Easiest non-paranoid HD nuke?

[M.L.]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated to
relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them. Most of the nuke
tutorials involve convoluted processes to irretrievably wipe a drive.
I don't need such thoroughness and would like to know the simplest or
quickest way to wipe an entire drive. Thanks.

 

[John Dulak]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated to
relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them. Most of the nuke
tutorials involve convoluted processes to irretrievably wipe a drive.
I don't need such thoroughness and would like to know the simplest or
quickest way to wipe an entire drive. Thanks.

M.L.:

You can do this with "CopyWipe" the free DOS utility from Terabyte:

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/copywipe.php

"CopyWipe can also help prevent confidential or private data from
being recovered, by securely wiping the contents of a drive. A number
of options are provided for wiping, most of which exceed governmental
standards (such as DoD 5220.22-M, NAVSO P-5239-26, etc.); "

I use it mostly to copy drives but it has settings to write random
data multiple times to the entire drive. Go have lunch while it runs
as it can take quite a bit of time on a large drive.

John

--
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'' Madness takes its toll - Please have exact change. ''

John Dulak - 40.4888ºN,79.899ºW - http://tinyurl.com/3lvoh2n

 

[M.L.]

You can do this with "CopyWipe" the free DOS utility from Terabyte:

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/copywipe.php

"CopyWipe can also help prevent confidential or private data from
being recovered, by securely wiping the contents of a drive. A number
of options are provided for wiping, most of which exceed governmental
standards (such as DoD 5220.22-M, NAVSO P-5239-26, etc.); "

I use it mostly to copy drives but it has settings to write random
data multiple times to the entire drive. Go have lunch while it runs
as it can take quite a bit of time on a large drive.

Thanks for the reply John. I'm more interested in wipe speed than
thoroughness. I see that it has a "Quick - 1 Pass" setting. That might
be all I need.

I'd really like an app that could be started in Windows that tells it
to do a quick HD wipe on reboot.

 

[John Dulak]

Thanks for the reply John. I'm more interested in wipe speed than
thoroughness. I see that it has a "Quick - 1 Pass" setting. That might
be all I need.

I'd really like an app that could be started in Windows that tells it
to do a quick HD wipe on reboot.

M.L.:

Windows will NOT format the drive it is installed on. A program such
as you describe would have to install a small OS, like DOS, and have
IT do the job.

The Copy-Wipe ISO is intended to create a DOS bootable CD which can
then be used to run the program.

Hard drive manufactures web sites also have utility programs to assist
with copying an OS to a new drive and diagnosing drive problems. A
common function available in these programs is the ability to "write
zeros" to the drive (sometimes called a "low level format") so you can
start clean.


There is also the old IBM DOS utilities called ZAP and WIPE:

http://isgsp.net.tripod.com/html/os/misc/ibm-wipe-zap.html

ZAP in particular is very fast since it only zeros the first 128
blocks of the drive.

HTH & GL

John


--
\\\||///
------------------o000----(o)(o)----000o----------------
----------------------------()--------------------------
'' Madness takes its toll - Please have exact change. ''

John Dulak - 40.4888ºN,79.899ºW - http://tinyurl.com/3lvoh2n

 

[VanguardLH]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated to
relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them. Most of the nuke
tutorials involve convoluted processes to irretrievably wipe a drive.
I don't need such thoroughness and would like to know the simplest or
quickest way to wipe an entire drive. Thanks.

www.killdisk.com

You can create a bootable disc or use the portable version on a USB
flash drive (if the laptops can boot from USB) so you don't have to
bother with running the program under an OS on the laptop. That way,
you take the boot media to whatever host you want and wipe its disk(s).
The free version does the quick erase that you want. Click the
"Freeware vs. Professional" link to expand that list to see what the
free version does.

If your relatives are going to do the install of Windows then they can
also use the setup program for Windows to delete all partitions on all
hard disks, create a new partition for the OS, format that partition,
and then continue with the install of Windows.

 

[Arno]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated to
relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them. Most of the nuke
tutorials involve convoluted processes to irretrievably wipe a drive.
I don't need such thoroughness and would like to know the simplest or
quickest way to wipe an entire drive. Thanks.

Use a single zero-wipe. In Linux: cat /dev/zero > <device>
Even Gutman says that may be enough for modern drives.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated
to relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them. Most of the
nuke tutorials involve convoluted processes to irretrievably wipe
a drive. I don't need such thoroughness and would like to know
the simplest or quickest way to wipe an entire drive.

http://www.dban.org/

 

[Franc Zabkar]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated to
relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them.

It's DOS based, but it uses the drive's built-in secure erase feature:
http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/SecureErase.shtml
http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/HDDEraseReadMe.txt

An enhanced secure erase also wipes the data in the reallocated
sectors. Doing it this way also avoids repetitive zero writes by
software which may potentially be slowed by the external interface.

- Franc Zabkar

 

[Yousuf Khan]

I need to nuke the hard drive of two laptops that will be donated to
relatives who will reinstall WindowsXP on them. Most of the nuke
tutorials involve convoluted processes to irretrievably wipe a drive.
I don't need such thoroughness and would like to know the simplest or
quickest way to wipe an entire drive. Thanks.

Though not a solution for somebody that has no tools of any kind at the
moment, but if you already have a registered copy of Hard Disk Sentinel,
then you can do a drive surface write test, it's fully destructive, and
at the end of this test you'll have a drive that's completely
uninitialized without even partitioning data on it.

I used it to wipe out a couple of old IDE drives before I sold them off.
For a 1-pass wipe, it took the following amounts of time to wipe these
drives: 200GB took 1:15 hour, 300GB took 1:35 hour, and 1TB took 3:03 hour.

Yousuf Khan

 

[M.L.]

www.killdisk.com

You can create a bootable disc or use the portable version on a USB
flash drive (if the laptops can boot from USB) so you don't have to
bother with running the program under an OS on the laptop. That way,
you take the boot media to whatever host you want and wipe its disk(s).
The free version does the quick erase that you want. Click the
"Freeware vs. Professional" link to expand that list to see what the
free version does.

Thanks for all replies. This one looks easy to use. Apparently I'll
need to use an external boot source to do the wipe regardless of the
app used. I was hoping to avoid having to configure the boot order of
the BIOS before wiping.

 

[VanguardLH]

Thanks for all replies. This one looks easy to use. Apparently I'll
need to use an external boot source to do the wipe regardless of the
app used. I was hoping to avoid having to configure the boot order of
the BIOS before wiping.

Or, as I said, just do the wipe via format command when installing the
OS. Of course, this assumes you are doing a retail install or an OEM
reinstall versus restoring the restore image (as an image file or as a
specially scripted installation) that will wipe the OS partition,
anyway. Do a format during the install, or do the laptop restore which
wipes the OS partition back to its factory state.

Since these are laptops, did you make sure whomever is doing the OS
install has all the drivers ready? An OS install without the additional
drivers (not included within Windows) means some hardware won't be
usable, won't work correctly, or have limited functionality. You sure
these relatives have the wits to figure out how to do a fresh OS install
and then find and install all the drivers needed for the laptops?

You don't mention if you are including the Windows license with the
laptops or you are keeping them and just giving your relatives some
worthless-as-yet hardware until they buy their own legit copy of
Windows. If you are wiping the hard disk and giving them the laptops,
why aren't you also giving them the license and installation media for
Windows XP? It was an OEM license for Windows that came on that laptop
and you're not allow to keep it if you give away the hardware (or it
gets destroyed in a fire, stolen, lost in a divorce settlement, etc. If
you lose the laptop, whether the loss is voluntary or not, then you lose
the OEM license for Windows that came on it.

Give them the installation CDs that came with the laptop. If there
weren't any, have them do a factory restore from the hidden partition on
the hard disk. Follow whatever the laptop maker says is their procedure
for restoring the laptop back to its factory state. You didn't identify
the laptops so someone that has one can't tell you what is the restore
procedure. The restore would include all the drivers that your
relatives would have to discover themselves if all you gave them was the
hardware.

Rather than figure out how to wipe the laptops, and since you cannot
keep the OEM license of Windows that came with them, why not spend the
time firing up the restore procedure for the laptops to put them back to
factory state (with all the drivers) and give your relatives *working*
hardware instead of something that is useless until they buy their own
copy of Windows, do the fresh OS install, and then find and install all
the drivers?

 

[Rod Speed]

M.L. wrote

Or, as I said, just do the wipe via format command when installing the OS.

That doesn't necessarily wipe it so no software can ever get anything back.

Of course, this assumes you are doing a retail install or an OEM
reinstall versus restoring the restore image (as an image file or as a
specially scripted installation) that will wipe the OS partition, anyway.
Ditto.

Do a format during the install,

He isnt doing the install.

or do the laptop restore which wipes
the OS partition back to its factory state.

That wont necessarily wipe it back to what no one can ever
recover anything from.

Since these are laptops, did you make sure whomever
is doing the OS install has all the drivers ready?

No need to do that if he is using the restore
to factory config that most laptops come with.

An OS install without the additional drivers (not included
within Windows) means some hardware won't be usable,
won't work correctly, or have limited functionality.

It will be fine if the restore to factory config that comes
with the laptop is used.

You sure these relatives have the wits to figure out how to do a fresh OS
install and then find and install all the drivers needed for the laptops?

They wont need to if the restore to factory config that comes
with the laptop is used.

You don't mention if you are including the Windows license with the
laptops or you are keeping them and just giving your relatives some
worthless-as-yet hardware until they buy their own legit copy of Windows.

Doesn't have to be legitimate to stop it being worthless.

If you are wiping the hard disk and giving them the laptops, why aren't
you also giving them the license and installation media for Windows XP?

You don't know that he isnt.

It was an OEM license for Windows that came on that laptop
and you're not allow to keep it if you give away the hardware

That's just plain wrong. MS does not get to write the law in any country.

(or it gets destroyed in a fire, stolen, lost in a divorce settlement,
etc.

That's just plain wrong too.

If you lose the laptop, whether the loss is voluntary or not,
then you lose the OEM license for Windows that came on it.
Wrong.

Give them the installation CDs that came with the laptop.

You don't know that there were any, or that he wants to do that either.

If there weren't any, have them do a factory
restore from the hidden partition on the hard disk.

You don't know that that will restore what they want.

Follow whatever the laptop maker says is their procedure
for restoring the laptop back to its factory state. You didn't
identify the laptops so someone that has one can't tell you
what is the restore procedure.

You don't know that he wants to do that.

The restore would include all the drivers that your relatives would
have to discover themselves if all you gave them was the hardware.

That's wrong too. Most laptops do allow people to buy new copys.

Rather than figure out how to wipe the laptops, and since you
cannot keep the OEM license of Windows that came with them,

That is just plain wrong.

why not spend the time firing up the restore procedure
for the laptops to put them back to factory state (with all
the drivers) and give your relatives *working* hardware

You don't know that the restore will put XP back.

And you don't know that using the restore will not allow
anyone to get any of his personal data off the system either.

instead of something that is useless until
they buy their own copy of Windows,

They don't have to do that if they choose to use a pirate copy.

do the fresh OS install, and then find and install all the drivers?

You don't know that they wont have to do that anyway
or that he cant provide them if that is necessary either.

 

[M.L.]

Or, as I said, just do the wipe via format command when installing the
OS.

The disk wiping and the OS reinstallation will be unrelated tasks done
in separate cities by different people.

Give them the installation CDs that came with the laptop.

They will be given the installation CDs along with the COA stickers.

 

[VanguardLH]

VanguardLH wrote



That doesn't necessarily wipe it so no software can ever get anything back.

That wasn't the OP's stated objective in his start post.

No need to do that if he is using the restore
to factory config that most laptops come with.

A topic I already LATER addressed in my prior reply.

That's just plain wrong. MS does not get to write the law in any country.

Neither do you. Guess you have never heard of contract law or honor.
Read the EULA to which *you* agreed by purchasing the software (whether
separately or bundled). If you don't agree to the contract, don't use
the software.

That's wrong too. Most laptops do allow people to buy new copys.

But the OS will *not* come from M.L. Yes, they can buy more licenses of
Windows but M.L. is not providing it if he strips it from the hard disks
while not providing the means to reinstall the original Windows license.

That is just plain wrong.

Again, read the contract to which you agreed. Once an OEM license is
installed, it can never be transferred to another computer. That means
the OEM license follows the original hardware on which it was installed.
You keeping any installation media means you are stealing it because the
hardware, as obviously pointed out by the OP, is going ELSEWHERE.

They don't have to do that if they choose to use a pirate copy.

Yes, it's become clear that you are promoting piracy.

 

[VanguardLH]

The disk wiping and the OS reinstallation will be unrelated tasks
done in separate cities by different people.


They will be given the installation CDs along with the COA stickers.

If the users are considered capable enough to do the Windows
installation, why aren't they also capable to use the installer to
delete partitions, create one, and then format it? It's an option
during the Windows installation.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302686

(at the 2:00 time mark)
At the very end is the choice to format the partition that the author
doesn't discuss. At the 4:32 time mark, you'll see the screen shows
pre-selected the option "Format the partition using the NTFS file
system".

They might end up going through the above procedure, anyway. I suspect
the real issue not stated in your start post and assumed by other
respondents is that you don't want your relatives to get at your data
left on the HDD. Killdisk (and many other wipe utilities) are more than
sufficient to eradicate your data beyond recovery by users. It's highly
unlikely that your relatives have access to a clean room recovery lab or
willing to pay one to get around a simple wipe (which is far faster than
having to use the more secure and much slower erasure methods).

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

That wasn't the OP's stated objective in his start post.

There was no stated objective in his first post.

A topic I already LATER addressed in my prior reply.

So it was stupid to say that there.

Neither do you.

Never said I did. YOU on the other hand
claimed that something was not allowed.

Guess you have never heard of contract law

There is no contract when you buy a laptop.

or honor.

Nothing to do with ALLOW.

Read the EULA

Read it. AND the bit that says that nothing in that
that contravenes the law in my country applys.

to which *you* agreed

Like hell I ever did.

by purchasing the software (whether separately or bundled).

Wrong, as always.

If you don't agree to the contract,

There is no contract. There isnt even an agreement either.

don't use the software.

I will do whatever the law allows me to do.

You get to like that or lump it.

But the OS will *not* come from M.L.

It will in fact do just that when he includes
the installation CDs with the laptop.

Yes, they can buy more licenses of Windows

They don't need to do that.

but M.L. is not providing it if he strips it from the hard disks while
not providing the means to reinstall the original Windows license.

He is in fact providing the installation CDs with the laptop.

So you raved on for hours about complete irrelevancys.

Again, read the contract

There is no contract, or even an agreement either.

to which you agreed.

Like hell I ever did.

Once an OEM license is installed, it can
never be transferred to another computer.

Wrong, as always.

And just because ethe EULA claims that, doesn't change the law.

That means the OEM license follows the
original hardware on which it was installed.

No it does not, whatever MS claims.

You keeping any installation media means you are stealing it

Wrong, as always.

because the hardware, as obviously pointed
out by the OP, is going ELSEWHERE.

Still perfectly legal.

Yes, it's become clear that you are promoting piracy.

Everyone can see for themselves that you are lying.

ALL I have been doing is correcting your stupid pig ignorant claims.

 

[Rod Speed]

M.L. wrote

If the users are considered capable enough to do the Windows installation,

You don't know that they are.

You don't know whether he will in fact install the OS
for them and give them the installation CDs as well.

why aren't they also capable to use the installer to
delete partitions, create one, and then format it?
It's an option during the Windows installation.

But he cant be sure that they will do that.
So it make sense to wipe it himself instead.

And that install format wont do as good a job as
the other utes that have been recommended anyway.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302686

(at the 2:00 time mark)

He already said he doesn't want to fart
around and prefers something simpler.

At the very end is the choice to format the partition that the author
doesn't discuss. At the 4:32 time mark, you'll see the screen shows
pre-selected the option "Format the partition using the NTFS file system".

Just the sort of farting around that he said he wants to avoid.

They might end up going through the above procedure, anyway.

Not if he does it for them.

I suspect the real issue not stated in your start post
and assumed by other respondents is that you don't
want your relatives to get at your data left on the HDD.

You quite sure you aint one of those rocket scientist fellas ?

Its also possible that he isnt confident that they can do the
install properly and want to nuke the drive so there is less
chance of them ****ing it up and not doing a clean install.

Killdisk (and many other wipe utilities) are more than
sufficient to eradicate your data beyond recovery by users.

He already knows that.

It's highly unlikely that your relatives have access to a clean room
recovery lab or willing to pay one to get around a simple wipe

No evidence that anyone can even if they have a clean room.

 

[VanguardLH]

There was no stated objective in his first post.



So it was stupid to say that there.



Never said I did. YOU on the other hand
claimed that something was not allowed.


There is no contract when you buy a laptop.


Nothing to do with ALLOW.


Read it. AND the bit that says that nothing in that
that contravenes the law in my country applys.


Like hell I ever did.


Wrong, as always.


There is no contract. There isnt even an agreement either.


I will do whatever the law allows me to do.

You get to like that or lump it.



It will in fact do just that when he includes
the installation CDs with the laptop.


They don't need to do that.


He is in fact providing the installation CDs with the laptop.

So you raved on for hours about complete irrelevancys.



There is no contract, or even an agreement either.


Like hell I ever did.


Wrong, as always.

And just because ethe EULA claims that, doesn't change the law.


No it does not, whatever MS claims.


Wrong, as always.


Still perfectly legal.



Everyone can see for themselves that you are lying.

ALL I have been doing is correcting your stupid pig ignorant claims.

Well, everyone can certainly see what Rod's real intent is here.

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

Well, everyone can certainly see what Rod's real intent is here.

Yeah, piss on your shit from a great height, child.

 

[M.L.]

I suspect
the real issue not stated in your start post and assumed by other
respondents is that you don't want your relatives to get at your data
left on the HDD.

I simply want them to start from scratch with my donations.