Wiping A Hard Drive So Data Is Not Recoverable

Southy · 12-05-2006, 03:54 AM

I have a hard drive which I want to sell and so I want to format it clean so that the buyer has a fresh drive and also so that my data is not recoverable. I know just doing a quick windows format will not do the trick, is there a way I can format it so that the previous data is no longer recoverable?

Jet · 12-05-2006, 03:59 AM

If you do a full reformat, it will erase all data.

Quick reformat: makes all sectors "available"
Full reformat: Writes "0" to each space, so it is fully formatted. (or it might be "1", I'm not totally sure, but I am sure that a full reformat will do the trick.

SirKenin · 12-05-2006, 04:11 AM

A full reformat doesn't do it. I can recover formatted HDDs. You have to use a shredder of some kind. They are available on the web, but I'm not aware of any free ones.

Jet · 12-05-2006, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirKenin

A full reformat doesn't do it. I can recover formatted HDDs. You have to use a shredder of some kind. They are available on the web, but I'm not aware of any free ones.

Hmm.. a paper shredder with a hard drive

So you can recover fully reformatted hard drives? Is it hard?

SirKenin · 12-05-2006, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet

Hmm.. a paper shredder with a hard drive

So you can recover fully reformatted hard drives? Is it hard?

No, I have a program here called Stellar Phoenix that recovers data off of formats three layers old.

pdc76 · 12-05-2006, 08:25 AM

there's a program made by webroot, it's called window washer. pretty much makes it unrecoverable. it can do:

random (1 pass)
DOD 5220.22-M (3 passes)
NSA standards (7 passes)
Gutmann (35 passes)
or a user defined number up to 100 passes.

Southy · 12-05-2006, 04:15 AM

Yeah I've heard the same, full formats wont do the trick. I'm thinking I would need to get a program to write multiple layers overtop of the data so that it is no longer recoverable, I'm just not sure how to do it, thats all...

Emperor_nero · 12-05-2006, 08:37 AM

wow are you guys just parinoid or are the cops after you?

pdc76 · 12-05-2006, 08:55 AM

uh, who wants to know?

hahaha

Jesse1984 · 12-05-2006, 09:17 AM

I use ultimate boot cd. There are lots of utilitites to write 0's to the entire drive and make it unrecoverable. Its advisable to use the correct application for your brand of drive. I believe there is maxtor, HP, Western digital and some others. Just boot from ultimate boot cd and follow the prompts. Careful not to delete your main drive tho! http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

12-05-2006, 03:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
Southy Silver Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 233	Wiping A Hard Drive So Data Is Not Recoverable I have a hard drive which I want to sell and so I want to format it clean so that the buyer has a fresh drive and also so that my data is not recoverable. I know just doing a quick windows format will not do the trick, is there a way I can format it so that the previous data is no longer recoverable? __________________ http://www.noplacelikethis.com/

12-05-2006, 03:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
Jet VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5,631	If you do a full reformat, it will erase all data. Quick reformat: makes all sectors "available" Full reformat: Writes "0" to each space, so it is fully formatted. (or it might be "1", I'm not totally sure, but I am sure that a full reformat will do the trick. __________________ http://www.joshualongeneckerphotography.com

12-05-2006, 08:25 AM	#6 (permalink)
pdc76 Platinum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glassboro, NJ Age: 33 Posts: 876	there's a program made by webroot, it's called window washer. pretty much makes it unrecoverable. it can do: random (1 pass) DOD 5220.22-M (3 passes) NSA standards (7 passes) Gutmann (35 passes) or a user defined number up to 100 passes. __________________ QX9650 @ 4.00Ghz w/ Apogee GTZ / EVGA 780i w/ 3-way SLI 4Gb (2x2Gb) Dominator DDR2 1066Mhz 5-5-5-15-2T w/ Fan 3x nVidia 8800 GTX SLI / Koolance VID-282s w/ 1/2" Nozzles SB X-FI X-Tremegamer FATAL1TY Edition 7.1 w/ 64Mb X-Ram 2x Sata II 320Gb Raid, 2x Sata 110Gb Raid, 1x Sata II 200Gb Super Multi Blue Blu-Ray & HD-DVD / Swiftech MCP-655 Pump Koolance EHX-1020BK Rad / Koolance 80mm Reservoir All 1/2" Antec Quattro 1000W PSU / Lian-Li Rocketfish Full Tower case

12-05-2006, 04:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
Southy Silver Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 233	Yeah I've heard the same, full formats wont do the trick. I'm thinking I would need to get a program to write multiple layers overtop of the data so that it is no longer recoverable, I'm just not sure how to do it, thats all... __________________ http://www.noplacelikethis.com/

12-05-2006, 08:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Emperor_nero Diamond Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 127.0.0.1 Posts: 2,315	wow are you guys just parinoid or are the cops after you? __________________ I play Rugby, and no its not like it's sissy cousin with the pads.

12-05-2006, 04:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
SirKenin banned Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4,711	A full reformat doesn't do it. I can recover formatted HDDs. You have to use a shredder of some kind. They are available on the web, but I'm not aware of any free ones.

12-05-2006, 08:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
pdc76 Platinum Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Glassboro, NJ Age: 33 Posts: 876	uh, who wants to know? hahaha __________________ QX9650 @ 4.00Ghz w/ Apogee GTZ / EVGA 780i w/ 3-way SLI 4Gb (2x2Gb) Dominator DDR2 1066Mhz 5-5-5-15-2T w/ Fan 3x nVidia 8800 GTX SLI / Koolance VID-282s w/ 1/2" Nozzles SB X-FI X-Tremegamer FATAL1TY Edition 7.1 w/ 64Mb X-Ram 2x Sata II 320Gb Raid, 2x Sata 110Gb Raid, 1x Sata II 200Gb Super Multi Blue Blu-Ray & HD-DVD / Swiftech MCP-655 Pump Koolance EHX-1020BK Rad / Koolance 80mm Reservoir All 1/2" Antec Quattro 1000W PSU / Lian-Li Rocketfish Full Tower case

12-05-2006, 09:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
Jesse1984 Silver Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Victoria, Australia Age: 25 Posts: 100	I use ultimate boot cd. There are lots of utilitites to write 0's to the entire drive and make it unrecoverable. Its advisable to use the correct application for your brand of drive. I believe there is maxtor, HP, Western digital and some others. Just boot from ultimate boot cd and follow the prompts. Careful not to delete your main drive tho! http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ __________________ Case:Inwin Corp Desktop Mid Tower ATX Mobo: ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe CPU: AMD Athlon 64 4400+ Dual Core @2.42Ghz Optical:Pioneer DVR-110D + Asus DRW-1608P3S RAM:Corsair CMX1024-3200-C2PRO (1GBx2)HDDs:2x74GB 10,000RPM Sata WD Raptor's Raid0 (system) + 400GB WD sata + 80GB WD + 200GB MaxtorGraphics: XFX 7900GT 256mb @520 Core 1.62Ghz Mem Display: 2x CMV 19" LCD - 1280x1024max, 8ms Refresh DVI/VGA in Sound: Creative AudigyZS2 Psu:XConnect 500watt Modular 3DMark05 = 8686 3DMark06 = 4786

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