Erasing my hard drives

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I can report that using the 35 pass method is very time consuming and I won't be using it on the next hard drive I have to clean. I'm going to try the 7 pass DoD method.  I think I'll also be using the 8# sledge as a coup de grace.

I also have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus that I no longer use and I want to recycle.  I've done the factory reset which supposedly erased all my date and apps.  Does the reset clear everything off the phone well enough that it's safe to dispose of without doing anything more?  Also, should I remove the SIM card?  Thanks.
 
To clear a cell phone for sale or recycle, first turn on encryption using a strong key and let it encrypt the entire phone.  Then do a factory data reset.  That way, any residual data left on the phone will be encrypted and unrecoverable.  If you're going to destroy the phone, then I would also destroy the SIM card, but we've always recycled our phones by giving them to the local sheriff to use at a battered women's shelter.
 
Thanks, Ned. This morning I discovered that VZW has a program called Hopeline that will recycle donated cell phones to domestic abuse victims after scrubbing and refurbishing the device. I'm going to drop mine off at the local VZW store. Before I do I'll try to encrypt the phone but I'm not sure how that will work since I already did a factory reset of the phone.
 
Mike, the encryption really should be done first as I doubt the phone will encrypt free space, but it can't hurt to do it now.  Then do another factory data reset.  I'm sure VZW won't give the phone to the NSA :)
 
ceemike said:
Thanks for the reassurance, Ned.  I think I hear the Black Helicopters already.  :p
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If you hear them, it's too late :)
 
One pass is enough to completely erase today's perpendicular recording hard drives.  I.e. Anything made in the last 8 or so years.  Even that can take hours.  A drill works much faster.
 
8Muddypaws said:
One pass is enough to completely erase today's perpendicular recording hard drives.  I.e. Anything made in the last 8 or so years.  Even that can take hours.  A drill works much faster.
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Unless you're selling or giving away the drive.  When I sold my tower with a 1TB drive in it, I ran Darik's Boot and Nuke on the drive overnight.  I don't think the buyer would have appreciated holes in it :)
 
Good point. 

I wrote my own program for nuking files, folders, and whole disks.  Up to 99 passes.  Then they changed technology on me.  Taught me how to do low level I/O in Delphi/Pascal & C++ so it wasn't time totally wasted.
 
As a former computer programmer....drill it, lots of holes, all the way through, then do it again. Swiss cheese should look solid in comparison. :)
 
When I worked in a three letter agency contractor's high security area years ago, hard drives and eproms removed from service were fed into a hammermill that reduced them to 1/8" chips that were then scattered throughout multiple waste bins. Floppies and tapes went into an incinerator.
 
Ned, you said " the encryption really should be done first"
For those with limited knowledge, how is this done?
 
RVRAC said:
Ned, you said " the encryption really should be done first"
For those with limited knowledge, how is this done?
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It depends somewhat on the version of Android and the phone manufacturer, but somewhere in the security section will be the option to encrypt the phone.
 
This is an older thread but thought I'd put in my 2 cents. I run a strong magnet over the drive. I tried testing the drive after doing this. When I put it back in the computer, and restarted it, smoke started coming out of it. Really.
 
prfcdoc said:
This is an older thread but thought I'd put in my 2 cents. I run a strong magnet over the drive. I tried testing the drive after doing this. When I put it back in the computer, and restarted it, smoke started coming out of it. Really.
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That might have worked with older drives but anything made in the last 5 or so years uses a technique called perpendicular recording.  As I understand it the magnetic domain in these 'bits' requires both a very strong magnetic fields and heat to change state.

Perpendicular recording also means that the old wives tale about being able to forensically see what was written on the drive x number of changes ago is even theoretically impossible.  So a single wipe cycle is all you need. 

Personally I never throw a working drive away.  They come in handy when you least expect it.  I'm in the process of building a home brew DVR and one of my old 500G drives will work perfectly.
 
inscop said:
Or you could just ask Hillary.  I hear she is an expert.    8)
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Best answer of the day!

But laying it on the ground, and running it over with a heavy vehicle, an RV will work, will destroy the hard drive beyond recognition.....plan B involves railroad tracks, and a fast moving train.
 
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