[SOLVED] How to securely erase an old HDD ?

[tinpanalley]

I've got an old EIDE drive that works fine, but I need to format and just copying everything out took forever so I can imagine how much a full non-quick format would take. Now before discarding to a proper electronic waste service, I want to entirely wipe it securely. What can I use for this and other drives to ensure everything is gone before I throw them out? Is every proper format/delete going to take ages?

 

[Lutfij]

What can I use for this and other drives to ensure everything is gone before I throw them out?
You might want to consider taking apart the drive and perhaps taking a hammer to it.

 

[tinpanalley]

What can I use for this and other drives to ensure everything is gone before I throw them out?
You might want to consider taking apart the drive and perhaps taking a hammer to it.

Seriously? I know a proper format can take hours. But how about this DBAN program I keep reading about?

 

[dwd999]

I would just take a large bit metal drill and drill a few holes through it at various places that would cover the entire disk outside to inside.

 

[Misgar]

You might want to consider taking apart the drive and perhaps taking a hammer to it.

Take care! I tried this on some old drives (Deathstars?) and discovered the platters were made of glass. Made a bit of a mess.
https://www.dreamstime.com/shattere...ive-information-cyber-security-image175069972

 

[SkyNetRising]

But how about this DBAN program I keep reading about?

Couple passes with DBAN will do the job.
Physical destruction is faster.

 

[tinpanalley]

Ok, does anyone know anything with a Wndows GUI instead of DBAN's boot drive interface? I can't have my computer off limits for hours on end.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Ok, does anyone know anything with a Wndows GUI instead of DBAN's boot drive interface?

Copy a large video file onto your drive and then make a couple thousand copies until drive is filled.
Nothing other than this video file will be recoverable from the drive.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, does anyone know anything with a Wndows GUI instead of DBAN's boot drive interface? I can't have my computer off limits for hours on end.

A regular Full Format through File Explorer is really all that is needed.
Writes zeros to the entire drive.

 

[kanewolf]

I would just take a large bit metal drill and drill a few holes through it at various places that would cover the entire disk outside to inside.

That is my preferred method. 1/4 inch drill bit through the platters. That disk will not be used by anybody outside of a clean room doing microscopic data recovery.

 

[cruisetung]

Throw it on the concrete ground with force several times.

 

[USAFRet]

That is my preferred method. 1/4 inch drill bit through the platters. That disk will not be used by anybody outside of a clean room doing microscopic data recovery.

fridge magnet donor.

 

[SkyNetRising]

A regular Full Format through File Explorer is really all that is needed.
Writes zeros to the entire drive.

/P switch has to be used for format with zeroing.
Number after /P switch specifies, how many overwrites to perform after initial zeroing.

format X: /FS:NTFS /P:1​

 

[USAFRet]

/P switch has to be used for format with zeroing.
Number after /P switch specifies, how many overwrites to perform after initial zeroing.

format X: /FS:NTFS /P:1​

Ever since Windows Vista, Full Format writes zeros to the drive.
Once through is just fine.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Ever since Windows Vista, Full Format writes zeros to the drive.

I can't find any official source for this.

 

[USAFRet]

I can't find any official source for this.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/p...server/format-command-not-write-zeros-to-disk

"The behavior of the format command changed in Windows Vista and later Windows versions. By default in Windows Vista and later versions, the format command writes zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed. In Windows XP and earlier versions of Windows, the format command doesn't write zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed."

 

[SkyNetRising]

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/p...server/format-command-not-write-zeros-to-disk

Ok. Thanks for the link.
Windows format command reference doesn't make this obvious though.

 

[tinpanalley]

That is my preferred method. 1/4 inch drill bit through the platters. That disk will not be used by anybody outside of a clean room doing microscopic data recovery.

I heard of problems with glass platters causing an absolute mess.

 

[tinpanalley]

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/p...server/format-command-not-write-zeros-to-disk

"The behavior of the format command changed in Windows Vista and later Windows versions. By default in Windows Vista and later versions, the format command writes zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed. In Windows XP and earlier versions of Windows, the format command doesn't write zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed."

Ok, so a straight up Windows 10 non-quickformat should do it. It's an 80GB EIDE from 2005.

 

[kanewolf]

I heard of problems with glass platters causing an absolute mess.

They would be contained within the HDD shell. Never had any problems.

 

[cruisetung]

I heard of problems with glass platters causing an absolute mess.

It's aluminum platters with magnetic coating

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, so a straight up Windows 10 non-quickformat should do it. It's an 80GB EIDE from 2005.

Correct.