Any Win-based programs to write zeroes to defective drive?

[MaxDSP]

I have my Win2K installed on a Maxtor D740X that maxtor RMA'ed me for the older Maxtor 40GB I had. The drive still works but the error codes said I should replace it. Are there any program that write zeroes from Windows, since the drive Ill be doing this on wont have any data on it anyway?

 

[corkyg]

I have two such programs. One is the Wipe Info section of Norton System Works 2002, and the other is the Wash function in ZTree, a windows emulator of the old DOS Xtree.

 

[apoppin]

There are many freeware and shareware disk wiping programs . . . Secure Clean does a nice job and will write random zeros and ones at least 7 times (or more) . . . do a search on your favorite download site.

 

[MaxDSP]

Thanks. Ill check out your suggestions

 

[bwass24]

My prefered method is to use a utility from IBM called DFT (drive fitness test). You can find it on their web site for free. I like this one because you don't need any OS and it will wipe the entire drive--even the boot sector and the hidden areas. When you execute it, it creates a bootable floppy. When you boot with it you get various options for testing, wiping and excersizing all of the drives connected to all the IDE controllers.

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: bwass24
My prefered method is to use a utility from IBM called DFT (drive fitness test). You can find it on their web site for free. I like this one because you don't need any OS and it will wipe the entire drive--even the boot sector and the hidden areas. When you execute it, it creates a bootable floppy. When you boot with it you get various options for testing, wiping and excersizing all of the drives connected to all the IDE controllers.

Does it have to be an IBM drive or can it be used on most drives?

 

[Morph]

You could also use the Powermax disk utilities from Maxtor.

 

[bwass24]

The IBM DFT utility will work with any type of drive (SCSI, IDE) from any manufacturer. I always use it for my client's Fujitsu and Seagate scsi drives before installing them in UNIX servers.

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: Morph
You could also use the Powermax disk utilities from Maxtor.

I have the Powermax utility that checked my drive's status. Does it also have the ability to write zeroes?

 

[Morph]

Yes. I used Powermax to write zeroes on drives a couple times. I guess you know it runs in DOS though, not Windows.

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: Morph
Yes. I used Powermax to write zeroes on drives a couple times. I guess you know it runs in DOS though, not Windows.

Yes I do. It was a fairly straightforward procedure and powermax was relatively easy to use so Ill look into this also. Thanks