How Risky Is It to Connect a Compromised Hard Drive to Another PC for File Recovery?
Asked by
CuriousDolphin42
I have an older friend's computer that got locked due to a scam, displaying a message on the login screen. I've removed the old hard drive and am installing Windows 10 on a new SSD for her. I tried to explain that everything is stored on the old hard drive, which might be locked or even unrecoverable. Once I set up the new system, I want to safely check if I can recover any files from the old hard drive without risking malware or viruses. I'm planning to connect it using a USB caddy and run ESET antivirus on it. How risky is this move, and what's the best way to approach file recovery without bringing any threats over?
Answers
If you're connecting a compromised drive, it's definitely a risk. Ideally, you should use a machine that’s designed for this kind of work and wipe it clean afterwards to prevent any infections. Tools like VirusTotal could help you verify files after recovery, but there's no guarantee you'll be safe even then. Just be cautious!
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HelpfulHiker21: Thanks for the tip! What if I use a fresh Windows install and keep it offline? Would that help?