Re: Inquiry:How to totally wipe out the entire hard drive

[Christopher Walters <cjw2004d@comcast.net>]

Napoleon wrote:
> John Hasler wrote:
>> I wrote:
>>> If you want to destroy all the data for security purposes install and
>>> use shred.  It will take quite a while on a large disk.
>>
>> Ron Johnson writes:
>>> This really is a myth.
> [snip]
> (Should have gone to the list but I screwed up the first time - sorry).
>
> Overwriting with zeros (or ones) once is not at all secure.  It can
> easily be nearly 100% recovered by someone with the necessary
> equipment,  even more so on a modern drive.
>
> Overwriting multiple times with random data provides higher security.
> Physical destruction of the disk (i.e melting or physically shredding
> the disk) is the only sure-fire security.
I recall this discussion before.  There is a way to eliminate the
contents of a hard disk without physical destruction.  A powerful enough
EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) aimed at the drive would be enough to
permanently erase the contents.  However, I doubt that anyone here has
data on their drives sensitive enough for a government to want it (they
have the equipment to retrieve data, barring physical destruction or EMP). 

Wiping a hard drive is usually enough, if you are going to sell it or
give it away.

Chris