Help? lol
OK. I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the fact that this so called awesome software that gets rid of your data on your HDD, is in actual fact, a piece of s**t. Entropy: Linux blah blah... errr, no it isn't. It's Windows, so stop going to /dev/sdd and failing all the time.
Someone please give me a hand here. Seriously, I would like to sell my computer this century.
It was written to the disc correctly, are there any ways to erase my HDD which are relatively simple?
Sea Tools might be the easiest for you to use. Burn the iso mentioned in the lnk. Start the machine up with it in the drive. You will be doing the zero fill.
Might be an idea to print out the instructions shown on the page if you don't have another pc handy to read them on. Read the instructions twice.
http://seagate.custkb.com/seagate/crm/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=203931
No I have it working. Many people run into problems because of media card readers. Since the ASUS Crosshair III Formula ROG board doesn't have the ability to just turn it off, I had to take the side panel of my Antec 1200 off and unplug the media card reader from the board. Since I did this, DBAN works fine. However I do have an issue whereby if I do standard DoD it says it'll take like 16 hours. I cancelled it and ran DoD Short. Will 3 pass be good enough to cover personal details, bank details, etc? Assuming someone who buys the computer intends to snoop around with the intention of finding stuff?
It's been overwriting for about 4 hours already and it has about 4 to go with DoD Short
(3 pass). My security and details are important to me. I'm at 50%, but should I re-run it again by resetting the PC and rebooting to the disc and then running DoD 7 passes, or again... is 3 passes good enough to leave my personal and financial details unrecoverable?
Currently messaging from a super ancient system lol
I would say 3 passes is enough unless the people you are selling it to work for Nasa or the FBI.
So basically it's secure enough for everybody except the NSA and FBI and shiz like that? No user equipment could recover my credit details?
If that be the case, then I'll be happy to sell my PC knowing it is safe and secure from little thief-o'z
If this helps, here's a little info I received directly from the Dban folks a few years ago:
"The default options in DBAN are sensible for almost all circumstances (AutoNuke).
The Quick Erase is probably good enough for most home users, but the DoD wipe is the default because most businesses want to do things the way they've always done things.
Autonuke uses the DoD Short method, which is the "right way" to do the?DoD wipe.
The DoD Long method is the way everybody used to do the DoD wipe?until the software developers actually read the specification document."
Ahh I did DoD short, so I'm good. Took about 8 and a half hours.
I suppose my PC is ready for selling
I'll be sure to post back here in this thread if I have any other concerns, but as of now, thanks for everyones help.
I have a somewhat similar question, but with a little different twist.
I have an older external HDD that died a while back with lots of stuff on it - and there's absolutely no way of accessing that data (believe me, I've tried). I've also tried disassembling the case to remove the drive itself, but it's really tough to get the it out of the case. (Not even sure what I would do with it even if I could get it out). Obviously, I'm no longer using this drive, but I'm not exactly thrilled about just tossing it in a dumpster somewhere.
What can I do? Any thoughts on how to destroy the data content on a dead external?
Look out for a Utility van and a man in a trench.
He may do you a favour with one of his construction tools and rip/saw/grind the enclosure wide open.
...
What can I do? Any thoughts on how to destroy the data content on a dead external?
Some info here, much of it just plain silly (e.g. do not shoot it with a gun) . http://forums.cnet.com/7723-6122_102-298466.html
One method, (not tested by any forensic labs afaik), but...drill a couple of holes in one side of the actual HD, get it hot enough to destroy any silicon chips, then let it cool and fill it with the cheapest 2 part epoxy you can find and let it set. Then toss it out.
Might not defeat James Bond and Q, but will defeat anybody without tons of expensive equipment.
Any thoughts on how to destroy the data content on a dead external?
It's the 4th of July so if you have any fireworks you could blow it up, set it on fire, etc.
Or visit a place with a car crushing machine, plop it in and see what the results are.
Ah, you'd all (in the UK) be in breach of the WEEE directive: 'householders are now covered by the duty of care and must ensure they only pass their waste to a registered waste carrier or other approved person.' So the green police will get all you fire-bugs.
Ah, you'd all (in the UK) be in breach of the WEEE directive: 'householders are now covered by the duty of care and must ensure they only pass their waste to a registered waste carrier or other approved person.' So the green police will get all you fire-bugs.
Errr, ummm, you could just sneak it onto the edge of the grill during a cookout, put a hot dog on there so it will smell right, and WALLAH, you have accomplished step one of my untested but highly sophisticated method. 