Deleting data

[Stefaan100]

I am getting rid of a PC for my business and want to make sure that there is no way that data can be retrieved from my harddrive. What is the best way besides destroying the harddrive to get this done?

Tx

 

[BadBigBen]

There are several programs on the market that will totally erase a HARD-Drive (overwriting the DATA up to 5x will effectively destroy all data)...

CONVAR PC Inspektor, and a programm called Total-Erase come to mind... do a google search, and you should find them...

Ben

PS - at my last job ( a BANK we destroyed the HD by driving a SCREW or two through the Platters...)

 

[SirNuke]

format C is the easist. It will hopefully erase all of the info (I doubt anyone could get the data after this, but its not perfect). I believe that partition magic will allow you to do a secure erase (or something like that) when booting off the emergency discs.

SirNuke (first 1014)

 

[Freestone]

Format is the easiest, but the least secure as data can be easily recovered.

Some freeware utilities:

http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

http://www.killdisk.com/

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/sdelete.shtml

 

[pmonett]

How about putting the disk next to a powerful magnet, like a loudspeaker ?
I fail to see how that would not work for magnetic surfaces.

Pascal.

 

[edfair]

Pascal,
Not enough gets through to do anything.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[pmonett]

Interesting.
Does that mean that hard disk casings act like Faraday cages ?
That would be logical, come to think of it.

Pascal.

 

[sulumnad]

I downloaded BC Wipe(shareware), it has a customizable wipe option that allows you to add more passes or use the two defaults a 3pass DOD and a homemade 7 pass system. If you have several gigs this could take from hours to days to wipe everything 7 times. I think for my 120G it was like 59hours. I also have WinHex Professional (about $130) recovery progam, there was no chance of recovery, every where I had a previous deleted file it was filled with random characters. Even the 3pass wipe took about 7 hours on a 60gig. How bad do you want it(wiped) is the question.

-Marc State IT
"We use DeWalt's 18v Wipe Utility on old drives

 

[franklin97355]

Try this.

http://www.east-tec.com/

 

[YellowOnline]

Like you could find in sulumnad's post: you need to overwrite your data at least 7 times. Like FreeStone says: format is about the easiest to recover.
And even if you'd start playing around with the partitions after that, it'd still be recoverable.
But is it that important anyone would want to go to that extend to retrieve your information?

Peace,

Yellow

 

[Jowers]

If your getting rid of the disk completly three holes with a a drill would do the job.

 

[sulumnad]

Three holes? Good question where at? The logic board the actuator and through the platters? What did you have in mind there's an office discussion as to how to destroy some drives and I want to make sure its thorough.