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Write zeros to Hard Drive

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by pikikoko

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I am looking a utility to use to write zeros to Hard Drives? I know that Manufacturers provide this in their retail box but I am looking for a utility that will work with any hard drive. Shareware is ok and prefered but I am willing to pay to a goodutility. What are you using and why?What has worked for you and what has not worked?
If you have a question send it to pikikoko@msn.com,Thanks
Mike

17 replies

by joseph moore

In wanting to "write zeros to a hard drive" are you looking for a utility that will make recovering data off a drive impossible? If so, then yes, there are many of those tools out there.
The one I like is Wipe Info from Symantec (part of their Norton Utilities suite). With it, you can delete files by overwriting the drive by making up to 100 passes of hex codes and other characters (like zeros), to make it impossible to recover anything. Try it.

by pikikoko

I looked at this and it looks like it is limited to files and folders. I need a utility to wipe out entire hard drives. Can you come up with something else?
Thanks

by maelgwyn

Now, I would say that there are probably trillions of applications out there that can do the task that you specify. Just goto something like CNET.com and search for ZERO FILLERS (for that is the task that you require - a zero fill utility)

by pikikoko

I went to CNET and searched for Zero Fillers and the search didn't return any useful information. Can you recommend another search method on the same site.
Thanks

by wcp

The best and right way to write zero (or lowlevel format) is to use the manufacturer?s utility program.
Go to the manufacturer?s website and download the software.

Maxtor (Quantum): MaxBlast 3 Version 3.6 http://tinyurl.com/co4h
WD: DLG Diagnostics Version 10 http://tinyurl.com/co4q
Seagate: Disc Wizard 2003 http://tinyurl.com/co5m http://tinyurl.com/asnr
IBM: Data Fitness Test Version 3.4 http://tinyurl.com/95zv
Samsung: Clearhdd http://tinyurl.com/co64
Fujitsu: Erase Utility http://tinyurl.com/co6a

If a HD developes bad sector(s), sometimes the lowlevel format fixes the problem. I have seen a lot of these, especially the IBM HDs (now Hitachi HD).

by pikikoko

I need a plain jane utility. I never know what manufacturer's hard drive I will be working on. I something I can carry around on a floppy and pop into any machine and wipe out the hard drive.
Thanks

by briantruitt

Try Autoclave. It's basically a Linux boot disk that can be used to format any kind of hard drive and has five different levels. The highest level will format the drive to where the NSA can't even recover the data. Do a search on google for autoclave or go to http://staff.washington.edu/jdlarios/autoclave/

It's free and fits on a floppy. What more could you ask for?

by pikikoko

This looks like what I need but as Josh Larios states the Windows/dos has not been tested and it does not work as stated in windows or dos. I have asked them for a workaround to test to see if it works. The build03.bat does not see the "A" Drive isthe problem. Please provide some direction if you have experience with this application.Thanks

by p_korman

the best and the easiest way to do it is to get a copy of norton disk doctor. it will show you exactly what is in each sector. fill 'em all with 00 and you are all done.

i have used it several times on unix and linux drives. it has worked flawlessly for me each time.

stay away from the shareware, go with something that is known and good. norton disk doctor fills that bill.

by pikikoko

I wanted a dos utility not a windows utility but I had never see it before until now. this should work on individual files.

by jjoeclark

If its that important , buy another drive and put this one in your safe deposit box.

by pikikoko

The issue is to wipe the harddrive clean so no data can be seen by a third party. This also makes the HD usable with a clean start.

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