HD Doctor Blog

Computer forensics is the branch of forensic science that examines evidence stored digitally on a hard drive or other data storage medium.

History

Computer forensics can be traced back to the beginning of the 1990s when computers began to be integrated into our daily existence. DIBS USA was one of the first computer forensics companies to emerge.

Function

Computer forensics is about the preservation and extraction of data. Data is often found in server logs or on suspects’ hard drives. Since every move on a computer leaves a footprint, forensic experts have to find out how to tie that footprint to a case.

Misconceptions

Computer forensics doesn’t involve a lot of high-level hacking or computer security knowledge since most…

• Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
  Showcases Hitachi’s hard disk drive technology including the Ultrastar, Deskstar, Travelstar, Endurastar, and Microdrive digital range.
  www.hitachigst.com
• Castlewood Systems, Inc.
  Designs and manufactures ORB removable media drives.
  www.castlewood.com
• Hutchinson Technology
  Supplier of suspension assemblies for hard disk drives.
  www.htch.com
• Portable Hard Disk
  Parallel port adapter for PCMCIA 1.8′ removable Hard Disks and 2.5′ Hard Disk Drives and regular 3.5′ Hard Disk Drives.
  www.datafab.com
• Logicube, Inc.
  Manufacturers of hard disk drive duplication and diagnostic products.
  www.logicube.com
• BUSlink
  External hard drive for CD-RW or DVD plus RW.
  www.buslink.com
• PMC Technologies, Inc.
  Manufacturer of Data Partner removable disk drive subsystems.
  pmctech.com
• Prostor Systems

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• Quantum Corporation
  Supplier of half-inch cartridge tape drives and developer of tape backup and archiving technologies.
  www.quantum.com
• Exabyte Corporation
  Data storage devices including 8mm and Mammoth technology tape drives, automated tape libraries, and media.
  www.exabyte.com
• Spectra Logic Corporation
  Offers high-capacity, automated, robotic tape libraries for data safety and recovery at large data centers.
  www.spectralogic.com
• OnStream, Inc.
  Manufacturer of affordable, high-capacity removable storage solutions for PC servers, workstations, and power desktops.
  www.onstream.com
• Breece Hill Technologies, Inc.
  Supplier of automated tape libraries used in backing up, securing and archiving information.
  www.breecehill.com
• Ecrix Corporation
  Offering VXA data storage tape drives and VXAtape media.
  www.ecrix.com
• Data Devices International

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• Pinnacle Micro
  Optical storage solutions for general data storage and emerging applications.
  www.pinnaclemicro.com
• InPhase Technologies
  Developing holographic data storage technology.
  www.inphase-technologies.com
• QPS, Inc.
  Makers of CD-R, CD-RW and DVD storage products.
  www.qps-inc.com
• MaxOptix
  Provider of optical drives, media, and jukeboxes.
  www.maxoptix.com
• Octave Systems, Inc.
  Offers CD and DVD recorders and rewritables, recording software, media, and accessories.
  www.octave.com
• Summation Technology
  Offers a variey of CD and DVD duplicators, printers, media, and packaging.
  www.summationtechnology.com
• Verity Systems
  Manufactures CD-R and DVD-R duplicators, printers, packaging equipment, and degaussers (bulk tape erasers).
  www.veritysystems.com
• Cutting Edge
  Provides high performance RAID solutions,

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• Kingston Technology
  Making SIMM, DIMM and Flash memory for computers, digital cameras, PDAs, and other multimedia devices.
  www.kingston.com
• SanDisk
  Supplier of flash data storage products in consumer, OEM, and industrial markets.
  www.sandisk.com
• Maxtop Technology
  Manufactures metal, plastic, rubber, customized, novelty, and promotional USB flash drives.
  www.chinausbflashdrives.com
• Transcend Information, Inc
  Manufactures memory upgrade products for PC, notebooks, printers, and servers.
  www.transcendusa.com
• SimpleTech, Inc.
  Manufacturer of computer memory upgrades, flash cards, flash drives, external drives, NAS, and other storage products.
  www.simpletech.com
• Pretec Electronics Corp.
  Designs, manufactures, and markets a complete line of PCMCIA cards, compact modem for handheld PDAs, and digital cameras.
  www.pretec.com
• Spansion LLC
  Manufacturer of flash

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What is USB 2.0?
USB 2.0 is the industry standard peripheral connection type for most x86 computers (Windows based). This specification is rated with maximum transfer rate of 480Mb/s (60MB/s). Sustained transfer rate of USB 2.0 depends on many factors including type of device in use, data being transferred, and speed of the computer system. A normal sustained data transfer rate for USB 2.0 ranges from 10-30 MB/s. Only burst data transfers can reach the 480Mb/s rate.

What are the benefits of USB 2.0?

• USB 2.0 (and earlier 1.1 version ) is "hot swappable," eliminating the need to reboot or restart your computer when attaching a device.
• There’s no need for terminators, memory addresses or ID numbers

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With the increasing use of technology, usage of digital data has increased to no limits. In order to store this enormous amount of data, we need more powerful and secured data storage devices. Development teams all over the world are working around the clock to make better devices which would be small and inexpensive, but at the same time having more capacity and security.

These are the types of data storage used in computers. Advancing technologies these days are increasing the access rate and the capacity of these data storage devices.

Computer Data Storage Types

1. Data Storage Types – Primary Storage
Basically, primary storage is the memory part of the computer itself. Primary storage includes the Random…