Getting rid of a computer and want to make sure all of the data is off the HDD?

[ecookman]

this is a program that writes blank information onto your drive many...many...many... times, completely destroying everything you had on it before (according to C|Net the DOD uses this sometimes)


WARNING: YOU CAN NEVER GET YOUR DATA BACK AFTER RUNNING THIS

http://dban.org

edit---------its free too

[Tony]

Or... you can use the dd tool that comes with every *nix system

[zero-impact]

It is a common misconception that you need to write over the disk many times to ensure secure deletion, when really you only need to do one write over the entire disk.
The thing that isn't safe is if you simply go into some sort of drive management tool and reformat the drive quickly.

[ecookman]

well this is the ultimate for people with paranoia

[Tony]

The next step, obviously, is to use magnets large enough to destroy the physical hard drive

[ecookman]

or get a hammer


OOH how about some explosives


(but yea dban FTW for keeping the drive in one piece and FUNCTONAL)

[md]

Tony @ 2009-05-09, 8:55 pm wrote:

The next step, obviously, is to use magnets large enough to destroy the physical hard drive

Termite. Preferably rigged to go off if the door is opened unexpectedly by heavily armed members of the local constabulary.

[bbi5291]

The ultimate solution would be to melt the hard drive, in which case the information is definitely destroyed. I suppose if you simply broke it up into macroscopic pieces there would be ways of recovering the data from each piece, and with magnets you can't really guarantee that you've corrupted every bit. You might say, who would go to the trouble of reading each piece? I believe that these people would be a subset of the people who can actually read hard disks that have been erased with shred - in other words if you're doing something illegal or highly classified, then melting would be appropriate, otherwise just use shred - nobody wants your data that badly.

And also, is anybody else somewhat suspicious of those companies that offer secure data destruction services?

[Tony]

"secure data destruction"? I haven't even heard of such, but it already sounds like a scam. They probably charge a hefty premium for being "corporate", and then just throw the hard-drives into an industrial strength shredder. If even that.

[bbi5291]

By "suspicious", I mean, maybe they actually look at your data?

[apomb]

i'd just plug it into a power source so it starts to spin, then throw it at the ground, with the centripital force and angular momentum, the glass (or aluminum) platters will surely break apart, if not, just smash with an appropriately sized hammer.

[md]

Tony @ 2009-05-09, 9:56 pm wrote:

"secure data destruction"? I haven't even heard of such, but it already sounds like a scam. They probably charge a hefty premium for being "corporate", and then just throw the hard-drives into an industrial strength shredder. If even that.

The CRA destroys it's hardware securely - it's actually pretty insane. Start by collecting a lot of HDs and memory sticks (just in case physics takes a break) and anything else that can store things. Run them through a f-ing huge degauser that not only destroys the bit pattern, but heats them up so that and magnetic surfaces demagnitize. Then, run them through a shreder and crusher to get dust and very fine particles. At least, this is the story I have heard... I have never actually seen it.

My data destruction plan is somewhat simpler:
1. Open HD
2. Remove awesome magnets for future use
3. Remove platters
4. Put platters on a hard surface
5. Hit platters repeatedly with 5kg sledge
6. Bury debris and throw out HD casing

Generally speaking, no one wants your data enough to look at a wiped drive. Very few people would ever want your data enough to reconstruct the shards - and those who do have better means of getting the information out of you.

[andrew.]

Or you could just turn your old HDD into a speaker. Click here to see.

[BigBear]

I found a computer in a dumpter and every thing was cut the ribon cables wires etc so the ram was cut in two but the hard drive was fine just the wires were cut