Properly wipe a Hard Drive
From TomSchaefer.org Wiki
There are several methods for securely deleting files from your disks. Institutions like the Department of Defense, universities, and law enforcement agencies have created standards for what they would consider adequate scrambling of sensitive disk data. We've recommended some tools over the years that cut the same profile, or close to, their methods. Below is a list of tools, arranged by severity and operating system:
Total Disk Wipe - All Platforms
- Darik's Boot and Nuke - an open-source boot disk utility (read: works on nearly any computer) that supports a wide variety of disk wiping methods and operates from inside the computer's RAM, allowing it to scrub the disk thoroughly at a remove.
Selective File Wipe - Windows
- Wipe File - Portable application that overwrites the specific disk space occupied by the file you'd like erased and leaves the rest of the disk untouched.
- DeleteOnClick - Integrates with the Windows shell, adding a "Securely Delete" option to the right click menu which engages a Department of Defense 5220.22-M overwrite on the files.
- Eraser - In addition to securely deleting individual files, Eraser can be scheduled to perform regular overwrites of empty disc space ensuring you catch those orphan files hanging outside the reach of Windows.
Selective File Wipe - Mac OS X
- Permanent Eraser - Although Mac users have had the "secure empty trash" option, based on a multiple pass DoD method, since OS 10.3, Permanent Eraser offers peace of mind for those needing more assurance.
Selective File Wipe - Linux (Ubuntu)
- Wipe Package from Ubuntu Unleashed - Adds secure multi-pass file deletion to your right click menu, like the aforementioned DeleteOnClick does in Windows.
