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Erase everything from hard drive

Discussion in 'Technology' started by Gran Drewismo, Jan 8, 2009.

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  1. Gran Drewismo

    Gran Drewismo F1 Rookie

    Jan 24, 2005
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    Andrew
    #1 Gran Drewismo, Jan 8, 2009
    About to sell three hard drives to defer the cost of purchasing a new one. Over time these have been cycled in and out and have at various times held important financial and personal information that I would prefer someone not be able to find with a program like Recuva. Is formatting enough or should I give it a few passes with something like Nuke N Boot?
     
  2. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    May 1, 2003
    10,994
    Canada and Brasil...
    #2 Kds, Jan 8, 2009
    It's always there according to Horatio.
     
  3. kovachian

    kovachian Karting

    Jun 27, 2006
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    central Indiana
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    Ron
    #3 kovachian, Jan 8, 2009
    Yes.
     
  4. Asian1118

    Asian1118 F1 Rookie

    Mar 23, 2005
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    #4 Asian1118, Jan 8, 2009
    I have acronis true image and it has a utility for file shredding.
    Guaranteed destruction of your files and folders so it says how true I don’t know but it sounds good.
     
  5. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Mar 31, 2006
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    #5 Wade, Jan 8, 2009
    They make for good targets at the range :)

    Got a .308? ;)
     
  6. Asian1118

    Asian1118 F1 Rookie

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    #6 Asian1118, Jan 8, 2009
    Thats true with TB drives at 100 or less.
     
  7. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 Wade, Jan 8, 2009
    First hand experience? Got a pic? :D
     
  8. f1_nix

    f1_nix Formula 3
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    Aug 12, 2005
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    #8 f1_nix, Jan 8, 2009
    Being slightly paranoid, I use the sledgehammer method of reformating.
     
  9. yoda

    yoda F1 Rookie

    Sep 27, 2004
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    #9 yoda, Jan 8, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  10. Systo

    Systo Karting

    Feb 15, 2007
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    #10 Systo, Jan 8, 2009
    Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN; It's free), use the DoD 5220-22.M wipe . Depending on hard drive size and speed it could take more than a day. Average time for a 40GB HDD at what I could only guess to be 5200RPM is around 3.5 hours. Short of an NSA lab no one will be recovering your data.
     
  11. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
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    Nov 2, 2003
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    #11 RacerX_GTO, Jan 8, 2009
    +1

    Format is not enough! A government hard disk data wipe goes from sector 0 all the way to the end and leaves no ghost bits that could easily be recoverable by forensic data tools.
     
  12. OC Speed Junkie

    OC Speed Junkie Formula 3

    Aug 6, 2005
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    #12 OC Speed Junkie, Jan 8, 2009
    +2

    I use that and a propane torch. Outdoors, vice, mask, lawn chair, i'm paranoid.
     
  13. Scotty

    Scotty F1 World Champ
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    #13 Scotty, Jan 8, 2009
    +3--except I use a MAPP/Oxygen. Vaporized the platters, recycled the aluminum case. Freaked out a neighbor--its all good.
     
  14. NbyNW

    NbyNW F1 Rookie
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    #14 NbyNW, Jan 10, 2009
  15. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ
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    #15 MarkPDX, Jan 15, 2009
    What does a decent 1tb HD cost? Maybe $120 at most? I just don't see the upside of going to the bother of spending time thoroughly wiping a few old hard drives so you can sell them for a couple bucks. If you actually have data that you don't want recovered take five minutes with a hammer so you can have peace of mind and spend your time finding a deal.
     
  16. 275 GTB

    275 GTB Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2008
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    #16 275 GTB, Jan 16, 2009
    What he said....
     
  17. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    #17 thecarreaper, Jan 18, 2009
    stack them with Thermite in a coffee can half buried in the dirt. must let it burn itself out though.
     
  18. djui5

    djui5 F1 Veteran

    Aug 9, 2006
    5,418
    Phoenix, Arizona
    #18 djui5, Jan 18, 2009
    Yep. It also writes all the sectors as zeroes so there is no trace of anything left. If you just format a disk it won't do that and almost all of your previously existing data will still be on the disk until it writes over that data.
     
  19. 275 GTB

    275 GTB Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2008
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    #19 275 GTB, Jan 19, 2009
    True....write a bunchof 0s three times but Govt who really want to protect data just destruct the HDDs
     
  20. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

    Jan 7, 2006
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    Kyle
    #20 1_can_dream, Jan 31, 2009
    Thermite, google it.
     

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