Free secure erase software

[dmoney1980]

Hi guys,

I'm thinking about selling a couple of hard drives that I have laying around here, but I would like to do a secure erase first. Do you know of any good secure erase software I can download ? Any freeware I can use ? I would hate to have to pay for something, just to sell something

 

[PottedMeat]

http://www.dban.org/

 

[tweakboy]

Or a magnet while comp is on. lol Is this a Myth or what ?

 

[htwingnut]

killdisk is good. Be careful with Dban because it will blow away any storage device connected to that computer.

 

[sub.mesa]

Try Eraser if you want an in-windows solution. It's open-source and supports various data destruction protocols.

To clarify; the OP is not looking to secure erase an SSD; but rather to make data recovery impossible. This was the original purpose of the secure erase ATA command set.

 

[dmoney1980]

these product names are scaring me ! lol - they make it sound like they brick the HDD. Yes I would like something I can run from windows 7. thanks for the info guys

 

[taltamir]

As of windows vista, a full format performs a secure erase on spindle drives (aka, writes 0 to all sectors).

For your SSD there are a variety of tools, including the intel SSD toolbox.