[gui-talk] erase hard drive

[Charles Oppermann]

While physically destroying the hard drive is one way of erasing data, it doesn't actually erase data, it just makes the data difficult or impossible to access.

If you want to go quick and dirty, simply format the disk, or use a disk partitioning tool to remove the partitions.  However, someone who really wants to can try to recreate the partitions and try to access the contents.

The more involved way is to use a tool that writes new data to the drive, in theory, overwriting old data.  Really motivated folks can use methods that look at the magnetic patterns and try to infer the old data by examining the magnetic charges on the disk.  That's easy to foil however, just keep writing new data in a series of "disk wipes".  After a few passes, the disk is truly wiped and ready for reuse.

I personally believe anything more than a single wipe pass is overkill and a waste of time.

You can safely erase the data from a hard disk by using a number of freely available tools.  Personally, I use one of the tools on the Ultimate Book Disk, which is a collection of tools in a CD-ROM format.

There is an open source project called Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) on Sourceforge.net that creates a bootable floppy that will securely erase the hard drives.

Good luck!

--Chuck

-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ray Foret Jr.
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 2:39 PM
To: NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] erase hard drive

If you're wanting to get rid of all the data on the hard drive you speak of,
I know two pieces of hardware that will do the job just fine, a hammer and a
drill.  No, I'm not fooling.  That is truly the only way to permanently
erase a hard drive.  Not kidding.

Sincerely yours,
The Constantly Barefooted,
Ray
Home phone and fax:
(985)853-0139
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rforetjr at bellsouth.net
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God bless President George W. Bush!
God bless our troops!
and God bless America
----- Original Message -----
From: "Georgia Kitchen" <gkitchen at gfn.org>
To: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet GUI-TALK Mailing List"
<gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 4:29 PM
Subject: [gui-talk] erase hard drive


Hi,

Could anyone please tell me if there is a free ware program that will
permanently erase the hard drive of my old lap top with windows 98 and jaws?
Sorry for the caps.
Thanks,
Georgia Kitchen


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