In search of tools...

[yester]

Hi,

since i want to replace my current pc and sell my old one, i am in need of a good tool to erase my harddrive.
I heard, there are some tools which apply to the FBI security standarts, but i am not sure which are good.
Anyone can tell me?

[UnderwaterMadman]

Boot from windows CD. Format. Reinstall windows/or other OS. The chances of someone trying to recover your data are slim to none.

[yester]

Boot from windows CD. Format. Reinstall windows/or other OS. The chances of someone trying to recover your data are slim to none.

Mm.. that sounds so simple. I am delighted.
Somehow i thought you really need a program to override your harddrive. You know these program what write 0 & 1 (or whatever) on to the hardrive.
Save me money and i guess i take the simple way.

Thanks again.

[encendido5]

Boot from windows CD. Format. Reinstall windows/or other OS. The chances of someone trying to recover your data are slim to none.

Not true. With the right utilities, you can recover any data.

Read this:

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,110338,00.asp

I personally am very skeptical with getting rid of hard drives. I would rather just keep it and put in a brand new hard drive if you want to sell it.

[UnderwaterMadman]

Not true. With the right utilities, you can recover any data.

Read this:

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,110338,00.asp

I personally am very skeptical with getting rid of hard drives. I would rather just keep it and put in a brand new hard drive if you want to sell it.

I know you can recover the info but what are the chances that someone is going to go to the trouble of doing that?

Just make sure you format the damn thing before you sell it and if you are really paranoid about something happening try to sell it to someone who you know will use it that way any data traces that remain will most likely be overwritten.

Seriously though this isnt really something you have to worry about unless you did some crazy illegal shit and the person you are selling it to is an undercover FBI agent.

[GrimNecroWizard]

I would worry about it though because I'd rather be safe than sorry. Maybe someone can pull up information about you address, phone, credit card number, SS number, ect. Is it really worth the risk when you can just buy a new one for a few bucks or sell it without one? But I guess I would to not have to worry about it.

When we replaced all the computers with new ones, we just took out the hard drives and beat the shit out of them with each other for awhile then sold it without a hard drive or with a new one.

[HumanSnatcher]

Well, if you're wanting to just destroy it thermite is a great idea!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4147847319296070400

[yester]

I would worry about it though because I'd rather be safe than sorry. Maybe someone can pull up information about you address, phone, credit card number, SS number, ect. Is it really worth the risk when you can just buy a new one for a few bucks or sell it without one? But I guess I would to not have to worry about it.

When we replaced all the computers with new ones, we just took out the hard drives and beat the shit out of them with each other for awhile then sold it without a hard drive or with a new one.

Perhaps it makes sense to just trash the drive.
Its a 80Gig drive (older generation). I might just buy a new (cheap) drive for selling my computer.

Just a side note.
Recently on MNBC were a report about exactly that kind of problem.
Customer had to replace his harddrive (it was a BestBuy computer). Computer was still under warranty. So they replaced it.
Customer asked if they would give the drive back, which they did not, but promised to destroy the drive.
Some weeks later some dude from 1000 miles away called him to tell him that he bought his harddrive on a fleamarket.
wow...

Anyway. I am very security oriented, so defently i have to take precautions.

[supadupacheap]

Killdisk the booger.

http://www.killdisk.com/

It writes 1s and 0s over every part of the drive. DO NOT TRUST A WINDOWS ONLY FORMATING!!! It would take maybe 5 minutes tops to recover something good for anybody with 1/2 a brain and some determination.

Despite claims that its irrecoverable, you CAN get some data off a killdisk'ed drive if you have the proper (and very $$$ tools) and set your mind to it. Theres a rare individual whod go through that trouble trying to recover a strangers info since they have no clue if theres anything worth working to get or not.

I trust killdisk as completely as is possible. The only thing better is to physically destroy the HD/platters/internals then run industrial magnets over it then tourch them til it all melts together.

[Photomotoz]

Do a couple of reformats. Unless someone will want to spend thousands of dollars recovering the data, they will not get it. It is relativly save after about 5 or so reformats.

[yester]

Killdisk the booger.

http://www.killdisk.com/

It writes 1s and 0s over every part of the drive. DO NOT TRUST A WINDOWS ONLY FORMATING!!! It would take maybe 5 minutes tops to recover something good for anybody with 1/2 a brain and some determination.

Despite claims that its irrecoverable, you CAN get some data off a killdisk'ed drive if you have the proper (and very $$$ tools) and set your mind to it. Theres a rare individual whod go through that trouble trying to recover a strangers info since they have no clue if theres anything worth working to get or not.

I trust killdisk as completely as is possible. The only thing better is to physically destroy the HD/platters/internals then run industrial magnets over it then tourch them til it all melts together.

Which version did you use? There are two versions.

[Strell]

Two options:

http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/
http://dban.sourceforge.net/

I haven't used either of them, but they came from the "46 best ever freeware utilities" page, which I tend to trust, so you can give them a shot. The first option seems to be fairly secure. The second one lets you make a CD that will wipe out the information on a computer.

[rmewpm]

http://dban.sourceforge.net/
I agree with Strell this is a great program