Totally obliterating info from a Hard Drive? - GoFuckYourself.com

darnit · 07-23-2004, 10:18 PM

Im donating a couple PCs to charity however they have personal/financial info on them. I have heard that people buy used PCs for the sole purpose of extracting info from them, so how do i totally obliterate info from the HD.

And please no format C: responses, Im looking for something more industrial like BC wipe.

Thoughts?

4Pics · 07-23-2004, 10:25 PM

You could always use a hammer on the hard drives.

nofx · 07-23-2004, 10:26 PM

high powered magnet

AgentCash · 07-23-2004, 10:27 PM

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

Try searching google for 'DoD overwrite' basically the utilities write random data 32+ times to the entire harddrive. It takes a long time, but it's the standard for decommissioned hard drives from sensitive gonvernment entities.

darnit · 07-23-2004, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 4Pics
You could always use a hammer on the hard drives.

well i want them to be usable hence the charity part....lol but thanks for the idea...

Kard63 · 07-23-2004, 10:28 PM

Western Digital has "zero out the drive" as an option in the utility disc. Other corps probably have it to. I writes jeberish over the whole drive so the basic data recover retrieval software cant find it. Probably only the Feds could after its all been written over once and then it wouldnt be a pretty picture. Safe AFAIK.

bringer · 07-23-2004, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kard63
Western Digital has "zero out the drive" as an option in the utility disc. Other corps probably have it to. I writes jeberish over the whole drive so the basic data recover retrieval software cant find it. Probably only the Feds could after its all been written over once and then it wouldnt be a pretty picture. Safe AFAIK.

this works, or you could just remove the harddrives and replace with a 20gb
i think they're about $25

AgentCash · 07-23-2004, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kard63
Western Digital has "zero out the drive" as an option in the utility disc. Other corps probably have it to. I writes jeberish over the whole drive so the basic data recover retrieval software cant find it. Probably only the Feds could after its all been written over once and then it wouldnt be a pretty picture. Safe AFAIK.

Zeroing out the harddrive will erase the data for most people, but there are techniques that well funded agencies/people can still use to recover that data.

http://www.usenix.org/publications/l...ann/index.html

darnit · 07-23-2004, 10:57 PM

Found some good freeware on google...thanks agent cash for the tip.

JSA Matt · 07-23-2004, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nofx
high powered magnet

FlyingIguana · 07-23-2004, 11:00 PM

uberformat c:

Magg · 07-23-2004, 11:01 PM

you format, then fill the drive with 0's, format again, then fill it with 0's again, and format once more.

make sure to delete the file system and all partitions each time.

the NSA/DoD do this exact same thing, except after all that, they smash the HD's, then burn them, but since you want to give em away, thatll keep you safe.

the point is to overwrite any remenants of data that are left behind on the hard drive even after delete, until something comes in and needs the space which then overwrites the left over data of whatever deleted files, so your basically deleting everything, then overwriting all remaining info with 0's, then getting rid of all that, then overwriting everything with 0's again, delete it again, and re-create the filesystem and partition.

JasonB · 07-23-2004, 11:10 PM

This prog is supposed to get everything off
http://www.cyberscrub.com/cyberscrub/index.php

venturi · 07-23-2004, 11:32 PM

Back in my USMC days this is how we did it with the "disk packs" (mainframe HDD).

1) Unbind and dismount said pack.
2) Hand 3 Jr Marines sledge hammers.
3) Send troops out to the back lot with sledges and disk packs.
4) Order them to have fun beating the disk packs into unrecognizable bits of shattered metal.
5) Separate the rubble into 3 piles to be shipped off for incineration separately.

Works pretty good, but as said above it's not very practical if you're donating the PC to a charity.

Jace · 07-23-2004, 11:35 PM

sledgehammer works the best, make sure each disc is seperated from the drive box

jukeboxfrank · 07-24-2004, 12:08 AM

Do what is called a low level format. It writes over every bit.
Takes forever but will do the job. Google is your friend.....

Manowar · 07-24-2004, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nofx
high powered magnet

kveldulv · 07-24-2004, 07:33 AM

This site http://www.iolo.com has a program which will destroy data.

If you want to be really sure, install linux over the top of it then formate again.

07-23-2004, 10:18 PM	#1
darnit Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Teh Interweb Posts: 2,439	Totally obliterating info from a Hard Drive? Im donating a couple PCs to charity however they have personal/financial info on them. I have heard that people buy used PCs for the sole purpose of extracting info from them, so how do i totally obliterate info from the HD. And please no format C: responses, Im looking for something more industrial like BC wipe. Thoughts?

07-23-2004, 10:26 PM	#3
nofx Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Virgin Mary's womb Posts: 16,826	high powered magnet __________________ Often times I wonder why There's love and hate, theres live or die. When sickness comes I must decide: When feelings go, theres suicide.

07-23-2004, 10:28 PM	#6
Kard63 Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 237 619 975 Posts: 8,944	Western Digital has "zero out the drive" as an option in the utility disc. Other corps probably have it to. I writes jeberish over the whole drive so the basic data recover retrieval software cant find it. Probably only the Feds could after its all been written over once and then it wouldnt be a pretty picture. Safe AFAIK. __________________

07-23-2004, 11:01 PM	#12
Magg Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: ICQ: 132497047 Posts: 4,467	you format, then fill the drive with 0's, format again, then fill it with 0's again, and format once more. make sure to delete the file system and all partitions each time. the NSA/DoD do this exact same thing, except after all that, they smash the HD's, then burn them, but since you want to give em away, thatll keep you safe. the point is to overwrite any remenants of data that are left behind on the hard drive even after delete, until something comes in and needs the space which then overwrites the left over data of whatever deleted files, so your basically deleting everything, then overwriting all remaining info with 0's, then getting rid of all that, then overwriting everything with 0's again, delete it again, and re-create the filesystem and partition. Last edited by Magg; 07-23-2004 at 11:03 PM..

07-23-2004, 11:32 PM	#14
venturi Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: An Oasis atop a High Desert Mesa Posts: 386	Back in my USMC days this is how we did it with the "disk packs" (mainframe HDD). 1) Unbind and dismount said pack. 2) Hand 3 Jr Marines sledge hammers. 3) Send troops out to the back lot with sledges and disk packs. 4) Order them to have fun beating the disk packs into unrecognizable bits of shattered metal. 5) Separate the rubble into 3 piles to be shipped off for incineration separately. Works pretty good, but as said above it's not very practical if you're donating the PC to a charity. __________________ I'm not a porn monger. I'm a porn ... STYLIST! Buildit Cheap, build it Fast, Build it Right. - Pick Two.

07-23-2004, 10:25 PM	#2
4Pics Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 7,952	You could always use a hammer on the hard drives.

07-23-2004, 10:27 PM	#4
AgentCash Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 720	http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/sdelete.shtml Try searching google for 'DoD overwrite' basically the utilities write random data 32+ times to the entire harddrive. It takes a long time, but it's the standard for decommissioned hard drives from sensitive gonvernment entities.

07-23-2004, 10:57 PM	#9
darnit Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Teh Interweb Posts: 2,439	Found some good freeware on google...thanks agent cash for the tip.

07-23-2004, 11:00 PM	#11
FlyingIguana aspiring banker Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: toronto Posts: 10,870	uberformat c:

07-23-2004, 11:10 PM	#13
JasonB Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 1,183	This prog is supposed to get everything off http://www.cyberscrub.com/cyberscrub/index.php

07-23-2004, 11:35 PM	#15
Jace FBOP Class Of 2013 Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: bumfuck, ky Posts: 35,562	sledgehammer works the best, make sure each disc is seperated from the drive box

07-24-2004, 12:08 AM	#16
jukeboxfrank Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: www.jenniferworthington.com Posts: 1,207	Do what is called a low level format. It writes over every bit. Takes forever but will do the job. Google is your friend.....

07-24-2004, 07:33 AM	#18
kveldulv Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 128	This site http://www.iolo.com has a program which will destroy data. If you want to be really sure, install linux over the top of it then formate again. __________________ icq: 22005948