Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Is there a way to destroy hard drive data while it's out of the computer?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Not without some other external device.

You need to mount it in a computer and run a disk-wipe utility.



"bmooo" <bmooj125@hotmail.com> wrote in message
newsbcf7cc.0406131733.6492d78e@posting.google.com...
> Is there a way to destroy hard drive data while it's out of the computer?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

I wonder if what he meant was using like a huge magnet or degaussing device
to alter or wipe a drive?

"Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message
news:2j4e1gFsii81U1@uni-berlin.de...
> Not without some other external device.
>
> You need to mount it in a computer and run a disk-wipe utility.
>
>
>
> "bmooo" <bmooj125@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> newsbcf7cc.0406131733.6492d78e@posting.google.com...
> > Is there a way to destroy hard drive data while it's out of the
computer?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

I'm aware of the software you recommend, but the situation is that my
old hard drive failed and was replaced under warranty. With the new
one installed, my computer is working better than ever.

Now I must return the old hard drive to avoid being charged for the
new one, and I don't want to risk causing problems by putting the old
one back into the computer to run a disk-wipe utility; nor do I want
to return it with my personal data intact.

This is surely a common scenario. Isn't there some way to physically
destroy data while the hard drive is outside the computer -- perhaps
by disassembling it first? I just want to remove personal data, not
destroy the hard drive completely thus making it un-returnable.

Thanks in advance for all suggestions...


"Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message news:<2j4e1gFsii81U1@uni-berlin.de>...
> Not without some other external device.
>
> You need to mount it in a computer and run a disk-wipe utility.
>
>
>
> "bmooo" <bmooj125@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> newsbcf7cc.0406131733.6492d78e@posting.google.com...
> > Is there a way to destroy hard drive data while it's out of the computer?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Don't physically take the drive apart - when gateway gets it back, they will
more than likely charge you for the drive.
JS

"bmooo" <bmooj125@hotmail.com> wrote in message
newsbcf7cc.0406140348.3261103@posting.google.com...
> I'm aware of the software you recommend, but the situation is that my
> old hard drive failed and was replaced under warranty. With the new
> one installed, my computer is working better than ever.
>
> Now I must return the old hard drive to avoid being charged for the
> new one, and I don't want to risk causing problems by putting the old
> one back into the computer to run a disk-wipe utility; nor do I want
> to return it with my personal data intact.
>
> This is surely a common scenario. Isn't there some way to physically
> destroy data while the hard drive is outside the computer -- perhaps
> by disassembling it first? I just want to remove personal data, not
> destroy the hard drive completely thus making it un-returnable.
>
> Thanks in advance for all suggestions...
>
>
> "Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.com> wrote in message
news:<2j4e1gFsii81U1@uni-berlin.de>...
> > Not without some other external device.
> >
> > You need to mount it in a computer and run a disk-wipe utility.
> >
> >
> >
> > "bmooo" <bmooj125@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > newsbcf7cc.0406131733.6492d78e@posting.google.com...
> > > Is there a way to destroy hard drive data while it's out of the
computer?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

On 14 Jun 2004 04:48:13 -0700, bmooo <bmooj125@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I'm aware of the software you recommend, but the situation is that my
> old hard drive failed and was replaced under warranty. With the new
> one installed, my computer is working better than ever.
>
> Now I must return the old hard drive to avoid being charged for the
> new one, and I don't want to risk causing problems by putting the old
> one back into the computer to run a disk-wipe utility; nor do I want
> to return it with my personal data intact.
>
> This is surely a common scenario. Isn't there some way to physically
> destroy data while the hard drive is outside the computer -- perhaps
> by disassembling it first? I just want to remove personal data, not
> destroy the hard drive completely thus making it un-returnable.
>
> Thanks in advance for all suggestions...

I have been lucky enough to catch drives while they were failing, so I
could transfer and/or delete anything necessary. The drive manufacturers
ususally have a diagnostic program that can be run from bootable floopy to
test the disk non-destructively, or destructively (alternately
write/read 0's and 1's), or can wipe the disk to all zeros to start
fresh).

Of course if the problem was loose head, rather than bad sectors, you
would have trouble doing anything with it connected to a PC.

I do not know how much shielding the drives have, but a strong enough
magnetic field could render a drive totally unusable by wiping out
everything, including low level formatting that cannot be recreated
without special hardware.

--
David Efflandt - All spam ignored http://www.de-srv.com/

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

>
> I have been lucky enough to catch drives while they were failing, so I
> could transfer and/or delete anything necessary. The drive manufacturers
> ususally have a diagnostic program that can be run from bootable floopy to
> test the disk non-destructively, or destructively (alternately
> write/read 0's and 1's), or can wipe the disk to all zeros to start
> fresh).
>
Just out of curiosity, what would the symptoms of a failing hard drive be???

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

"tj" <getbent99@graffiti.net> wrote in message
newsb79918.0406281317.f8f37de@posting.google.com...
> >
> > I have been lucky enough to catch drives while they were failing, so I
> > could transfer and/or delete anything necessary. The drive
manufacturers
> > ususally have a diagnostic program that can be run from bootable floopy
to
> > test the disk non-destructively, or destructively (alternately
> > write/read 0's and 1's), or can wipe the disk to all zeros to start
> > fresh).
> >
> Just out of curiosity, what would the symptoms of a failing hard drive
be???

1/ Grinding of frequent retries and/or
2/ The dreaded blue screen: "Can't write to C: Drive" and/or
3/ Running a Scandisk surface scan and having it start to mark bad sectors
more than on the most rare occasion.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

tj wrote:

> >
> > I have been lucky enough to catch drives while they were failing, so I
> > could transfer and/or delete anything necessary. The drive manufacturers
> > ususally have a diagnostic program that can be run from bootable floopy to
> > test the disk non-destructively, or destructively (alternately
> > write/read 0's and 1's), or can wipe the disk to all zeros to start
> > fresh).
> >
> Just out of curiosity, what would the symptoms of a failing hard drive be???

here's a *lengthy* article on diagnosing hd failure (states what the above
poster does but in 5 pages
it says for beginners but looks quite good i.e. useful
hth
sincerely,
Tanya
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview [...] 583&page=1