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    So many different choices of disk wiping programs, confused

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by i5evoSwift3814, Feb 7, 2015.

  1. i5evoSwift3814

    i5evoSwift3814 Notebook Consultant

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    Are there any main differences between disk wiping programs like DBAN and active@killdisk apart from the interface? Are the wiping methods the same (3, 7, or 35 pass) for all different programs or are they coded differently making the 'erasing' more thorough?
     
    i5evoSwift3814, Feb 7, 2015
    #1
  2. Pirx

    Pirx Notebook Virtuoso

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    No .
     
    Pirx, Feb 7, 2015
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  3. hirobo2

    hirobo2 Notebook Consultant

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    There's a FREE ultility from Microsoft called SDelete (= Secure delete = part of SysInternals tool suite) that works on Windows XP/7/8.1. It also cleans free space by overwriting them. You can specify as many passes as you want...
     
    hirobo2, Feb 7, 2015
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  4. StormJumper

    StormJumper Notebook Virtuoso

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    Just reformat your Drive using Windows format couple times and partition and delete the partition and this will more then likely will prevent everyday recovery programs from recovering anything worth recovery. Or just use a good old Hammer and smash it to pieces if you want to really destroy any kinda data recovery on it if you don't need the drive anymore.
     
    StormJumper, Feb 8, 2015
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  5. i5evoSwift3814

    i5evoSwift3814 Notebook Consultant

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    I'm going to use DBAN, but I have a question. I have two hard drives of the same make and model, both are hitachi 7200 rpm 1 tb. The first one had problems so I replaced it with the exact same one. The laptop booting dban (active OS) has the same hard drive. I want to erase the non-active one, how can I be sure I select the correct hard drive from the menu? Hard disk sentinel lists the active one (running OS) as disk "0". When I plug in the one I want to erase, it lists it as disk "1". The drive I want to erase is in a sata to usb 3 enclosure. Also, how long would it take to erase the 1 tb hard drive using 7 passes?
     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2015
    i5evoSwift3814, Feb 10, 2015
    #5
  6. RCB

    RCB Notebook Deity

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    It will take ~ all night at 7 passes. You should be able to narrow down which drive you're going to erase - but if you're really worried, make a backup image first.
     
    RCB, Feb 10, 2015
    #6