Hardware write blockers

I use a Firefly from digital intelligence. An adapter allows it to image SATA drives as well (IDE to SATA bridge, about $65.00). A notebook adapter is only $5.00 more (for standard 2.5" ide). I think you can do a lot better on a kit. Digital Intelligence has the ultrakit (tableau blockers) for about 1200. I think it's a little less from forensic-computers.com. These are all firewire 800 devices.

On the subject I thought I would add this. One thing to consider is the speed of your acquisition port. My firefly is a firewire 400 device. I wouldn't benefit from an upgrade to fw800 now as the notebook I use for mobile aquisitions only has onboard fw400. In fact I'm not aware of any notebook currently built with onboard fw800. While fw800 pcmcia cards are out there for notebooks, there exists a bottleneck in the cardbus slot. You wont achieve nearly the transfer rate you would through a desktop pci card.

FW400 still has a noticeable advantage over USB 2.0. And certainly a fw800 device can be a little faster through a pcmcia card than fw400 through an onboard slot.

Let me answer your question by quoting an eMail I sent to ICS (Inteligent Computer Solutions)

Sent: Saturday, November 06, 2004 7:05 AM
To: San Casas
Subject: RE: RMA

The new Drive Lock was received yesterday. The old Drive Lock is being
packed and will be shipped back to you on Monday under RMA SC110404-1.

Again, I want to compliment ICS on your responsiveness and the quality
of your support. In dealing with other businesses we all want to know
that we are dealing with people who put our needs first and who do what
they say they are going to do. When I call ICS, I know that that is
exactly what will happen. No customer can ask more!

Alan M. Kaplan, Director
Attorneys' Investigative Consultant
5841 E. Charleston Blvd.
Box 230-140
Las Vegas, NV 89142
Phone - 702-453-4500
Fax - 702-438-8986
e-mail - AKaplan@LasVegasPI.com
Web Site - http://www.LasVegasPI.com

I use both a FastBloc device and an ICS Solo III device. I find that the S-ATA interface access capabilities of the Solo III (without requiring a special adapter), and all of the other adapters that came with the device (for laptop HDDs, etc.) are really useful. In fact, a local private investigator just dropped a HDD off this week that he could not duplicate because he didn't have a S-ATA adapter, and the Solo III worked great for both previewing the data via Firewire or USB connection to my forensic workstation, as well as for imaging the suspect drive. Just don't expect to get the "up to 3 GB per minute" transfer rate they advertise when doing duplications!

Here is what I own and use

From Digital Intelligence http//www.digitalintelligence.com/

The older firefly, Firewire 400, great to take with you for on scene acquisitions. The newer one is firewire 800, also a Sata model.
http//www.digitalintelligence.com/products/firefly/

I have acquired and used the entire ultrakit, although one belongs to me, one to my agency, and one to a friend. They all work great. Firewire 800 is a very good thing in forensic acquisition. Not to great using a PCMCIA adapter in a laptop though. I would stick with standard firewire interface or USB 2 while using laptops for acquisition.

The ultrakit can be found here
http//www.digitalintelligence.com/products/ultrakit/

I also have the Fastblock FE from Guidance Software. Quite pricy, around $500, but works very well. I have no complaints to report about it. It can be found here
http//www.guidancesoftware.com/lawenforcement/ef_fastblocfe.asp

And if you don't know about it, you should, check out Cooldrives forensic hardware page
http//store.yahoo.com/cooldrives/firewirepcmcia.html

They have a lot of good stuff at very inexpensive prices. I have the USB 2 write blocker, validated the heck out of it, and am very satisfied with it. I bought it when it was $69, now says its $99 and out of stock, but this site now has several other write blockers, one of the appears to be an exactl clone of the older firefly from Digital Intelligence. It can be found here for $69
http//store.yahoo.com/cooldrives/attofii13brb.html

If you have any questions, email or PM me, If you want to test any of them yourself, let me know.

Hi Greg, where did you get your IDE to SATA bridge for your FireFly? I can find loads that go the 'other way' to connect an IDE drive to a SATA controller but not the reverse.

Any info would be appreciated.

Nick

I think mine is an addonics. It's a single card. The IDE side plugs direct into my firefly, leaving a SATA port on the opposite side. It also has a power supply adapter. I suppose it could work either way.