Best way to sanitize 50 hard-disks drives

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21342630

by mean_gene_1976 • 7 years ago

2 5 7 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I need to have 60 PCs disposed of in a week. What is the fastest set-up for erasing the disks before I turn them in? I plan on using CBL Data Shredder for software to earse each disk.

PeekPoke• 7 years ago

Take them to your local scrap yard. Get them to pick them up with that massive electro magenet they use for lifting cars. :D

jaclaz2• 7 years ago

This one?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBL_Data_Shredder

From 2007, still senselessly using unneded algorithms/methods.

Assuming that they are recent enough disks (like built in the last - say - 20 years) all you need is to initiate an ATA Secure Erase, i.e. essentially use hdparm:

https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

or any small live distro making use of it, a suggested one is RIP Linux (now abandoned, but usually just good enough): https://tinyapps.org/docs/wipe_drives_hdparm.html https://archiveos.org/rip/

Initiating the ATA command will be faster than any 00 or random pattern writing tool such as dd (which is however, single pass, good enough according to NIST):

https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.S...

(page 32)

mean_gene_1976• 7 years ago

I actually talked to my cities recycling center, and they will degauss/destroy the drives with NSA certified tools. And they will provide a cert that it was done. All for free. I have 75 drives. I am still on my first drive with CBL Data Shredder.

jaclaz2• 7 years ago

Good, though that means destroying the hardware (which may have well been resold insteadm with - besides a small economical advantage - is IMHO the best policy, re-using has less impact than recycling).

As a side note - and to be picky - degaussers are AFAIK not really-really "certified" by NSA, they are only listed:

https://www.nsa.gov/Portals/70/documents/resources/everyone/...

With what looks like a disclaimer: > The Degausser EPL (Evaluated Products List) specifies the current models of commercial equipment that satisfy NSA/ CSS requirements for erasure of magnetic storage devices retaining any level of classifed or sensitive data. Listing on the Degausser EPL does not constitute endorsement of the product by the USG or NSA/CSS; it only states that the evaluated degausser has met the applicable NSA/CSS performance requirements. Neither does the listing guarantee continued performance; customers should have their equipment re-tested periodically according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

AnimalMuppet• 7 years ago

Where I work, they take out the drives and use a drill press to run three holes through each one. (That's not quite the same as "erasing", because you clearly do not wind up with a usable disk drive at the end...)

Best way to sanitize 50 hard-disks drives

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