-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 05/29/2009 10:08 AM, Robin Laing wrote: > Robert L Cochran wrote: >> I have a hard drive that I need to destroy the data on. What is the >> most dependable way to do this? Can reformatting the drive as ext3 or >> ext4 or some other filesystem effectively destroy the existing data? >> >> Is there free software that can write zeroes or some form of nonsense >> to every storage location? >> >> Thanks >> >> Bob Cochran >> > > As many others have said, the answer is no. > > Use the various tools to erase the drive as suggested. > > I have actually formatted a drive as VFAT and EXT3 and still recovered > data off of that drive. It was not a test but a major mistake on my > part. Even recovered data from a drive that was part of an LVM and > reformatted. > > If the drive is small, it may be better to just destroy the drive. One > technique that I read about was to drill holes into the drive and fill > it with Cola. The acid will destroy the surface of the drive. > > I physically take the drives apart and use the platter for various > things. They are so shiny at first. :) > I like to put the drives on a sidewalk and whack them a few times with an 8 lb sledge hammer. When I pick up the drive and shake it and it makes a nice jingling sound, the job is done. - -- Steve -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Fedora - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iEYEARECAAYFAkoiw74ACgkQeERILVgMyvAoBwCfQXtmmn0Bw9UiRpgRKV1IjSLz 45AAn2I2aO+HyqQ4wEGm9UrHS/VriTlY =Ek+2 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
