What is the best software to Wipe my Harddrive? Wiping

Networking/Security Forums -> Cryptographic Software and Hardware

Author: GarathorLocation: Norway PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:40 pm    Post subject: What is the best software to Wipe my Harddrive? Wiping
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I am going to clean up my harddrive. Instead of just formatting it, i want to wipe the whole disk first. I think i will use the BCWipePD program that came with BCWipe.

The only documentation that comes with BCWipePD is a small txt file, and somewhere it says:
Quote:
NOTE! BCWIPEPD MUST NOT BE USED TO DO A DISK CLEAN-UP!


Can someone tell me why i shouldn't?

It also says this:
Quote:
The utility is able to destroy contents of whole hard drives,
including partition tables, boot records, filesystem structures,
operating system files and user files.


Does this mean that i won't have any partition after the wiping process, and that i will have to create a new one with FDISK? Will that be a problem if i don't have any experience with neither FDISK nor creating partitions?

And finally, would you say that i should use another program than BCWipePD to wipe my harddrive?

Author: alt.don PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:51 pm    Post subject:
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Hello Garathor, I am unsure as to what BCWiped means by not using this for a disk cleanup actually. Feel free to go ahead and use it if you like. That being said though you could just as easily go ahead and just install another OS right over what you presently have. Whether it be XP or a linux based one. Depending on what you had before it will often change the file system you have, or rather had on your computer. ie: over to say NTFS from fat32 or say fat16. The same if you install linux onto it for it will format it into one of several linux file systems. I also would not worry too much about creating partitions using fdisk. Just go ahead and install your OS and then get Partition Magic to then do it for you. Or if you install linux use the partition maker that comes with it to do it. Also if you think that by wiping your hard drive your material which was once on it is now gone forever you are wrong. There are programs out there which will go down as far as 20+ layers deep. I hope this helps you out.

Author: hugoLocation: Netherlands, Europe PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Wiping my entire harddrive
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I'm wondering what you are trying to accomplish here.

I understand you are going to re-install an OS on the drive anyways, right?

Well, then using such a utility might be ``overkill'' , or are you seriously afraid that someone might recover the previous data?

Quote:

NOTE! BCWIPEPD MUST NOT BE USED TO DO A DISK CLEAN-UP!

``Disk cleanup'' in this context means something like ``remove old unused files''. This utility is does more then delete files. It -- I quote -- ``shredds data according to U.S. Department of Defense recommendations to destroy data (DoD 5200.28-STD) : seven pass extended character rotation wiping''.

Wiping the disk destroys all the data on it, including partition-tables, etc.

As you're going to re-use the drive, a simple FORMAT would do just fine I guess.

My 2 Eurocents...

edit
PS: FORMAT C: /U will format drive C:, overwriting the data with blanks.


Last edited by hugo on Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:59 pm; edited 1 time in total

Author: siaradLocation: Near Swansea UK PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:53 pm    Post subject:
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It worries me you don't seem to have sufficient knowledge, so may not know what is needed to start again. I think you should say what you wish to end up with & all the CD, drivers, programs you have to achieve this as you may destroy things needed, especially knowing the nasty licencing of later M$ OS.

Author: GarathorLocation: Norway PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 5:51 pm    Post subject:
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Yes, i don't want anyone to be able to recover my files. I know it isn't impossible, but i thought that a wipe with the Dod scheme would make it very difficult to recover anything. I am going to reinstall my OS, but the computer will soon be sold.

What knowledge, siarad? What else is there to do than run FDISK, and choose "create primary dos partition"?

Author: Head_Hunter PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 5:58 pm    Post subject: Wipe
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Try using AutoClave. Its a bootdisk and u can wipe the whole drive clean.

Just Google IT.

Author: fEš·.·šEr PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2003 12:25 am    Post subject:
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Garathor wrote:
........What else is there to do than run FDISK, ........


In order to "eventually" recover any possible data, the File Allocation Table of your HD must be restored to its original value, this is in case you have a FAT or FAT32 partition.
NO FAT means NO DATA
Damaged FAT means Corrupted useless DATA
Once you perform a deep format and create a new partition with FDISK, chances are partically less than 0.001% to recover the FAT.
Allow me to suggest 2 possibilities depending on how "serious & confidential" are your DATA.
1. If you were previously on FAT/32 go ahead and format but change to NTFS. If you were previously on NTFS go ahead and format but change to FAT32. This process will entirely modify, damage the 'previous' FAT structure making any DATA restore an impossible dream.
Afterwards you can either remain with the new type or reformat back to your initial type.
B.T.W, NTFS will ONLY be recognized by an NT kernel (NT4, W2k or XP).
NO win95, NO win98, NO winMe.

2. In case you still have doubts, you are NOT sure, you have read something else somewhere else, or your friend told you that his HD has been FULLY restored even after a deep format..... THEN

Throw you current HD in the sea and buy yourself an new 200 Gb at 160$

Author: kylemaxwell PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2003 7:38 am    Post subject:
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fEš·.·šEr wrote:

In order to "eventually" recover any possible data, the File Allocation Table of your HD must be restored to its original value, this is in case you have a FAT or FAT32 partition.
NO FAT means NO DATA
Damaged FAT means Corrupted useless DATA
Once you perform a deep format and create a new partition with FDISK, chances are partically less than 0.001% to recover the FAT.


This is not correct. I've recovered data from systems that were fdisk'ed, etc. A wipe is the only way to clean the drive. There are TLAs that can still recover from this but chances are you're not trying to defend against that. But any moderately qualified forensic investigator can restore partitions and substantial amounts of data just from a simple format.

You do mention a "deep format", which is interesting: if you mean something that overwrites the data in each cluster, then you're good for a fairly routine investigation. But this is more than a simple fdisk.

Author: fEš·.·šEr PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2003 8:47 am    Post subject:
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kylemaxwell wrote:
......This is not correct. I've recovered data from systems that were fdisk'ed..........


1. welcome (cause you just arrived)
2. Can you tell more about the file system type of those "systems that were fdisk'ed" by you. (were they FAT, FAT32, NTFS, NetWare, Linux Swap...)
3. Also, Those partitions were they CREATED by FDISK or a Windows Installation CD after a Reboot from a Disket or CDROM or simply converted with a Windows utility like PartitionMagic etc..
4. Was it the whole HardDisk (the entire physical HD) or only a partially formated partition that you recovered.
5. You said that you made the recovery, did you also made the initial format and partion creation of those file systems.
6. What was the size of the HD, and how far or how much DATA did you recover and under which OS

Author: GarathorLocation: Norway PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:06 am    Post subject:
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Perhaps i should just format my harddrive, and reinstall my OS. Then i could use BCWipe to wipe all free space?

Author: -linux_ladLocation: California PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 5:01 pm    Post subject:
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Garathor wrote:
Perhaps i should just format my harddrive, and reinstall my OS. Then i could use BCWipe to wipe all free space?


If you're looking to eliminate all traces of data from your hard drive, boot the drive as a slave in another machine, or boot to floppy and then perform a low level format. If you're really paranoid and want to make sure everything is really gone, do this:

1) remove all of the platters from the drive case
2) soak them in hydroflouric acid for a few days
3) dump the sludge and sleep well
4) be aware that the drive is useless, but the data is gone

If you're just looking to remove old contents, boot with one of the commercial boot CDs or mount in another machine, wipe the drive with the gutman (sp?) algorithm, and then write a few iterations of zeros to the drive. The US Navy has done research that suggests this method is pretty effective.

hope this helps!

Author: chewiepmLocation: hellbound PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 6:11 pm    Post subject:
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The BCwipe part of Bestcrypt can be set to use Peter Gutman 35 pass wiping algorithm. Very secure but should take a hell of a long time to complete.
________
Arizona dispensaries


Last edited by chewiepm on Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:56 am; edited 1 time in total

Author: GarathorLocation: Norway PostPosted: Fri Oct 17, 2003 10:57 pm    Post subject:
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I DID use the BCWipePD utility to wipe my harddrive. And i DID use FDISK to create a new primary partition. And everything went ok. There's just one thing. I kept getting error messages once in a while during the wiping process:
Quote:
Error writing to block ##########
(referring to a block number)

Does this mean there is something wrong with my harddrive?

Author: rossmachLocation: Northbrook, IL PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 12:05 am    Post subject: Hard Drive secure destruction - view video
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Sometimes you may just want to securely destroy your hard drive without wondering if anyone can hack into your private data - it can be done.

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Take a look at this video of a hard drive shredder in action - say goodbye to your data the smart way!

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Author: rossmachLocation: Northbrook, IL PostPosted: Thu May 21, 2009 12:07 am    Post subject: Hard Drive secure destruction - view video
    ----
Sometimes you may just want to securely destroy your hard drive without wondering if anyone can hack into your private data - it can be done.

When you have more than 1 drive and you are worried about security, then Hard Drive Shredders are the only way to guarantee that your data is completely destroyed.

This service is primarily used for large corporations that need to shred multiple hard drives at once.

Take a look at this video of a hard drive shredder in action - say goodbye to your data the smart way!

http://www.divshare.com/direct/7386158-dbe.mpg

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