Anyone know the command to wipe a hard drive?

[Dane]

Format will not remove the data, only make the space available to be overwritten. You need to low level format the drive if you want it clean. If it's SCSI it's easy with Adaptec's software. If it's IDE good luck, usually only the drive manufacturer can low level format.

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2001 HO 6 speed Regular Cab SLT 4x4 3. 54 anti spin 2500. Used for the daily grind and sneaking away to some secret Baja beaches toting a cabover

 

[Koa Man]

Small hard drives are so cheap nowadays, and being a 386, the computer you are getting rid of probably does not have the space needed to run Windows 95 or 98 programs. Even if a school accepted it, they would probably only use the monitor and keyboard. Even the RAM chips in there are not compatible with the new computers. That being the case, I recommend taking a gas welder to it and melting the thing. I have a friend who is a computer tech and he had to go fix some computers that were in a building fire. He was able to get back the data off the hard drive even though the outside case of the computer was all burnt. Like a previous post stated, once something is on there, it is hard to get rid of.

 

[Jff24Gordn]

Open the HD up and take the platters out, and make a wind chime with it. Once you take it apart, it will never work again, unless you realy know what you are doing.

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1996 2500, 4x4, 5 speed
-- email address removed -- Great Lakes TDR
PURDUE STUDENT 
GO BOILERS

 

[Amianthus]

When I had to get rid of a government CD, I would wait until we went out to sea and put the things on some steam piping. Anyone remember 'Shrinky-dinks'?

 

[Eventer]

Why not try running Linux on the machine?

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Lyndon Hendry
Chief Equine Officer (CEO) and
President for Life
Head Over Heels Farm

2001 2500 QC LB ETH/DEE 3. 55RE Patriot Blue
Pop-Up Hitch, Stock engine except for MIA blow-by-bottle

"An oil burner for the hay burners. "

 

[Dak - BD Power]

You know with a 386 computer that hard drive size is about 200 - 250 megabytes and only good for DOS type programs if any...

I read in Maximum PC mag that you can really wipe a drive good by running an 3/8" or so drill bit right thru the platters and case and everything... either that or I like the idea of using it for target practice (9MM or 12 Gauge would be nice #ad
)

 

[Rambling]

DaveB,
It's been 5 days since your first post, have you solved your problem yet?

Here's a reply from a nonTDR member, Dennis, that read your question and wanted to help. He sent his response to me as you don't have an email in your profile.

*************
Rattlin,
You are close. He would need to make a bootable floppy, as Windows will NOT allow you to delete the system on the booted drive. He could
then add Fdisk. exe, deltree. exe or Format.com> any of these can remove all data.

If using Fdisk, type fdisk at the DOS prompt and follow the numbered selections to Delete a Primary partition. Follow up for any other partitions on
the drive.

For deltree, boot to the DOS prompt from the floppy and type c: <enter> with a <Y> and allow the operation to complete.

Then type deltree c:\ and answer the question displayed

If using format, boot from the floppy to the DOS prompt and type format c:\ and press <enter> Answer the question with a <Y> and allow the
operation to complete.

The part about scrubbing the drive to remove all possibility of data reconstruction is generally overkill. Be realistic. Do you actually have data that
sensitive on your system? If so, you probably need to take college courses in data security immediately. And NEVER give a drive away under those
conditions. You should have the drive melted down or crushed and shredded or else locked away for life.

I would have sent these directly to Dave B. , but he does not list an e-mail address and I am not a member of TDR. Since you offered help, I thought I
would offer my expertise indirectly.

Dennis McCormick
**********************
Thanks, Dennis for your input.

I believe if you have/make a boot disc and start the system with it in the floppy drive, you'll get access to fdisk without concern about anything being used from the C: drive. Then just follow the prompts as previously mentioned.

 

[Dave B]

Sorry I haven't responded... ... . got extremely sick to the point I haven't been on the 'puter. Getting better, so here I is.

RKohn: ME? HIDE SOMETHING? OK, I admit it. I know who was on the grassy knoll... . it was the Lindberg baby. Really! lol

This was a hand-me down computer that at one point had financial stuff on it..... I'm leery of turning anything in for recycling, etc etc with personal data on there.

I basically attempted Butch's method, and I think it worked. I found a place that strips these old 'puters for their metals, etc. , so I think I'm good to go.

Thanks for all the replies! Back to the couch for now...

D