Most secure way to format a hard drive?

[joshw10]

I have a buyer for my old PC and I'd like to make sure the HD is completely formatted and that it would be impossible for an individual to recover any data. What is the best way to go about doing this? I recall seeing articles a long time ago saying that the format program isnt going to cut it.

 

[thegorx]

a low level format tends to wipe it pretty darn good
at least software recovery can't pick up anything

get utilities from your hard drives website

you could try using a shredder program on files that are sensitive
but doing a whole drive with one of those programs most likely would take forever
even huge amounts of files take forever

 

[joshw10]

software recovery would be my only concern

 

[mechBgon]

Most secure way to format a hard drive?

Oxy-acetylene torch :evil: But there's also DBAN. DBAN shouldn't take too awful long, maybe overnight if it's a high-capacity drive.

 

[Philippine Mango]

open the drive (physically), take a magnet and run it over the platters.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
open the drive (physically), take a magnet and run it over the platters.

You do know that would ruin the drive, right?

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
open the drive (physically), take a magnet and run it over the platters.

You do know that would ruin the drive, right?

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1613427&enterthread=y
Duh it wouldn't be a good idea but check out that thread and post a reply..

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
open the drive (physically), take a magnet and run it over the platters.

You do know that would ruin the drive, right?

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1613427&enterthread=y
Duh it wouldn't be a good idea but check out that thread and post a reply..

The delicacy of a HDD's internals is hard to overemphasize. Just setting them down gently on a hard surface is enough to damage the bearings on a ball-bearing HDD motor (source: Quantum/Maxtor documentation). Don't open up your drive if you want it to have a long trouble-free life.

*note to self: do not EVAR buy a used hard drive from this guy *

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango

Originally posted by: mechBgon

Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
open the drive (physically), take a magnet and run it over the platters.

You do know that would ruin the drive, right?

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1613427&enterthread=y
Duh it wouldn't be a good idea but check out that thread and post a reply..

The delicacy of a HDD's internals is hard to overemphasize. Just setting them down gently on a hard surface is enough to damage the bearings on a ball-bearing HDD motor (source: Quantum/Maxtor documentation). Don't open up your drive if you want it to have a long trouble-free life.

*note to self: do not EVAR buy a used hard drive from this guy *

dude I was only thinking about it, it's not like I ever WOULD do that.. Especially to a brand new drive :roll:

 

[SrGuapo]

I would say after running a few passes of DBAN that should be plenty. Only an expert data recoverer would be able to get anything out of it. Even then, it would be extremely difficult and they would only get little bits...