The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Need to Wipe USB HDD

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by Andy, Jul 17, 2008.

  1. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,133
    Messages:
    6,399
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Any recommendations for any software that can be used to wipe a USB HDD....Since it is connected through a cable, it does not get detected at POST....!! (DBan won't work)
    So need something that would wipe out the HDD completely, as I need to sell them....

    HD Tune has something called Erase in it - Is it to wipe HDDs..?? Because it does read the USB HDD in windows....!!

    Will appreciate any help or advise.. :)
     
    Andy, Jul 17, 2008
    #1
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Greg, Jul 17, 2008
    #2
  3. Duct Tape Dude

    Duct Tape Dude Duct Tape Dude

    Reputations:
    568
    Messages:
    1,822
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    56
    If you go through windows, right click on the drive and then select "Format..." you can do a full format of the drive which wipes all data.
     
    Duct Tape Dude, Jul 17, 2008
    #3
  4. Nocturnal310

    Nocturnal310 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    792
    Messages:
    2,708
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    What is the lifespan of an average external HD? mine samsung 100 GB is starting to become laggy & crashes explorer... i defragmented it with jkDefrag..but its still having issues.
     
    Nocturnal310, Jul 17, 2008
    #4
  5. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,133
    Messages:
    6,399
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Thanks for the link Greg, trying it out.... :)

    Just noticed that Eraser uses Guttman's method to overwrite the files and delete them..etc

    And HD Tune Pro has a similar option to erase with the Guttman method and another DoD method, with several passes....Any idea about it..??
    HDD.JPG
     
    Andy, Jul 17, 2008
    #5
  6. wobble987

    wobble987 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    543
    Messages:
    2,871
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    no sir, this wont do. a data recovery software will still be able to recover data off of it.

    the technique to properly delete the data off a HDD is to either write 0 (digitally) all over the disk or write random data all over the disk. multiple pass is required for more secure erasure of data. if i'm not mistaken; a 7 pass zero-in on the data, comply with DoD spec.
     
    wobble987, Jul 17, 2008
    #6
  7. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,133
    Messages:
    6,399
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Ok, so I just leave the USB HDD connected for the night and wipe it with either a 7-pass DoD or a 35-pass Guttman..?? :D (using HD Tune)
     
    Andy, Jul 17, 2008
    #7
  8. Duct Tape Dude

    Duct Tape Dude Duct Tape Dude

    Reputations:
    568
    Messages:
    1,822
    Likes Received:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Ooh I thought a complete format rewrote all the usable data to 0...
    Good call!
     
    Duct Tape Dude, Jul 17, 2008
    #8
  9. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,133
    Messages:
    6,399
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Well, I deleted the partitions, and then ran 35-pass Guttman, then 7-pass DoD, and one last time - 35-pass Guttman.. :D (using HD Tune)
     
    Andy, Jul 17, 2008
    #9
  10. oldgraygeek

    oldgraygeek Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    92
    Messages:
    118
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Everything you need is already there in Windows.

    At the command prompt, type diskpart
    Then list disk
    Then select disk n (the number from the "list disk" step)
    Then clean all
    ...that last step takes a while.
     
    oldgraygeek, Jul 18, 2008
    #10
  11. oldgraygeek

    oldgraygeek Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    92
    Messages:
    118
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    oldgraygeek, Jul 18, 2008
    #11