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Disk Wipe Utility

Martin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:45:01 +0000

Disk wiping describes the process of deleting data of a partition or entire hard drive so that the data cannot be recovered by data recovery software. Copy Wipe is a disk wipe utility for DOS or Windows that can be used to delete the contents of a partition or hard drive permanently. It can also be used to copy data from one partition or hard drive to another as well hence the name Copy Wipe.

Copy Wipe can be started from within Windows unlike Darik’s Nuke And Boot, one of the favorite disk wiping utilities, which has to be booted from. The advantage of Darik’s Nuke And Boot is that it acts independently from the operating system.

The disk wipe utility uses a Win32 console in Windows. The main benefit is that you do not have to reboot the computer to start the disk wiping process as it can be initiated directly in Windows.

You can select one of several methods of wiping the hard drive with Copy Wipe many surpassing governmental standards. Please note that it is only possible to wipe partitions or hard drives that are currently not in use which means that you cannot wipe the partition with Windows in Windows. You could still wipe it effectively in DOS though.

The second option provide the means to copy data from one partition or hard drive to another again with the exception of partitions that are currently in use. Copy Wipe provides options for sizing the partitions on the target hard drive.

Tags: copy disks, copy wipe, delete data, disk wipe, Disk Wipe Utility, dos wipe, windows software, wipe disk, wipe hard drive

Erase Data On CD Or DVD Permanently

Martin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:01:48 +0000

Data CDs and DVDs that are no longer needed pose a few problems. Throwing them away could be a privacy risk because everyone who finds them could simply read them and discover what data has been stored on the disks. Destroying them by cutting, scratching or breaking on the other hand might release chemicals to the environment.

Lite-On developed the Smart Erase technique to give users a reliable way of erasing the data on CDs and DVDs without damaging the disk. To make it clearer, the technique is compatible to all CD-R and DVD-R disks, not only their rewritable counterparts.

Smart Erase overwrites the data contained on the disk with random characters much like the tools that can erase files or the free space of a hard drive so that the data is not recoverable afterwards. Nero 7 Essentials which ships with the retail versions of each DVD writer will have that feature build in which can be used in combination with one of the announced Lite-On DVD writers.

The first DVD writers are expected to hit shelves in September and October:

iHAP322 is a 22X DVD writer with PATA connection
iHAP422 is a 22X DVD writer with PATA connection and LightScribe
iHAS322 is a 22X DVD writer with SATA connection
iHAS422 is a 22X DVD writer with SATA connection and LightScribe

The new technique supports two modes: Quick Erase will only erase data in the lead in track and the first track of the CD / DVD while Full Erase will erase the full disk.

Tags: cd writer, delete data, dvd writer, erase data, erase dvd, iHAP322, iHAP422, iHAS322, iHAS422, lite-on, smart erase

Wipe Hard Drive With e-Maxx

Martin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:28:46 +0000

Before you sell or throw away hard drives you should make sure that the data on the hard drive gets erased properly and impossible to recover because some guys over at eBay love to buy used hard drives and recover their files to see if there is anything valuable to snoop on.

A software that can wipe the contents of en entire hard drive is e-Maxx. The software comes as a installer for Windows or as an iso image. The installer will write the files of the software to a bootable floppy disk while the iso image is ready to be burned and booted.

The user is then – after booting from the device – presented with an easy to follow menu where he can pick the hard drive and a method to delete the data on it. A secure option would be to pick the triple flux mode which would ensure that the data could not be recovered by normal means.

Tags: delete data, wipe data, wipe disk, wipe hard drive, wipe software

Wipe Disk and Wipe Files

Martin — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:30:09 +0000

Choice is good, most of the time at least but to much choice can also lead to confusion. I’m talking about five applications that practically perform the same operation or a tool that can delete files securely using one of fourteen different algorithms. It’s not really that easy for inexperienced users – and probably even most of the experienced computer users – to find the best algorithm for a task.

Wipe Disk and Wipe Files (via Download Squad) are two applications that can delete disks and partitions or files securely so that they cannot be recovered by normal means. Normal means are those typical file recovery applications like Recuva.

Both applications are available in different languages which can be changed in the Extras > Language menu. The default language of both applications is German. Both are pretty straightforward. A disk, file or directory is added to the queue and one of the fourteen algorithms is selected that delete the data securely.

Some of the algorithms are being used by the Department of Defense, the US Navy or Nato. I would always suggest to use a software like Recuva after deleting data on a disk to make sure that those cannot be retrieved by normal means.

Those algorithms use different ways to overwrite the location on the hard drive that was occupied by the data. A German basic description of every algorithm is available in the program’s help file.

Tags: delete data, delete files, file-recovery, secure delete, wipe disk, wipe files

The Compact Disk Eraser

Martin — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 07:38:53 +0000

Let me ask you a question: What do you do with old CDs and DVDs that have data on them ? Do you simply throw them away, recycle them ? What do you use to destroy the data on the disks ? If you never thought about this matter before and have a stash of used disks lying around you might want to take a look at the compact disk eraser. The disk eraser is a handy compact tool that wipes out CDs and DVDs environmentally friendly keeping the disks intact. You slide the disk once or more through the disk eraser creating a wide strip that can’t be polished out.

The website answers some frequently asked questions on their website. Breaking a CD would for instance have the same effect but would not make it recyclable anymore. Microwaving CDs would be bad for the microwave due to metal arcing and toxic fumes. Scratching CDs with sharp objects like knifes could have the same effect but is more time consuming and not that data secure.

I’m still not really convinced if the method is really destroying all data on the disks. It does not cost much and would be worth a try but how am I supposed to find out if the CDs and DVDs can’t be read by experts ? What do you normally use for this purpose ?

found: fosfor

Tags: compact disk eraser, delete data, erase cd, erase dvd, recycle disks, secure eraser

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Disk Wipe Utility

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