Need a secure wipe on an HDD before selling, ideas?

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

Hello all. I have a 4TB IronWolf NAS drive that I am going to more than likely sell. However, before doing so I want to make sure that it is secure and everything is actually wiped and can't be recovered.

Is there a way to do this or is my best bet to just keep the drive or have it shredded? If I can securely wipe it, recommendations of programs to do the job?

Sorry for the possible dumb question, never wanted to a truly secure wipe before!

Boatvan · Jul 27, 2017

I am a Darik's boot and Nuke (DBAN) fan. You have many options on passes/methods.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/dban/

EDIT: For 4TB, get ready for the long haul. Wiping a drive that big securely will take days though

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

Boatvan said:
I am a Darik's boot and Nuke (DBAN) fan. You have many options on passes/methods.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/dban/

EDIT: For 4TB, get ready for the long haul. Wiping a drive that big securely will take days though

Thanks for the warning, I guess I am in it for the long haul then xD

DRDNA · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
Hello all. I have a 4TB IronWolf NAS drive that I am going to more than likely sell. However, before doing so I want to make sure that it is secure and everything is actually wiped and can't be recovered.

Is there a way to do this or is my best bet to just keep the drive or have it shredded? If I can securely wipe it, recommendations of programs to do the job?

Sorry for the possible dumb question, never wanted to a truly secure wipe before!

CCleaner has an option in its tools for Drive wipe, 7 passes should be good then a high level format (the long format) then run Recuva and see if you can get anything....should be good to go!

https://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER

Boatvan · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
Thanks for the warning, I guess I am in it for the long haul then xD

Luckily, you can walk away once it is started. I'd recommend the Department of Defense 3 pass method. It's good enough for the DoD, it's good enough for me. Though the Gutmann is for the super paranoid (35 passes!). The validity of that method is in question though.

Jetster · Jul 27, 2017

The easiest software but it takes awhile, I've tried most of them

http://www.fileshredder.org/

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

So many options! I figured there were a ton out there but the problem came down to sifting through them.

Boatvan · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
So many options! I figured there were a ton out there but the problem came down to sifting through them.

Yep. The choice is yours. DBAN isn't the most user friendly, but it is effective. CCleaner is a good product as well. I'm sure file shredder is too.

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

Boatvan said:
Yep. The choice is yours. DBAN isn't the most user friendly, but it is effective. CCleaner is a good product as well. I'm sure file shredder is too.

What's crazy is that I have been using CCleaner for years for the typical cleaning features but never realized it had a wiping method in there.

Boatvan · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
What's crazy is that I have been using CCleaner for years for the typical cleaning features but never realized it had a wiping method in there.

Lol I've also used it for years but have never used the drive wipe feature. Just uninstaller, cleaner, and registry cleaner!

jboydgolfer · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
I have a 4TB IronWolf NAS drive that I am going to more than likely sell. However, before doing so I want to make sure that it is secure and everything is actually wiped and can't be recovered

if thats a seagate drive try this (it'll likely work even if it isnt)
Seagate Discwizard

Ahhzz · Jul 27, 2017

Boatvan said:
I am a Darik's boot and Nuke (DBAN) fan. You have many options on passes/methods.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/dban/

EDIT: For 4TB, get ready for the long haul. Wiping a drive that big securely will take days though

I'm a +1 on DBaN. excellent software, set how many and what type passes, and check back in a few days

Solaris17 · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

Hmmm. Dban sounds simple enough...

thebluebumblebee · Jul 27, 2017

jboydgolfer said:
if thats a seagate drive try this (it'll likely work even if it isnt)
Seagate Discwizard

It is a Seagate drive and I like the idea of using the manufacturer's own software for this job, even though it is from Acronis. Page 67 in their user manual. Also, if I understand dBan correctly, it will completely tie up the computer it's running on while the Seagate utility can work in the background?????

Boatvan · Jul 27, 2017

thebluebumblebee said:
It is a Seagate drive and I like the idea of using the manufacturer's own software for this job, even though it is from Acronis. Page 67 in their user manual. Also, if I understand dBan correctly, it will completely tie up the computer it's running on while the Seagate utility can work in the background?????

DBAN will indeed tie up a PC. It works in pre-boot environment. I'd still recommend this if you are looking at a security perspective. I can't attest to the other software's methods, but DBAN is widely accepted as secure.

Jetster · Jul 27, 2017

Boatvan said:
DBAN will indeed tie up a PC. It works in pre-boot environment. I'd still recommend this if you are looking at a security perspective. I can't attest to the other software's methods, but DBAN is widely accepted as secure.

That's why I like File shredder. You can use the PC while its working on a drive

Jetster · Jul 27, 2017

Here's another that Drone recommended awhile back. Never used it but looks good

https://sourceforge.net/projects/bitkiller/

Drone · Jul 27, 2017

^ I forgot about that one!

Eraser can do that too.

Killdisk has a lot of algorithms. (Freeware version has One Pass Zeros erase method only)

And here's a list of free shredders (July 2017)

Dbiggs9 · Jul 27, 2017

Use a cloth like HRC worked for her

exodusprime1337 · Jul 27, 2017

One pass writing zero using ccleaner or another tool like dd if familiar with linux is more than enough. No need to wipe a drive for hours. Nobody has ever recovered data from a drive writing one pass with zero i believe.

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

Thanks everyone. I probably wont end up using Dban after all since I would definitely like to use my PC during this process. If I had another PC to use, it would be another story.

DRDNA · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
Thanks everyone. I probably wont end up using Dban after all since I would definitely like to use my PC during this process. If I had another PC to use, it would be another story.

So its CCleaner to the rescue then. Its all good they all do what they should for the most part. At least check with Recuva (its free too)afterwords to be sure it meets that approval (even if thats not saying much)

satindemon4u · Jul 27, 2017

DRDNA said:
So its CCleaner to the rescue then. Its all good they all do what they should for the most part. At least check with Recuva (its free too)afterwords to be sure it meets that approval (even if thats not saying much)

Will do! Is it worth it two run ccleaner on it 2 or 3 times instead of just one? I know it was mentioned above that one would do the job but I can't see it hurting...

DRDNA · Jul 27, 2017

satindemon4u said:
Will do! Is it worth it two run ccleaner on it 2 or 3 times instead of just one? I know it was mentioned above that one would do the job but I can't see it hurting...

People will have many opinions on this but if your selling it I would run 7 passes and a slow format then sell it but thats me. I do many different things in the IT field and one of them for years was Virus control security and I had a fellow Tech. that worked with me who use to buy hard drives from Ebay just to see what he could re-retrieve just for fun. Just saying.... Oh and he was very successful at re-retrieving.

EDIT If there is nothing personal and nothing that really needs to be hidden for ever then 1-3 is fine.

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Need a secure wipe on an HDD before selling, ideas?

satindemon4u

Boatvan

satindemon4u

DRDNA

Boatvan

Jetster

satindemon4u

Boatvan

satindemon4u

Boatvan

jboydgolfer

Ahhzz

Moderator

Solaris17

Super Dainty Moderator

satindemon4u

thebluebumblebee

Boatvan

Jetster

Jetster

Drone

Dbiggs9

exodusprime1337

satindemon4u

DRDNA

satindemon4u

DRDNA

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