HD erasing programs

Anyone used a HD erasing progam- which over writes a drive sector many times to ensure that the data you had is totally gone.

Having just got a new computer- out old one is still in reasonable shape for someone who wants to mess with a light OS other than Windows. So instead of detroying the disk mechanically, I was planning on this:

Deleting the files and directorys I want, over write them (so I'll use a Windows version), Format C:, over write, and then re-platform with XP from the partition. That should clean everything up pretty well, I think- my important data will get over written in two cycles.

So the software- Freeraser, Eraser, SDelete

if I go with the DOS versions, which would delete while doing the format C:, DBAN or HDDErase.

Thoughts?

do it from a linux live CD, mount the disk and run:

sudo shred -f -n10 -z -u [disk or file]

That will run as the root user, overwrite the entire specified file(s) including protected files, 10 times and then finally write all zeros to hide the fact you shredded. You can do it directly to the device instead of a mounted file system too but lose the -u so it does not delete the device file when complete. It is not recursive so:

for i in find [args]
do
shred [args] $i
done

EDIT: If you are using a journaled file system like Reiser, Ext3, Ext4, JFS... shred (and a lot of other of these tools) won't be effective because they assume the data is written "in place" but that is not the case with a lot of newer FS.

The safest bet is always the angle grinder.

Alternate: Keep old harddrive as a slave in the new computer. Buy new small harddrive and install in old computer for resale.

RossD wrote: Alternate: Keep old harddrive as a slave in the new computer. Buy new small harddrive and install in old computer for resale.

not really an option, unless I fabricate a housing for the old HD. the new computer is a slim case, so it's not exacly expandable.

Saved $100 for a feature that I've never done in 15 years of computer owning. Generally, I "wear out" a computer- which for me means that XP updates just overwhelmed the system. The box is 7 or so years old with no modifications done.

Great idea. Just isn't really an option.

You can buy external enclosures for internal harddrives, but then again, it ruins your slim-ness of your new computer.

Dariks boot-n-nuke is a favorite of mine

http://www.dban.org/

alfadriver wrote: Great idea. Just isn't really an option.

If you just want reasonably safe transfer to a new owner wipe the whole hard disk, make it one large partition of ext2 file system, shred it, then install a copy of Ubuntu on it accepting all defaults.

In reply to Grtechguy:

i second this recommendation…dban

another IT guy

Plenty of good suggestions here; DBAN, shred, there's also wipe and dd (doing something good through destruction for once).

But best of all is simply repurposing the old drive.

Keep in mind only one pass is needed on any drives made in the last decade or two, don't waste time with more than one.

Mechanical destruction is generally stupid and should not be considered by anyone who isn't a spy agency...and I think even they know it's overkill, but better to err on the side of caution...

Good to hear recommendations for DBAN. I may just go with it, and replatform with what I have.

GameboyRMH wrote: Mechanical destruction is generally stupid and should not be considered by anyone who isn't a spy agency...

It is fun though... but even more so if it is plugged in and running when you shoot it :)

Shotgun!

Grtechguy wrote: Dariks boot-n-nuke is a favorite of mine http://www.dban.org/

Back in the day my friends used to carry floppies loaded with boot-n-nuke. Walk into a Radio Shack or any other big box store, pop in disk, restart, walk away. Yeah, my friends were not nice.

GameboyRMH wrote: Mechanical destruction is generally stupid and should not be considered by anyone who isn't a spy agency...and I think even they know it's overkill, but better to err on the side of caution...

For a drive that's too small to be useful or uses an obsolete interface specification, throwing it in the drill press and putting a few holes in the platter should do the trick. :)

I always use my HF metal cutting band saw. Put the thing in the vice, turn it on, come back when it's done. I figger the NSA could put it back together by using some kind of magnetic scanner on the disk fragments and some software to put the sectors back together logically, but short of that, it's done.

GameboyRMH wrote: ...and I think even they know it's overkill, but better to err on the side of caution...

Hence destroying the disk. I usually do a salt water bath off the dock until barnacles are growing on it and smack it a few times with a BFH.

Dr. Hess wrote: I always use my HF metal cutting band saw. Put the thing in the vice, turn it on, come back when it's done. I figger the NSA could put it back together by using some kind of magnetic scanner on the disk fragments and some software to put the sectors back together logically, but short of that, it's done.

I also like the 1" unibit in the drill press.

The Boot-n-Nuke is easy but I like to take them apart. I have a few on my desk opened up and they get a lot of comments and there are also two very strong magnets in each one that are useful.