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HDD Scrubbers

Discussion in 'Other PC Software' started by howardparsons, 2009/05/17.

  1. 2009/05/17
    howardparsons Lifetime Subscription

    howardparsons Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Although it is not my primary line of work, every so often I get a request to decommission a PC (Uninstall software, scrub the HDD, etc.) Installing a drive scrubber just to decommission a PC gets to be a drag after a while. I was wondering if anyone knew of a HDD scrubber that could be installed on a USB drive thus making it portable and bypassing the installation on the PC to be decommissioned.

    Thank you,

    Howard Parsons
     
  2. 2009/05/17
    jpChris

    jpChris Inactive

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    Hi Howard,

    Have you thought about just re-formatting the drive? That'll wipe everything quicker that uninstalling, etc.

    However, if someone really wants to get any info off the drive and they have the time, software and desire, they can get it.

    Unless . . . depending on the manufacturer of the drives, you can download a Disk Diagnostics tool, put it on a floppy, boot to it, and re-write the drive to all "0 "'s. It's time consuming, but how much time do you spend doing what you're doing now?

    By the by, what do you mean by "decommissioned "? Is the drive going to be used for something else, or tossed? If it's going to be tossed, a percussive maintenance tool ( ball-peen, claw, or sledge hammer) is the quickest and most efficient tool you'll ever own. :D
     
    Last edited: 2009/05/17

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  4. 2009/05/18
    r.leale Lifetime Subscription

    r.leale Well-Known Member

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    Oh JP!
    Loads of people have got into trouble because they thought that re-formatting a hard disk would wipe all the information! It doesn't.

    Roger
     
  5. 2009/05/18
    ephemarial

    ephemarial Well-Known Member

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    KillDisk - google download site
     
  6. 2009/05/18
    Brummig

    Brummig Inactive

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    Is there a reliable means of checking how effectively the scrubber worked? I agree with JP about taking a lump hammer to the drive, but these days there are charities who refurbish PCs for those that might not otherwise be able to afford them, and I'm sure they would appreciate having the disk drives (my local charity claim that they scrub all disks, but I would rather scrub and check them myself first).

    BTW, if taking the mechanical approach the platters will bend quite easily once you have wrecked the bearing and removed them. That will be a significant deterrent to remounting them.
     
    Last edited: 2009/05/18
  7. 2009/05/18
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    My choice for wiping a hard drive is Eraser - will overwrite to highest DOD and Gov standards if required.
    Best you can do is run file recovery software on the drive and see if it throws anything up, e.g. - Recuva
     
  8. 2009/05/18
    howardparsons Lifetime Subscription

    howardparsons Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Re: Eraser

    PeteC,
    I ran across eraser not long after I started this thread. I may give it a go to see if it works well from my USB stick.

    Most of the PC's I decommission are scheduled for donation to charity, the kid next door, etc. and a complete wipe of the HDD just won't do. If the HDD is to be tossed, I have a sledge hammer in the shed that does the job nicely.:D

    Cheers!
    Howard
     
  9. 2009/05/18
    jpChris

    jpChris Inactive

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    H Roger,

    I know, ;) that's what I put in the second paragraph; and that's why I asked for clarification of "decommissioned" in the last paragraph.
     
  10. 2009/05/19
    Brummig

    Brummig Inactive

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    Thanks for the software suggestions ephemarial and PeteC - I will be taking a look at these.
     

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