Secure data removal

[domsq]

Hey guys

I recently upgraded the hard drive in my PC, and am thinking of selling the old one. I know that simply deleting the partition\formatting the drive isn't terribly secure, as my data could be recovered with a little bit of know-how.

I want to know what the best app would be, for securely erasing all the data on it, but still have the drive usable afterwards (I've heard of data shredding apps that really mess up the hard drive, and I don't want that).

 

[tfinch2]

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

 

[n0cmonkey]

There isn't one. Incinerate it.

 

[domsq]

So I can't safely resell it?

Was hoping to get a few bucks for my old drive (40GB PATA 2.5").

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: domsq
So I can't safely resell it?

Was hoping to get a few bucks for my old drive (40GB PATA 2.5").

If you're that worried, no. If you aren't worried about professionals trying to get at your donkey pr0n, then dban.

 

[domsq]

Lol... I don't have anything that bad on my old drive, just wouldn't want someone else possibly getting at my data.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: domsq
Lol... I don't have anything that bad on my old drive, just wouldn't want someone else possibly getting at my data.

Without total drive destruction, it's possible* to get data.

*: Possible may be extremely expensive and time consuming.

 

[domsq]

So, selling my old drive to an average member of the public would be safe enough?

I see dban wipes ANY hard disk it finds in your system... I'd need to remove my new drive before running it right? And it would still be usable afterwards?

 

[Kriz]

use dban multiple times, and the average user would never be able to recover it.

run it a dozen times, if you're really really paranoid.