Hard Drive wipe utility

[Wild1]

I need a HD wipe utility. I already have Norton Systemworks but would like to find a more svelte program that can run from floppy or external USB. I also didn't want to have to load systemworks as I've sent that software to the junk pile. Quick search turned up DBAN but this sounds like it is non selective - any HD hooked up will be wiped - this could be a problem. Anybody have a suggested alternative?

 

[SleepWalkerX]

DriveScrubber.

 

[mechBgon]

You can choose which drives DBAN nukes or doesn't nuke, just don't tell it to "autonuke." Instead, hit ENTER to start it in interactive mode, then use the arrow keys and spacebar to select/deselect drives and hit F10 to start it. Or just unplug the drives you want to make sure you don't nuke by mistake.

If you have Win2000 Pro or WinXP Pro (not Home) then another option is to delete the partition on the drive you want to nuke, then create a new partition, and let's say you give it drive letter X:. You would go Start > Run > cmd to open a command window, then type cipher /w:X:\ and let it rip. That is correct as typed, there's no spaces between any of /w:X:\.

This fills all the unoccupied capacity with EFS-encrypted data three times, deleting it after each run. You could run cipher on your C:\ drive while you're using the system, nothing bad happens... it only does its thing on the unoccupied capacity of the drive.

 

[Zugzwang152]

Active KillDisk. there's a trial version I believe.

 

[Wild1]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

If you have Win2000 Pro or WinXP Pro (not Home) then another option is to delete the partition on the drive you want to nuke, then create a new partition, and let's say you give it drive letter X:. You would go Start > Run > cmd to open a command window, then type cipher /w:X:\ and let it rip. That is correct as typed, there's no spaces between any of /w:X:\.

This fills all the unoccupied capacity with EFS-encrypted data three times, deleting it after each run. You could run cipher on your C:\ drive while you're using the system, nothing bad happens... it only does its thing on the unoccupied capacity of the drive.

I do have XP PRO so this is an option. I had no idea this was available. Thanks. Does this Cipher work as well as the other options (DBAN, DriveScrubber, Active KillDisk) for completly destroying the data on the disk? Would there be any reason to use one of the standalone programs? Seems like if you wanted to wipe an entire disk the standalone versions would be simplier but if you just want to wipe the free space on an active partition when XP Pro is installed, cipher may be the way to go?

 

[episodic]

just use dariks boot and nuke disk
google it
it is free

 

[Auric]

DBAN is also included with Eraser (for within Windows) so you may just want to grab that.

 

[Spacecomber]

Most of the drive manufacturers have available a tool for writing zeros to their drives included with their downloadable utilities. Some may refer to this as a low level format, which technically it is not. These are intended to be run from bootable disks.

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