What type of copy is needed to obtain deleted files or fragments from a suspect's hard drive?

What type of copy is needed to obtain deleted files or fragments from a suspect's hard drive?

• A. An ordinary backup copy
• B. A file-level copy
• C. A forensic image
• D. A compressed backup

Answer: (C)

To obtain deleted files or fragments, you must create a forensic image—a sector-by-sector copy of the entire hard drive. This captures every bit of data, including unallocated space, slack space, and remnants of deleted files that standard copies miss. Working from this exact image allows investigators to perform forensic analysis, recover deleted data, and verify integrity with hash values, all without altering the original evidence. In contrast, ordinary backups or file-level copies only capture active files and metadata, missing the deleted data and the underlying structures, while compressed backups can obscure data and complicate verification.

To obtain deleted files or fragments, you must create a forensic image—a sector-by-sector copy of the entire hard drive. This captures every bit of data, including unallocated space, slack space, and remnants of deleted files that standard copies miss. Working from this exact image allows investigators to perform forensic analysis, recover deleted data, and verify integrity with hash values, all without altering the original evidence. In contrast, ordinary backups or file-level copies only capture active files and metadata, missing the deleted data and the underlying structures, while compressed backups can obscure data and complicate verification.