Complete deletion of a hard disc

[koilada]

I' m going to sell a hard disc, so I need to make a complete deletion so that buyer won't be able to restore any data from it.
Is there any way?

 

[Zkye]

Everyone knows. We just think it's a waste of time to explain it again.

I'll give it one last shot.

Imagine the HDD is like a math sheet:
https://i.imgur.com/iETyzBu.png

Each square contains a 1 or a 0. At the beginning of the HDD is an area (called MFT - read this if you want to know more) where file information is kept (at which square the file starts, where it ends, in which directory it's located). When you delete or cut a file, it only deletes/changes information about the directory where you can find it, not the actual file on the HDD. If a file is in D:\Movies\ and you move it somewhere else (or delete), it will only change this information. The file will remain in the exact same spot on the HDD.

That's why you need to write over the entire HDD if you want to permanently delete something.

I hope it is clear now.

 

[koilada]

So cut-paste(to another media) leaves same trace as delete? I think you say "yes".

And when we save something in a disc, it remains forever, until we write over the entire disc.

 

[Zkye]

Yes, it's the same thing.

You don't have to write over the entire disk. Writing over that specific part is enough. You just don't know where it is, so it's safer to overwrite it completely. The operating system will overwrite deleted files eventually, since that area is marked as free when you delete, so when new data is written, it could use that space.

 

[jdlech]

Any software that performs a DoD (department of defense) wipe is sufficient for nearly all occasions. Unless you're selling secrets to the Chinese, any freeware that does a DoD wipe will render everything unrecoverable.

 

[koilada]

You don't have to write over the entire disk. Writing over that specific part is enough. You just don't know where it is, so it's safer to overwrite it completely.

So I have to write over the entire disc.
Because you say I don't have, then I do have

Any software that performs a DoD (department of defense) wipe is sufficient for nearly all occasions. Unless you're selling secrets to the Chinese, any freeware that does a DoD wipe will render everything unrecoverable.

"Eraser" is such a software?

 

[jdlech]

If you're talking about this,
https://eraser.heidi.ie/
then I would not recommend it. Although it uses the same basic principles as the DoD standard, its forum is filled with people who either used it incorrectly, or it's just not doing a very good job for them.

Either way, I would use something else.
I've never used it, but this one seems legit.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/disc-wipe/?source=navbar

 

[koilada]

Well, our friend steven_15 suggested "Eraser" a few days ago.

How do you know that the
https://sourceforge.net/projects/disc-wipe/?source=navbar
is good or better, since you haven tried it?

 

[juanrdp]

How do you know that the
https://sourceforge.net/projects/disc-wipe/?source=navbar
is good or better, since you haven tried it?

Seriously, a lot of people and jdlech is the just last are only trying to give an advice to you.

He said why he dont like Eraser and even give you an alternative. I dont really think that you have a reason to doubt about his oppinion, do whatever you want but i would stop triying to help somebody that does not appreciate the help he receives unselfishly.

 

[koilada]

Seriously, a lot of people and jdlech is the just last are only trying to give an advice to you.

He said why he dont like Eraser and even give you an alternative. I dont really think that you have a reason to doubt about his oppinion, do whatever you want but i would stop triying to help somebody that does not appreciate the help he receives unselfishly.

What makes you believe that I do not appreciate the help I receive

 

[USAFRet]

There is one and only one word for this:
DBAN

Do that.
End of discussion.

 

[John7128]

A low level format is enough. Nobody can recovery anything from that. No need to go to extreme solution, though drilling in the drive would work for sure.
Perso, I use Low level format of HDD guru which is free and simple tool.....Anyone got a story where data could be recovered after a low level format? I would be impressed!

 

[jdlech]

A low level format is enough. Nobody can recovery anything from that. No need to go to extreme solution, though drilling in the drive would work for sure.
Perso, I use Low level format of HDD guru which is free and simple tool.....Anyone got a story where data could be recovered after a low level format? I would be impressed!

There's been tools to recover from low level formats since the days of MSDOS 3. PCTools delux could do that back in '91.
Today, they try to keep the software out of the hands of plebs, but there's still companies you can send a HD to for data recovery. And low level formatting is nothing for any competent data recovery company.

 

[The Paladin]

Quite easily.

Anyone can load any software recovery prograqm, see all your videos right there and unless overwritten by something else restore them with one click.

starts the 70's music in the background, dim the lights... MUAHAHA

 

[koilada]

A low level format is enough. Nobody can recovery anything from that. No need to go to extreme solution, though drilling in the drive would work for sure.

So, right click on disc, then format, tick to "quick" or no?

 

[Perso004]

completely format it