Can a stolen hard disk be traced ?

[ssmbalaji]

Hi all

I lost a 100 GB hitachi portable (laptop) harddisk encased in a zippo usb case. Somebody had stolen it as it looked like, may be a pocket camera in a leather pouch for them.
I have the serial number for the hard disk. Can it be traced, if it is used online ?
can it be traced if data is uploaded or downloaded to it, but not via the net, but through a PC, but the data transferred later by net or from net?
Will the harddisk ID be tagged anywhere and could be traced ?

I am from India, and someone must know the answer. I need it badly, since i had about 60 GB of data in it, which is about 10 years of my various works. I do not also have a back up of the data, since I had saved the entire back up in this lost harddisk, because my PC had crashed at that point of time.

[darkforce1]

not possible.

but u can post your details

city
hard disk model
serial#
capacity
and your contact info.

if any Data recovery person got it for recovery and he remembers about you.

will inform you.


DF

[craig6928]

the answer is no

[salvationlaura]

well, in fact, we can see the market of hard disk tracking system. If the HDD manufacturer can make a tracking system for some business used hard disk, they can make big money.

:p

Best Regards

Laura Lee

[TerraNova]

Even if the hard drive or laptop can be fitted with either a satellite tracking (GPS) or some form of RFID. It is too expensive and very small market.

There is a software/hardware which runs on laptop pc card which when stolen and used, the software automatically alert the COM centre and track the IP and narrow it down to specific Internet provider, but again too complicated and small market.

Good idea though.

[salvationlaura]

Well, I can understand that. Not many people lost Laptop usually.

[xanh]

haha well if it would be on a usb stick, that would be great...
The people in our goverment constantly seem to lose their usb sticks....

[guru]

Well yor stolen disk can be traced, It happens often...

If your thief requests warranty he/she/it may have the FEDS at their door..

[rameez]

But fitting a tracking system would be very costly maybe the prices of the hdd will be doubled if it has this function .

[technologic]

Well it needs to be done on application layer rather Physical. Retrieving and transfering application may need to tag along the serial/make/model other info that makes unique identifier with the data, then it is possible. But there is no need to this in current market where data is controlled by access and permissions at application level which is way easier then serial no of drive. Putting an RFID can be cheap though, still its not globally broadcasted.

Here is a cheap solution. A GSM chip that SMS its IP address to the server soon as the drive powers on.. ...s chip cost is 10 cents and data cost can depend on number of messages.. 2 messages a month would cost user at max around $5 a year for all 24-30 messages sent to the server. user can buy this as protection plan when bying the system or hard drive.... you gotta pay somethin to get somethin...

Cheers

[salvationlaura]

maybe the SSD hard disk will be with tracking system?

It's extremely expensive here. 1 TB costs at $30,000.

[salvationlaura]

haha well if it would be on a usb stick, that would be great...
The people in our goverment constantly seem to lose their usb sticks....

My suggestion is that to give a sling to your government people, ask them to hang the usb sticks on their necks.
:cool

[salvationlaura]

Well it needs to be done on application layer rather Physical. Retrieving and transfering application may need to tag along the serial/make/model other info that makes unique identifier with the data, then it is possible. But there is no need to this in current market where data is controlled by access and permissions at application level which is way easier then serial no of drive. Putting an RFID can be cheap though, still its not globally broadcasted.

Here is a cheap solution. A GSM chip that SMS its IP address to the server soon as the drive powers on.. ...s chip cost is 10 cents and data cost can depend on number of messages.. 2 messages a month would cost user at max around $5 a year for all 24-30 messages sent to the server. user can buy this as protection plan when bying the system or hard drive.... you gotta pay somethin to get somethin...

Cheers

I really like your cheaper solution. It sounds practical and reasonable and easy.