Removing All Data From A Drive

Every year, thousands of technicians expose themselves to a legal nightmare when they dispose of a customer's old computer or hard drive that still contains traces of personal information, including credit card numbers, passwords, legal and financial documents, or any other data that could be damaging or embarrassing in the wrong hands.

Of course, most of us know enough to delete such information and flush the recycle bin before the system leaves our possession. The more conscientious will also do a Windows format, or even a factory-style low-level format, but all of these procedures only hide the data from the operating system and will still leave a magnetic trace of the old data that can be recovered with the right software and equipment.

The only way to effectively hide data on a hard drive is to over-write it multiple times. With each pass the trace becomes weaker, until it can no longer be recovered with even the most sophisticated equipment. Certain government agencies require over-writing seven times, together with a low-level format, before the drive is considered sterilized. This same standard should be followed by local law enforcement and most financial and medical institutions, but usually isn't.

Micro-Scope users who have upgraded to Version 11 know about the Secure Wipe feature that meets the most stringent government standards. Users of older versions of Micro-Scope can achieve the same result by doing a Hard Disk Write Test several times, followed by a low-level format. If you don't have Micro-Scope, most hard drive manufacturers provide a low-level format utility for their particular brand of drive, which can be combined with any of several low-cost products for over-writing a drive. It's a bit tedious, but definitely possible.

To make it even easier, Micro 2000 is developing a new product called EraserDisk that is basically a stand-alone combination of the Secure Wipe and Low Level Format utilities found in Micro-Scope 11, plus an analysis tool to make sure the drive is really spotless. It's due to be released this month and will sell for a very affordable $39.95. Contact the Micro 2000 Sales Dept. for quantity pricing, delivery information, etc.

All things considered, there's really no excuse for letting go of a drive that hasn't been sterilized. And if this seems like overkill, be aware that there are sophisticated criminals scouring the recycling centers, thrift stores and computer fairs looking for old drives either in or out of systems, just so they can recover data to use for identity theft, blackmail and other unsavory activities. Don't let it happen to you, or your customers!