Random hard drive formatting question.

[carnageX]

A zero wipe basically does nothing, and it's useless to do multiple 0 writes at one time, always use more advanced wipes for security purposes. I know a company, that requires 250 passes using Gutman (Thinks thats the name) and DOD method before they physically crush the drive. o.0

Is the Gutmann method the best method? | Darik's Boot And Nuke

 

[KSoD]

Last time I heard DBAN and KillDisk were on par with what the DOD uses for removing data from a drive before it gets destroyed. Maybe that was just over in the UK cause if I am not mistaken it was Saxon and myself who had this conversation.

But yes GParted is a tool that I recommend often. Ever since I found it myself it has been an essential part of my collection. You can hook up as many hard drives as you want and format them all. since GParted is a LiveCD, you dont have to have Windows or *Nix installed to operate it. You just boot from the disk and wipe 1 or more drives. In theory if you have 6 or 8 SATA hook ups you could do that many drives at once. Could do 4 IDE HDD's as well. So you could get as high as 12 HDD's in a machine and format them all with GParted.

So yeah they have come a long way. I use DBan if I must totally destroy data on a drive. But GParted is what I use on my home PC as well as others to format the drive for a fresh install.

 

[carnageX]

Last time I heard DBAN and KillDisk were on par with what the DOD uses for removing data from a drive before it gets destroyed. Maybe that was just over in the UK cause if I am not mistaken it was Saxon and myself who had this conversation.

Yes you're correct it's on par with DoD standards.

So yeah they have come a long way. I use DBan if I must totally destroy data on a drive. But GParted is what I use on my home PC as well as others to format the drive for a fresh install.

The data can still be retrieved with professional tools/software if the person is determined enough to get it. The only way to actually truly "destroy" the data, is to chemically alter the drive, i.e. melt the platters and then destroy them.

Grinding the drive up is a way to get rid of the data. Would it be impossible to retrieve the data? Technically no. Improbable? Highly yes lol.