the entire
> thing to component level and cleaned everything, including the chassis and
> then reassembled it. It appears to be running normally (P4 2.4GHz, 512MB
> RAM) but it has lost AVG and IQ+ (Bookkeeping software). Her data (word
> documents etc.) appear to be there. I ran AVG, AVG-AS and even checked for
> rootkits. I found the usual tracking cookies but nothing else. I have not
> yet run Tuff Test Pro on the HDD but will do so in the next 30 minutes or
> so.
>
>
>
> Can over-heating (from all the dirt inside the chassis) cause the HDD to
> lose entire program directories? I'm puzzled as to why it would loose just
>; the 2 programs involved and not randomly lose files. Interestingly both
>; programs are not listed under the installed software - is this significant?
> It is niggling at me and I'm wondering if this is malicious? Like somebody
> accessed the pc and removed the software. It doesn't explain the slowness
> and hanging, though.
>
>
>
> Suggestions? Comments? Please..
>
>;
>
> Thanks
>
> Trace
>
>
>
> PCTECH
>
> For all your computer requirements
>
>
>
> Jeffreys Bay +27-42-296-0425
>
>; South Africa +27-82-485-0672
>

Messages in this topic (0) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

.