Destroying Digital Business Files

Art Scott

Is there a really good FREE ware for overwriting a harddrive with sensitive business info on them......I am getting ready to upgrade some of my drives to SATA and they are still great drives with a lot of life left in them but formating has doen real good....I can still recover files from the drives with my recovery software.

TIA..............................................

takeflightphoto

Art Scott wrote:

Is there a really good FREE ware for overwriting a harddrive with sensitive business info on them......I am getting ready to upgrade some of my drives to SATA and they are still great drives with a lot of life left in them but formating has doen real good....I can still recover files from the drives with my recovery software.

TIA..............................................

Not free, but a decent hammer can be had at The Home Depot for around $8.00. :rambo

timk519

I know such a program exists because I downloaded a bootable ISO with a bunch of wipe programs, but I don't remember what it's name is.

DavidTO

Art, you're on Windows? I'd be surprised Windows doesn't offer a secure erase built in to the OS somehow. Mac does for sure, Windows must?

run_kmc

Most every Linux distribution comes with "shred" installed, and just about every distro has "secure-delete" in their repositories.

If you run Windows or Mac.. I have no idea. You're on your own.

Seriously, though, a drill with a large bit and a powerful magnet should deter just about anyone that tried anything.

Dan7312

If you search for "disk secure erase" you will find a bunch many of which are free, for example:

http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/SecureErase.shtml

However, I don't know if you can really trust any of them. I have always literally drilled a couple of holes through the entire drive before disposing of it. Protecting the data has always been more important to me than the small amount I could get for an old drive.

I've done the hammer thing and it makes a mess that is tedious to clean up, the actual platters sometime shatter like glass.

Art Scott wrote:

Is there a really good FREE ware for overwriting a harddrive with sensitive business info on them......I am getting ready to upgrade some of my drives to SATA and they are still great drives with a lot of life left in them but formating has doen real good....I can still recover files from the drives with my recovery software.

TIA..............................................

Art Scott

yeah I know all about the drills ( i have over 500 drill bits) and hammers ( i own 12-15....haven't been in the building or machinst mood in a while) and know exactly what can happen......however these have way too much life left in them to destroy them...plus my GREEN side is coming out more and more as I see the encroachment onto nature more and more......

My Buddhist Priest is mediatating on the Karmic effects of killing the hard drives and will let me know what answers he receives.......................

Thanks for the ideas .........................

Richard

The surest way is to physically destroy the drive in any of the ways mentioned above. But you can easily overwrite all of the data. First reformat or delete all the files on the drive (except the OS if it's a boot drive). Then create a folder and upload, say, a 4 GB card of pics. Then duplicate that folder and move them both to a new folder. Then repeat the procedure so that the amount of storage added each time doubles. Exponential numbers increase really fast, so you will fill the disk in short order. I have seen it claimed that even overwritten data can be recovered by NSA types, but 1) I don't put much stock in those stories and 2) if those guys are after you, you're screwed no matter what you do.

ivar

If you are using a Mac, go to applications > utilities > disk utility

Under Erase > Security Options, you'll find:


Under windows.... I have no idea

Richard

Another thing to check is whether the disk manufacturer offers free utilities for total erasure. I know that Western Digital does, and I imagine others do as well.

Gary752

Another option is to boot to DOS, then run FDISK and delete the partition. Then create a new one, then format. If you have the utility disc for the drive, there should be a utility program to low level format the disc as well. What I do with older drives that have life left in them is to purchase external enclosures, and plug them into the USB port and use them as added storage space, or to house backups. I am beginning to really like external drives, cause if you upgrade computers, it's a matter of unplugging the external drives, and plugging them into the new computer. No need to copy files from one drive to another.

GaryB

John Mueller

Might want to check THIS out.

xxclixxx

CCleaner has a wipe empty space on a drive option, and it can do secure file deletion. Freeware and is great for clearing cache / temp files too:

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Art Scott

Thanks to everyone for your information.