Background Check

When I meet someone, one of the most exciting things about getting to know each other is just that...getting to know each other. I want to know his favorite things, his habits, his likes and dislikes, his past mistakes, his regrets, his accomplishments, his goals and so on. It's part of what makes conversation last till 2 in the morning knowing darn well that you should have slept at 11p.m, but still having every intention of repeating it again and again.

This is why I find it hard to ask a mutual friend about a guy that I have an interest in. I find it hard to do what I call a "background check". I feel as though a lot of objectivity will be lost with the information I find (whether positive or negative). I understand that the information that's shared with me should be taken with a grain of salt, and should put me in a better position to make a decision, but I can't help but feel that decision made would be somehow affected because now I'm not looking at this guy through my own eyes alone, but through someone else's lenses as well (even if partially). What if this person has changed? What if this person is a chameleon? What if the person I am asking has a skewed perception of him?

On the other hand, as exciting as getting to know someone is...I really don't like to devote time and energy to the wrong person and asking someone who has a better knowledge of this person could help with deciding if this is a no-go area, proceed with caution area or attack with full speed area.

I can't seem to make my mind up on this.

You meet a guy/girl, and you know someone that knows him/her. Would you do a probe? Carry on investigations about her to find out who (s)he is and what (s)he's like?