old old old PATA drive

[Wheresatom]

So, my parents were given a computer by and old uncle of ours, and long story short, they want to get rid of it. However, they feel a responsibility to make sure any information on the hard drive can not be recovered by anyone later.

This computer is old. Many parts in the case are stamped with 1993. The hard drive has windows 95 on it.

When I try to connect the hard drive to my parents current computer I cant seem to force the bios to pick their SATA hard drive as first boot device. The bios offers floppy group and HDD group and optical group as boot devices. Can I just start up the computer normally and then connect the PATA hard drive after everything is started or will hot swapping that drive mess up their current computer. Remember, I am not worried about corrupting the PATA hard drive contents. That is actually the point.

Also, is there anything suggested beyond just re-formatting the hard drive? Should I do that several times? Isn't there a program that just writes 1's or 0's to the entire disc. Wouldnt that be useful here? Thanks in advance.

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/588985/136/0.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tnum=33&id=588985)

[450]

I think the program you are looking for is DBAN.

http://www.dban.org/

[Wheresatom]

Thank you very much. I found the part in the bios to control the HDD group and I used that program to wipe the drive. Thanks!!

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/588985/136/0.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tnum=33&id=588985)

[DonDon]

Just take a hammer to an old hard drive and it will never be read again.

Or you can do like I like to do and open it up and remove the magnets by the head lever. They are extremely strong and fun to play with. I really like to give a pair to small children so I can watch the look of betrayal on their little faces as the magnets snap together pinching their fingers in the process. :D

I'm such a Bastard.

Don

[swatbat]

Yea DBAN does a good job.

For future refrence the best option is to just destroy the drive. DriveSavers use to tell us to use a high powered nail gun and put a few nails through it. I personally would use a drill and put a few holes straight through it. As of late I've been building up a collection of old drives I need to destory for clients(have like 20 from the last few months) and they are going to be used as targets. Prob use them for 25 yard pistol targets and 50 or so yard rifle targets with irons(which is nothing) because I don't feel like setting up longer ranges.

[DonDon]

Yea DBAN does a good job.

For future refrence the best option is to just destroy the drive. DriveSavers use to tell us to use a high powered nail gun and put a few nails through it. I personally would use a drill and put a few holes straight through it. As of late I've been building up a collection of old drives I need to destory for clients(have like 20 from the last few months) and they are going to be used as targets. Prob use them for 25 yard pistol targets and 50 or so yard rifle targets with irons(which is nothing) because I don't feel like setting up longer ranges.

Do you really think pistols are up to the job?

Go with the rifles. It's the only way to be sure. Or was that, "Nuke the site from orbit?" I'm a little drunk and the brain is fuzzy.

Back when I was in the Air Force, I had a buddy that owned a HK 91 (http://www.hkweaponsystems.com/). We used to use it to permanently disable electronic equipment that annoyed us. It was very effective.

Hey, off topic. I flew through Philly tonight. On final approach, I noticed the Dirctv blimp over a stadium, and realized I had a great view to a playoff game, for 3 seconds. I also noticed a Carrier in the Philly Navy yard. It looked like CV 67. Looked it up and it is the Kennedy. She is there for storage till they figure out where to make a museum out of her. You can't scrap a ship called "Kennedy," can you?

Don

[Old Hippie]

You can't scrap a ship called "Kennedy," can you?

You can't scrap anything with that name! :D

[swatbat]

Do you really think pistols are up to the job?

Go with the rifles. It's the only way to be sure. Or was that, "Nuke the site from orbit?" I'm a little drunk and the brain is fuzzy.


The make good pistol targets because they are small. A 357 does a good deal of damage to a drive. Haven't had a chance in a while to hit it any with other types. Thinking the 10mm should really do some damage.