Deleting to DOD standards

Yes I know its impossible as a quick search into computer forensics will
show.
However, I need to be able to show that I have made reasonable efforts to
erase the contents of some pcs which are being sent for charitable recycling
this coming week! I don't really want to stick nails through the HDs! This
is for an organsation which qualifies as educational in, for instance, Ms's
eyes. I don't want to pay 45$ per machine either!
Is there a utility that others here use?

 

Why not reformat the disk.

Reload a small linux and copy dvd's on until disk is full.
Repeat if required.

Undoubtedly not to dod standard,
which would probably require recycling in a steel mill.

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.

Use 995.com [ functions].
BTOPENWORLD address has ceased. DEMON address has ceased.

 

PGP is available as freeware and includes a tool to do this
<http://www.pgpi.org/products/pgp/>.

 

Low level format may be better

It doesn't sound very professional?
Q: That methods did you use to ensure that no critical data could be easily
retrieved from the Hard Disks?
A: We stuffed them full with Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs - who'd want to
even look at them? Well...

I'm suprised your favourite instrument doesn't feature here?

Thanks but I think it would require too much manual intervention, of course
it could be done in a batch file.

Any other ideas? That somone has used in similar situations.

 

Thanks, but you don't mean pgp disk?

 

A true low-level format, performed by the user, has not been possible
for many years since the disk makers moved from a servo head to embedded
servo.

I nearly posted this last night but abandoned the post. Anyway, it's
not to DoD standards but is quick and reliable, and works regardless of
what's on the disk in the first place:

Get Tomsrtbt from www.toms.net. Create the boot floppy. Boot it on the
machine whose disk you want to wipe, then:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda

to write zeros to every sector of the disk, optionally followed by, if
you're paranoid:

dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/hda

to scribble over it again with random numbers.

 

Hey! You want professional too?

Sounds good to me, who would?

Have to be oxy-acetylene.
Otherwise the disks wouldn't be melted properly.

Quite.


--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.

Use 995.com [ functions].
BTOPENWORLD address has ceased. DEMON address has ceased.

 

I like it!

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.

Use 995.com [ functions].
BTOPENWORLD address has ceased. DEMON address has ceased.

 

Have a look at "Eraser" from http://www.heidi.ie it claims to do what you
want.

Regards,
Jim Tavendale

 

thanks, but I couldn't find it there (at least not complying with DOD),
however there was a link to this which seems to be just the job (running
Linux) and the first free one that actually says WHAT standards it will
comply with. The fellow deserves a donation (& will get one)

http://dban.sourceforge.net/features.html

(Darik's Boot and Nuke)

 

thanks, but I couldn't find it there (at least not complying with DOD),
however there was a link to this which seems to be just the job (running
Linux) and the first free one that actually says WHAT standards it will
comply with. The fellow deserves a donation (& will get one)
http://dban.sourceforge.net/features.html
(Darik's Boot and Nuke)
[/QUOTE]
I use Eraser with W98se, and from the help file of v5.7... "Eraser
offers two overwriting methods that are based on the clearing and
sanitization matrix in the National Industrial Security Program
Operating Manual (NISPOM also known as US DoD 5220.22-M) of the US
Department of Defense." Is this adequate for your needs?

It's a lovely easy free programme to use and also offers Gutmann or
pseudo-random for as many passes as you may want (default 35 for
Gutmann). Great for unused space, cluster tips etc.

 

It would have been useful if I had wanted to anything sophisicated like
delete part of the disk, but all I really need to do is delete the lot to
standard (as above, in a number of passes) which Boot and Nuke does
apparently. Thanks

 

No, PGP disk is a utility which lets you create a file which can be used
as an encrypted virtual disk drive. Just install PGP which includes
pgptools with the ability to securely wipe disk space.

The problem is that it runs under windoze so if you want to wipe the C:
drive then you're going to be pulling the rug from under your feet.

If you're going to be re-installing windoze on the boxes anyway, then
you can just use PGP to wipe the free space on the disk after you're
finished the install.

OTOH Darik's Boot and Nuke sounds like the best way to go.