How do I clean a hard drive?

[barq]

barq is technically correct in saying that the very tenacious might still be able to recover some information, given large amounts of time, money and resources. But we'd have to be talking about a drive that has some *seriously* important data wanted by the US government for you to worry about that!

Oh absolutely. It was for information only. Besides anyone who needs that level of security shouldn't be getting tips from random people on CycleChat.

I gave away a computer (to a family member) at Christmas. Frankly I thought a single pass of re-writing every sector would do just fine.

 

[Ghost Donkey]

Apologies if this has already been said but I aven't read the whole thread due to me needing to wash up (sorry). To add to the last comment (Barg's) data is still on a hard drive until is is overwritten. You can get software which overwrites delete data (usually named shredding software). This kind of thing usually runs in an OS and can be used on items in the trash.

For an entire HDD go to the manufacturer's website and download the hard drive diagnostic tools. You usually have the option of a cd image to create a bootable disk or a floppy disk creator if oyu have access to a drive. You are give the option of a low level format which writes zeros to every sector on the drive. THis overwrites every sector on the disk.

Google "boot and nuke." You can again create a bootable disk whcih will overwrite data on every sector on the disk x number of times. I do a bit of data recovery as part of my job and am not a speciaist but these methods should stop most people. A true exprt may be able to get data off but who would want to unless it was a drive they knew was worth the effort?

 

[Carwash]

Interesting article. It says you have to destroy them completely.

Technically true, although D's B&N will usually be good enough. "Nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

 

[another_dave_b]

I gave away a computer (to a family member) at Christmas. Frankly I thought a single pass of re-writing every sector would do just fine.

The 'erase > security options' in Apple's 'Disk Utility' offers multiple overwrites, but steers users towards single pass.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7816446.stm

 

[mr Mag00]

degreaser, hot soapy water , clean water and then hot oven to ensure dry, the ultimate question is how to lube it?