My 100 GB WD HD dead last week after 11 months hard working. Before send it back to WD for replacement, I want to erase all the data in it. Is there a way to do this job? Would someone give me a hint? Thanks. BTW my friend told me to put refrigerator door magnet on top of HD, but I don't think it will work.
How to erase HD b4 I send back to WD for replacement?
- Thread starter jndoggett
- Start date
Get a piece of one of those magnets out of a car engine. Those things are hardcore. I assume you don't want the servicer to see your pr0n collection or something? C'mon, share the love!
cronos
Diamond Member
- Nov 7, 2001
- 9,380
- 26
- 101
People say: 'phonebook' it!
Slide the drive inside a phonebook, put it on your garage floor, and hit it as hard as you can with a hammer... several times, front and back.
If that still doesn't make you feel comfortable, open up your PC case, and connect the drive to the power supply (you might want to disconnect everything else including other drives and motherboard), turn on the power, and while it's spinning (I am assuming that it can still spin) hit it with a hammer (gently might do it, the idea is to hit it while it's spinning), be careful not to damage anything else nearby..
disclaimer: do it at your own risk
Slide the drive inside a phonebook, put it on your garage floor, and hit it as hard as you can with a hammer... several times, front and back.
If that still doesn't make you feel comfortable, open up your PC case, and connect the drive to the power supply (you might want to disconnect everything else including other drives and motherboard), turn on the power, and while it's spinning (I am assuming that it can still spin) hit it with a hammer (gently might do it, the idea is to hit it while it's spinning), be careful not to damage anything else nearby..
disclaimer: do it at your own risk
Yes, you would "low level" format it. It's technically not low level formatting but just writing zeros throughout the disk.
Be careful though, doing that erased my error. I'm still suspicious about the drive but because the distro can't recreate the SMART error, I can't send it back! I still don't trust that drive though...
Be careful though, doing that erased my error. I'm still suspicious about the drive but because the distro can't recreate the SMART error, I can't send it back! I still don't trust that drive though...
Originally posted by: saxguy
People say: 'phonebook' it!
Slide the drive inside a phonebook, put it on your garage floor, and hit it as hard as you can with a hammer... several times, front and back.
If that still doesn't make you feel comfortable, open up your PC case, and connect the drive to the power supply (you might want to disconnect everything else including other drives and motherboard), turn on the power, and while it's spinning (I am assuming that it can still spin) hit it with a hammer (gently might do it, the idea is to hit it while it's spinning), be careful not to damage anything else nearby..
disclaimer: do it at your own risk
You're giving some of the most stupidiest advice. Most warranty won't cover physical damages like these.
Go to your nice car, open trunk, with HDD in hand crawl in trunk, look up....WOW a big speaker magnet....(this will wipe the drive)_
Been there done that, about to do it again.
Been there done that, about to do it again.
cronos
Diamond Member
- Nov 7, 2001
- 9,380
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well, actually there will be no physical damages from either of the methods. these are rather extreme measures, but if the data that is stored in the drive is so sensitive you really don't want anybody to see it, you have to go to the extreme. you have to realize that even with after doing a low-level-format the drive contents can still be recovered by a recovery specialist, they do it all the time, that's what they are trained for...
1. phonebook: the reason of putting it *inside* a phonebook is exactly that, so there won't be any physical damage to the drive.
2. hitting it while spinning: I said *gently*, so the only things that will be damaged are the platters, not the outside.
and although I have never tried them myself, yes, both methods have been tried by some of my friends succesfully. I wouldn't recommend them if just for wiping pr0n, but top secret/highly sensitive stuff, you bet.
The best advice of the bunch.....I did that once myself with the 12"s in my trunk
Works like a charm I would love to see them try to recover that drive. :evil:You'd be amazed what can be recovered if one has the will and means.
I've seen Ibas recover 95+ percent of the data from a drive that had been in a severe fire.
I've seen Ibas recover 95+ percent of the data from a drive that had been in a severe fire.
Yah, sure! Wipe that hard drive!
For sure the tech who will get it (and hundreds of others) has absolutely nothing else to do but check your pathetic pictures of your whatever.
Grow up!
For sure the tech who will get it (and hundreds of others) has absolutely nothing else to do but check your pathetic pictures of your whatever.
Grow up!
Do a search for 'zerofill' on google. its a wonderful little program that boots from a floppy and wipes a drive. Id like to see someone get that data back. Not your average bear.
WD couldnt possibly care less about your data. They wont look at it, especially if its been formatted before.
Man who needs to grow up? Your assuming that is what he wants it for........for all you know he has credit card numbers on there or personal info he does not want shown.....
Jumping to conclusions and being a prick @ the same time really shows how cool you are!
People crack me up!
Obviously, the information is worth < $100.
Just (physically) destroy the drive and purchase a new one if you have fears that your data may be read by a third party. Problem solved.
Cheers!
Obviously, the information is worth < $100.
Just (physically) destroy the drive and purchase a new one if you have fears that your data may be read by a third party. Problem solved.
Cheers!
My distro required it. I used PowerMax to get the error code originally because I had a SMART error, so I zero filled the drive then the error went away. And I believe Maxtor required a PowerMax error code to RMA.
maddscientist - Notice I wasn't the first to suggest that as his motive. Nor has he denied it!
To repeat, the techs at WD would not likely have the time to look at any data on it, even if they can get it to spin up.
Any tech who did find the time would be fired for even looking!
To all those who want to write zeros or re-format, he said it was dead. To me that means it won't spin up.
If it won't spin, good luck with writing anything to it.
To those who call for some some form of impact-adjustment, it's already not working! And such abuse won't erase the data.
The strong magnet idea has possibilities for a non-spinner, but no guarantee.
To repeat, the techs at WD would not likely have the time to look at any data on it, even if they can get it to spin up.
Any tech who did find the time would be fired for even looking!
To all those who want to write zeros or re-format, he said it was dead. To me that means it won't spin up.
If it won't spin, good luck with writing anything to it.
To those who call for some some form of impact-adjustment, it's already not working! And such abuse won't erase the data.
The strong magnet idea has possibilities for a non-spinner, but no guarantee.
What exactly are these impact doing to the drive if there are no physical damage? You don't think that they will know if there are physical damages on the inside? I think i would know if all the platters were loose.
As for top secret and highly sensitive stuff... buy a freaking new drive if the information is that sensitive, or you're afraid of incarceration. Otherwise, don't bother. I look through people's HDD all the time, and see warez, porn, mp3s, etc, and i don't care. Unless it's highly illegal like kiddie porn, nobody is going to care. Who are you going to call who would?
Thanks for help everyone. I decide to try car speaker. Because the HD is dead like fish. Neither BIOS or XP said it exist. So I can't format it or fill it with zero. Oh, I don't mind to share some XXX pics with WD tech, but Agt.Molder does not want them see the UFO pics I took at Mt.Fuji.
The techs don't even try to repair the drive. They simply open it up and replace the components and/or circuit board, then hook them up to do a low-level with about 50 other drives simultaneously. Where do you think your refurbished replacements come from? Yep! The exact same way.
SUOrangeman
Diamond Member
- Oct 12, 1999
- 8,361
- 0
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Even though this thread has been officially beaten to death, I'll take this opportunity to inform readers of two things:
1. Look up a tool called BCWipe from Jetico. Granted, the drive has to be somewhat functional.
2. I have successfully RMA'd drives by only returning the cover plate and the circuit board on the bottom. Some aspects of my occupation require me to only send drives to one place for destruction.
-SUO
1. Look up a tool called BCWipe from Jetico. Granted, the drive has to be somewhat functional.
2. I have successfully RMA'd drives by only returning the cover plate and the circuit board on the bottom. Some aspects of my occupation require me to only send drives to one place for destruction.
-SUO
The basic point is to not worry about that data unless it's much more important than mere credit card #'s or warez etc. If you really care so much, destroy the drive and buy another. Otherwise just send it back and get your replacement because nobody cares about the data. They get tons and tons of drives every day, so why would it matter to them?
I think we need a new term, something for RMAing hard drive phobia or something like that.
I think we need a new term, something for RMAing hard drive phobia or something like that.
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