Wiping HDs

**Hellfury** · 2011-02-05 04:34

Anyone have any software recommendations for decent (freeware) wiping software?(standard HDD, not SSD)
Not wiping maindrive, just a couple of secondary drives I suspect being on the verge of going bai bai. Using win7

(the "Eraser" linked in List of Free Apps and Utilities in the sticky just leads to a 404 with list of encryption software on c.net download.com)

(ignore the above, as was pointed out to me, while it does, there is a working link to eraser further down on that encryption software page, iPhail)

**finitek** · 2011-02-05 04:44

I use a freeware program called Eraser.
http://eraser.heidi.ie/ is the site.
It works fairly well. if you really suspect they are going to die I would just get all the data off then take a hammer to them. But that is just me...

**Hellfury** · 2011-02-05 04:49

Originally Posted by finitek

I use a freeware program called Eraser.
http://eraser.heidi.ie/ is the site.
It works fairly well. if you really suspect they are going to die I would just get all the data off then take a hammer to them. But that is just me...

hehe, while I don't quite qualify for government conspiracy theorist status, I am slightly paranoid about personal privacy, we have this company, IBAS, that does a lot of data recovery work. they hit the newspapers every now and then about putting together harddrives that were torn to pieces (probably an exagguration). I try to err on the side of caution though.

Downloading eraser now to try, thanks

**Blabj** · 2011-02-05 05:24

35 pass erase, followed by rare earth magnets and then an industrial strength shredder. Take the pieces and discard into a furnace at over 1370ºc. Should do the trick.

**Blabj** · 2011-02-05 05:25

Or use this, but be prepared to leave the computer running overnight when using the more secure erase options... http://www.dban.org/

**shaddix** · 2011-02-05 05:26

ata drive have built in functionality called secure erase. Look in your bios for the function. Otherwise can download a piece of software that will do it.

https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

**Hellfury** · 2011-02-05 05:27

dban, I think I read about that one some time back! I'll try everything just to be sure

!

thanks for all the suggestions

**Kerberoz** · 2011-02-05 07:27

There is absolutely no security difference between 1 pass and 467,000 passes, other than taking 467,000 times longer. Quit believing everything you see on CSI.

**Hellfury** · 2011-02-05 08:28

"You might have a touch of the nerd when:
I named the first of the new drives B: huuhhh huhhh.."

**Yabby** · 2011-02-05 09:00

If you have ultimate win 7 just bitlocker the bitch.

**xopher** · 2011-02-05 09:37

fileshredder if it's a non boot drive. dban if it is.

**SephYuyX** · 2011-02-05 12:03

Anything works. I just use CCleaner.

**jmc** · 2011-02-05 15:40

+1 to dban, just leave it on overnight.

Bockage · 2011-02-05 21:52

I tend to use Lysol (Not the cleaning product) when I want to kill drives. Take all of 5 seconds to work too.

**rog** · 2011-02-06 06:16

Originally Posted by Bockage

I tend to use Lysol (Not the cleaning product) when I want to kill drives. Take all of 5 seconds to work too.

Except it would be incredibly easy to recover the data.

Bockage · 2011-02-06 17:25

Originally Posted by rog

Except it would be incredibly easy to recover the data.

Damn I thought I added something about that in my original post. Lysol just makes the computer think the drive is blank, it doesn't actually remove all the data on it.

**Kerberoz** · 2011-02-06 18:16

...then why bother? Any OS install disk can do a reformat.

**rog** · 2011-02-06 18:50

Originally Posted by Kerberoz

...then why bother?

Pretty sure he just missed the point.

**Hushigoshi** · 2011-02-07 00:33

Originally Posted by Kerberoz

Quit believing everything you see on CSI.

**rog** · 2011-02-07 01:00

That never gets old lololol

Thread: Wiping HDs

Thread Tools

Wiping HDs

Similar Threads

Installing FFXI on a 2nd HD

Latest Threads

Up & Coming Threads

Hottest Threads