How to safely wipe a HD

[wemorgan]

I want to wipe a pair of old hard drives before giving them away.

I've downloaded:
Active@ Kill Disk - Hard Drive Eraser - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

but the free version only does a single pass with 0's.

Does anyone know of other free software that is more robust?

Thanks.

 

[Ted]

PGP wipe.

But if it fills the disk with '0's why would you need more?

 

[IanT]

Depends on the strength of the resuly you want to achieve really - you can do pretty well by just reformatting and overwriting the entire disk with a direct copy of one of your DVD collection multiple times until it's full. I would have thought that any application that actually does write to every location on a disk would be fine for anything but the most determined professional restoration outfit, with access to some very specialised tools.

Blancco seems to be the popular one for decent spec erasure. I'm not sure if a version is available for free though.

Ian.

 

[wemorgan]

But if it fills the disk with '0's why would you need more?

I'm not sure really. But I noticed that the paid for version offers multiple passes with random 0 and 1 and many more features. So not know anything about it, I just assumed this was better.

 

[Ted]

Or in unix.......

echo "hello" >a

while true
do
cat a>>b
cat b>>a
done


then put your feet up for a well earned rest.

 

[Frank O' Phile]

have a look at this one. seems popular.

Might even give it a go on my old drive.

 

[wemorgan]

PGP wipe.

have a look at this one. seems popular.

Thanks guys. I've found this thread coparing the two:

Eraser vs. PGP wipe - Wilders Security Forums

 

[Mark300SL]

I use Dban for any disks that are being recyled but it does require a boot machine - even between PCs in our own lab. Eraser is good for a windows environment

DBAN Download | Darik's Boot And Nuke

 

[BTB 500]

I wipe by placing on a paving slab and striking with a club hammer until flat

Disks have a finite lifespan and are pretty cheap nowadays (unless you're talking huge/exotic). So I'm not sure that well used secondhand ones make worthwhile gifts?

But ignoring that aspect, how private/confidential is the data on there?

 

[wemorgan]

I wipe by placing on a paving slab and striking with a club hammer until flat

Disks have a finite lifespan and are pretty cheap nowadays (unless you're talking huge/exotic). So I'm not sure that well used secondhand ones make worthwhile gifts?

But ignoring that aspect, how private/confidential is the data on there?

Fair point

I was going to wipe them (160 + 300 GB) and offer them free to anyone on this forum.

The data is not very personal like financial information, but just my old photograhs etc which I'd rather not have some geek hack in to.

 

[Dryce]

I want to wipe a pair of old hard drives before giving them away.

We use a live Linux CD and boot the system. Then run the 'shred' command.

How do I permanently erase hard disk?

 

[stevesey]

I use Dban for any disks that are being recyled but it does require a boot machine - even between PCs in our own lab. Eraser is good for a windows environment

DBAN Download | Darik's Boot And Nuke

+1 for DBAN

Will - IDE or SATA? I could make use of an extra IDE drive.

 

[wemorgan]

+1 for DBAN

Will - IDE or SATA? I could make use of an extra IDE drive.

IDE: I've just discovered that the 300GB has a broken rear pin? So if you still want the 160GB PM me your address and I'll try to post it tomorrow. But with the planned strike it may take a while.

 

[crockers]

Agree with Bill -- destroy it....

 

[HughJarse]

We use a six inch nail and a hammer.

 

[LTD]

Petrol.

That might cost more than the drive given today's climate

 

[Beetnik]

I use eraser - works just fine although if you use 35 passes set it going to run overnight!

 

[Alfie]

+1 for DBAN

Will - IDE or SATA? I could make use of an extra IDE drive.

I have loads (literally 100's) of IDE disks. Various sizes upto about 300Gb.

The best way to erase a disk in my opinion is to hit it very hard several times with a club hammer! Its quick and very very effective.

 

[spock500]

Some discussion here on tools;

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/pc-i-t-support-advice-posts/76392-scrounge-2.html

 

[Satch]

The methods already mentioned work up to a point but take time.

My employer gives a lot of old IT kit away to charity but each and every one is fitted with a new hard drive. Not a very wonderful drive to be sure, but new it is. Security is the primary issue but a PC with ropey drive is not that great a gft, is it?

The discarded hard discs are degaussing and then cast into a mahoosive shredder. (BTW there is a certain person at work who right now I would like to feed into that.... )