Permanantly erase everything

[Obi_Kwiet]

I'm giving one of my PC's away, but I'd like to wipe it clean. Will low-level formatting (Windows normal format option) do that or will UBD have something like that on there? Just write 0's to everything on there. Also, free. I'm sure something will do this for free. Any sugestions? Thanks!

 

[CyberCecil]

Try DBAN.

 

[Xipher]

I would get something like http://dban.sourceforge.net/
at least do 3 runs, one of them random. That should be good enough.

 

[defakto]

windows normal format is not a low level format.

 

[burningrave101]

windows normal format is not a low level format.

Only the hard drive manufacturer can do a low level format. What programs like DBAN and KillDisk do is just write zeros to the drive.

 

[Xipher]

Only the hard drive manufacturer can do a low level format. What programs like DBAN and KillDisk do is just write zeros to the drive.

Well, DBAN will write random data as well as zeros, depending on what you tell it to do. It just uses shred and dd to do its work, so any linux live cd can do the same job really.

 

[OldMX]

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda

oldmx

 

[Jester FPS]

it's not permanently erased using a program like dban or even formatting a hdd.

the only way to permanently erase data is to write over the existing the data with 0's and 1's, -> killdisk.

 

[_Korruption_]

it's not permanently erased using a program like dban or even formatting a hdd.

the only way to permanently erase data is to write over the existing the data with 0's and 1's, -> killdisk.

I think writing random characters then zero-ing out the entire drive is more effective. DBAN allows you to do this.

 

[SJConsultant]

it's not permanently erased using a program like dban or even formatting a hdd.

the only way to permanently erase data is to write over the existing the data with 0's and 1's, -> killdisk.

You are partially correct. DBAN does the same thing as Killdisk.

 

[t3chyo888]

erd commander is the best thing to use the us goverment uses it to wipe there drives when they sell there pcs its also used to get data off a used hdd from terroirst and used alot to find child porn (sick people)

 

[SJConsultant]

erd commander is the best thing to use the us goverment uses it to wipe there drives when they sell there pcs its also used to get data off a used hdd from terroirst and used alot to find child porn (sick people)

I seriously doubt your statements, unless of course you can provide links to backup your claims.

While ERD commander can be used to sanitize HDDs, it's no better/worse than any of the other tools out there. Not to mention ERD commander is now sold as part of Winternals Administrator pack which means it is *very* expensive.

DBAN and other utilities are either free or very low cost and perform the same job just as well.

 

[Xipher]

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda

oldmx

for (( i=0; $i<3; i++)) do dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/hda; dd if=/dev/null of=/dev/had; done
that should make sure its pretty well wiped.

 

[OldMX]

Is that 3 passes of random writting right? Wonder how long it takes on a 250GB drive

 

[t3chyo888]

I seriously doubt your statements, unless of course you can provide links to backup your claims.

While ERD commander can be used to sanitize HDDs, it's no better/worse than any of the other tools out there. Not to mention ERD commander is now sold as part of Winternals Administrator pack which means it is *very* expensive.

DBAN and other utilities are either free or very low cost and perform the same job just as well.

I work in a computer recycling center were we ship alot of pcs from govermnet auctions to taiwan china and japan and we received erd commander from them because we had to wipe the drives before they were re sold If we were into destroying the parts like crushing them seperating the metals it wouldnt be a problem but because we resell we needed to use this program that they requested

 

[Obi_Kwiet]

Why would we do three passes, wouldn't one do it just as well.

 

[unhappy_mage]

When hard drives write 0 and 1, they don't write integers like 0 and 1, they write like 0.11247 and 0.885312. So it's close enough that when it comes back to read it's close enough to 0 or 1, and it reads correctly. However, the extra digits there are readable with specialized equipment, and they're based on what was on the disk several generations. So it's possible to recover data with several passes of random data on top.

DoD standard is (I believe) *seven* passes before the drive is considered clean. But you're not the DoD. Use seven if you're paranoid, or 3-4 if you're just cautious.

 

[davidlem]

Even multiple wipe/random write processes can sometimes leave original information. This is because of the variances of track write width. For example, draw a pencil line 1/2" long, then drag your pencil eraser perpendicular to this line intersecting its midpoint. The excess on either side of what you just erased could technically be read again in the future.

The ONLY way to guarantee complete destruction of data is physical damage. Everything else is just a technicality and can be challenged by someone driven by the right (or wrong) motivation.

*edit* But for the home user selling a used PC, simply one pass zeroing data should suffice. Your tax info is of no concern if the next user becomes a target of an FBI investigation

 

[jt99]

One pass of zero's is enough to accomplish your needs.

Nothing short of an electron microscope will be able to see the residuals left behind...

 

[OldMX]

I use autoclave and always do 1 pass (zero fill only), it does a good job, everything else is overkill in my opinion

If you have such important information, then dont give away the disk, keep it or destroy it

oldmx

 

[morpheus6d9]

Try DBAN.

QFT

 

[Xipher]

Why would we do three passes, wouldn't one do it just as well.

3 passes is the minimum required for Universities (at least that is the requirement here at UNI), I know that. Also that for loop actually does 6 (random then zero). You do it this many times so that it would even be difficult to retrieve it, unless you have some real heavy duty equipment which can retrieve data from the trace off the magnetic field even after its been re-writen, like some parts of the US government (FBI and the like) have.

 

[davidlem]

3 passes is the minimum required for Universities (at least that is the requirement here at UNI), I know that. Also that for loop actually does 6 (random then zero). You do it this many times so that it would even be difficult to retrieve it, unless you have some real heavy duty equipment which can retrieve data from the trace off the magnetic field even after its been re-writen, like some parts of the US government (FBI and the like) have.

You don't have to go as high up as the FBI to get find equipment like that.

 

[Xipher]

You don't have to go as high up as the FBI to get find equipment like that.

I was just using them as an example since I had heard their acronym mentioned a few times when people talk about that hardware. IIRC they also have the tech to rebuild platers that have been literally shatered.

 

[unhappy_mage]

Also that for loop actually does 6 (random then zero).

This loop does 6 iterations: random than nothing, alternating. This isn't what you want. Substitute "/dev/zero" for "/dev/null". Quite a difference.

 

[USMC2Hard4U]

32 way random pass, then write zeros to it once....

It someone can dig out info off of that, then they deserve to have it lol

 

[drizzt81]

maybe instead of random you can make a lightscribe type picture with teh bits...