Best way to *securely* erase a HDD?

[akshatp]

Looking for a free program that will permanently destroy any data on a Hard Drive (SATA).

I am selling an old drive and want to make sure its wiped properly.

Need the program to run on W7 64 bit.

 

[GTaudiophile]

 

[manlymatt83]

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/disk0

 

[manlymatt83]

http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

 

[DaWhim]

iirc, there is a program out there that will write 1 and 0 to fill up the drive.

 

[OCGuy]

The FBI can still see your 4chan thumbnails, sorry.

 

[Platypus]

DBAN (darik's boot and nuke)

But if you're just selling an old drive I would do a few passes and be done with it.

 

[irishScott]

http://www.dban.org/

Use the gutman wipe if you want maximum security, but expect it to take a couple of days if you're doing a large hard drive. Other algorithms like the DoD wipe are more advisable IMO (35 passes vs 7). In any case, for just selling the thing to some random guy almost any of the algorithms will provide secure deletion.

 

[phoenix79]

+1 for DBAN

 

[Linflas]

How to REALLY erase a hard drive

 

[shortylickens]

When I was in the Navy I spent time at a Comm station in Iceland. Somehow I ended up being the security officer for my division. Last I heard the only absolutely sure way no one will ever read old data off your hard drive again is to put it in an incinerator. That was our standard prodecure, handed down to us by forces much higher. Anything else has at least some risk.
For you, just use a standard windows command or perhaps a free utility. Thats probably enough for what you wanna do (protect yourself and family from a casual user).

 

[Drako]

A deguassing coil is the only way to go.

 

[zebano]

My buddy gets paid to erase hard drives for the Mayo clinic. He uses a hammer.

 

[Zargon]

My buddy gets paid to erase hard drives for the Mayo clinic. He uses a hammer.

I like to take them to the range for target practice

 

[ichy]

When I was in the Navy I spent time at a Comm station in Iceland. Somehow I ended up being the security officer for my division. Last I heard the only absolutely sure way no one will ever read old data off your hard drive again is to put it in an incinerator. That was our standard prodecure, handed down to us by forces much higher. Anything else has at least some risk.

Yup, when the NSA wants to securely get rid of a hard drive they physically shred them. That being said, if you just don't want someone seeing your Quicken records or pr0n stash then those sorts of measures really aren't necessary. Reformat a few times and there's no realistic chance that your data will be compromised.

 

[her209]

Unless the data is critically important, go ahead and recover my midget porn collection.

 

[JM Aggie08]

DBAN that shit, yo.

 

[Billb2]

The only sure way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQYPCPB1g3o

 

[GoPackGo]

Throw the hard drive into Mount Doom....that'll take care of it.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Last I heard the only absolutely sure way no one will ever read old data off your hard drive again is to put it in an incinerator

This is the only way to be sure short of nuking it from orbit.

The real solution depends on the nature of the data. If you are concerned about the Feds finding something, then burn it. Otherwise the programs pointed out would be sufficient.

 

[JD50]

iirc, there is a program out there that will write 1 and 0 to fill up the drive.

Yes, I believe I've heard of this program, it's called "Linux".

 

[BW86]

dban

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Was going to say magnet + shredder + incenarator; others have covered that already pretty much (but not all together!)

 

[mmntech]

Stick it in an MRI.

 

[blackdogdeek]

nuke it from orbit