Can I wipe a hard drive using a puppy linux live CD?
Posted: Sat 05 Mar 2011, 15:37
Can I wipe a hard drive using a puppy linux live CD?
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dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda(old)Puppy Linux Discussion Forum
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Can I wipe a hard drive using a puppy linux live CD?
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Posted: Sat 05 Mar 2011, 15:42
Much thanks
Posted: Sat 05 Mar 2011, 16:01
Much thanks
Posted: Fri 18 Mar 2011, 04:16
what's the meaning?
Posted: Fri 18 Mar 2011, 04:44
This?alice wrote:what's the meaning?
Something like "Fill my sda drive with 0's".rcrsn51 wrote:dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda
wiping a hdd with Puppy CD
Posted: Mon 02 May 2011, 16:05
Something like "Fill my sda drive with 0's".
Question: Would this be the same as deleting a partition in GParted?
Filling the drive with zeros? Does this remove partitions too?
Question: Would this be the same as deleting a partition in GParted?
Filling the drive with zeros? Does this remove partitions too?
Re: wiping a hdd with Puppy CD
Posted: Mon 02 May 2011, 16:29
No. Deleting a partition in Gparted just removes some information from the partition table in the MBR. The actual files and folders are still on the hard drive and could be recovered with the appropriate tools.sandlynx wrote: Question: Would this be the same as deleting a partition in GParted?
Yes. It would also erase the partition table. To use the drive again, you would have to build a new partition structure.Filling the drive with zeros? Does this remove partitions too?
Wiping hdds
Posted: Mon 02 May 2011, 18:24
Thanks, that is vital info I can use in the future. 
Posted: Mon 02 May 2011, 18:56
Using dd is not an effective or efficient way to erase a drive securely or if you want the information to be unreadable and could still be recovered as rcrsn51said "using the appropriate tools". For secure wiping try the program I jus posted a few days ago, it wipes to dod 5220-22.M standards for drive sanitation.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 723#517723
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 723#517723
Posted: Mon 02 May 2011, 19:55
Well.... That might be true if you are worried about the CIA getting its hands on the drive. But if that's the case, you would be better off taking a hammer to it.DPUP5520 wrote:Using dd is not an effective or efficient way to erase a drive securely
From here:
An analysis by Wright et al. of recovery techniques, including magnetic force microscopy, also concludes that a single wipe is all that is required for modern drives.
Posted: Mon 02 May 2011, 22:55
Ah well call me paranoid with a tin foil hat.
Posted: Tue 03 May 2011, 04:32
I was wondering if fill the drive with random data would help to those people worried about their ultra-private information...
Posted: Tue 03 May 2011, 06:54
Not to start an argument or fight but your quote states that a single "wipe" is all that is required not a single pass, and as this quote shows a single pass using 0's is only effective against standard system functions not specific data recovery methods.A common method used to counter data remanence is to overwrite the storage medium with new data. This is often called wiping or shredding a file or disk. Because such methods can often be implemented in software alone, and may be able to selectively target only part of a medium, it is a popular, low-cost option for some applications. Overwriting is generally an acceptable method of clearing, as long as the media is writable and not damaged.
The simplest overwrite technique writes the same data everywhere—often just a pattern of all zeros. At a minimum, this will prevent the data from being retrieved simply by reading from the medium again using standard system functions.
In an attempt to counter more advanced data recovery techniques, specific overwrite patterns and multiple passes have often been prescribed. These may be generic patterns intended to eradicate any trace signatures, for example, the seven-pass pattern: 0xF6, 0x00, 0xFF, random, 0x00, 0xFF, random; sometimes erroneously attributed to the US standard DOD_5220.22-M.
One challenge with an overwrite is that some areas of the disk may be inaccessible, due to media degradation or other errors. Software overwrite may also be problematic in high-security environments which require stronger controls on data commingling than can be provided by the software in use. The use of advanced storage technologies may also make file-based overwrite ineffective.
Yes GustavoYz that is why i refered to the tool I posted , you can configure the type of wipe you want to do which ex. three pass wipe, first pass zeros, second pass random character, third pass p character, verification pass. Quite effective for making sure anyone short of a government agency could not recover data from your hard drive.
Paranoid Puppy Out
Great info
Posted: Tue 03 May 2011, 16:49
I am learning all kinds of usable stuff here. Thanks.
Hoping the paranoia doesn't go with the knowledge.
Hoping the paranoia doesn't go with the knowledge.
Posted: Tue 03 May 2011, 18:01
In Gutmann's original article, he talks about extracting information from an erased hard drive by using techniques like Magnetic Force Microscopy. That means that you have to open the drive, remove the platters and analyse them with specialized equipment and trained technicians.
It's not like someone is going to pull your hard drive out of a dumpster, plug it into his own computer and extract your credit card number.
Even Gutmann has now backed away from his original erasure method because hard drive technology has changed so much in the interim.
Consider this scenario. You use dd to fill the drive with zeros using a single pass. You then read it back using dd and get nothing but zeros. You read it again and still get zeros. Why would you expect that someone else reading the drive would get the original data?
It's not like someone is going to pull your hard drive out of a dumpster, plug it into his own computer and extract your credit card number.
Even Gutmann has now backed away from his original erasure method because hard drive technology has changed so much in the interim.
Consider this scenario. You use dd to fill the drive with zeros using a single pass. You then read it back using dd and get nothing but zeros. You read it again and still get zeros. Why would you expect that someone else reading the drive would get the original data?
Posted: Wed 04 May 2011, 04:49
For those who want to learn more about 'dd', I've this page in my bookmarks, perhaps somebody else find it interesting.
Regards.
PS.: Somebody said 'shred'?
Regards.
PS.: Somebody said 'shred'?
Posted: Sat 04 Jun 2011, 05:28
@GustavoYz : That is a fantastic guide you have there! It almost gives the impression "what can't you do with dd". My only complaint, you start to use commands and options I have only heard about, but don't know what they are or why.
For example, in nearly your first example... you use the option "conv" as such "conv=notrunc,noerror"
edit: OK, the options are explained (much) further down (in the follow-on post), but I am still quite unclear as to why they are used.
What do you do this for? You explain "dd" itself extremely well, but not why you use this (and sometimes other) options.
I stumbled upon this post looking for a way to erase a partition, but leave everything else intact (MBR, partition tables, etc).
Would I use "dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1" (for the first partition on SATA drive 1)?
or would I need the byte size and 'conv' options (with parameters)?
And would this wipe the partition completely blank, formatting and all, meaning I would need to reformat the partition (to FAT or NTFS for example)?
Thats OK if it does, I would just like to know what is going to happen when I press enter...
For example, in nearly your first example... you use the option "conv" as such "conv=notrunc,noerror"
edit: OK, the options are explained (much) further down (in the follow-on post), but I am still quite unclear as to why they are used.
What do you do this for? You explain "dd" itself extremely well, but not why you use this (and sometimes other) options.
I stumbled upon this post looking for a way to erase a partition, but leave everything else intact (MBR, partition tables, etc).
Would I use "dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1" (for the first partition on SATA drive 1)?
or would I need the byte size and 'conv' options (with parameters)?
And would this wipe the partition completely blank, formatting and all, meaning I would need to reformat the partition (to FAT or NTFS for example)?
Thats OK if it does, I would just like to know what is going to happen when I press enter...
Posted: Sun 05 Jun 2011, 03:33
In answer to my own question (I got bored and decided to try it ... what could possibly go wrong !!)
The command
"dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1 conv=notrunc"
wiped the partition (as expected). Then viewing the result with Gparted, it was unrecognised (answering my question). Using Gparted again to "format partition as" and all was good. A completely blank partition to fool around with...
Obviously the partition table only contains the start and end (and flags) of a partition, but not what it actually is.
(I don't know a great deal about the data formats on disks, I am more of a hardware guy)
The command
"dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1 conv=notrunc"
wiped the partition (as expected). Then viewing the result with Gparted, it was unrecognised (answering my question). Using Gparted again to "format partition as" and all was good. A completely blank partition to fool around with...
Obviously the partition table only contains the start and end (and flags) of a partition, but not what it actually is.
(I don't know a great deal about the data formats on disks, I am more of a hardware guy)
Posted: Sun 05 Jun 2011, 05:01
@MustardMan: Just saw your post now... 
The "noerror" force the blocks with error to be copied anyway, with the error in it.
The "notrunc" part avoids the total replacement of the output by the input.
Thus, you can blank a drive with dd, filling it with 0's. Also, you could fill it with random data before, in order of make the previosly stored data unreadable.
Puppy includes GParted so, I agree: what could possibly go wrong if you know what you're doing?
The "noerror" force the blocks with error to be copied anyway, with the error in it.
The "notrunc" part avoids the total replacement of the output by the input.
Exactly! Maybe, you'll find interesting this link.Obviously the partition table only contains the start and end (and flags) of a partition, but not what it actually is.
Thus, you can blank a drive with dd, filling it with 0's. Also, you could fill it with random data before, in order of make the previosly stored data unreadable.
Puppy includes GParted so, I agree: what could possibly go wrong if you know what you're doing?
Posted: Sat 07 Jul 2012, 11:53
Great thread, for which thanks. I followed this advice yesterday to wipe my hard drive. As far as I can see it works as well as DBan and I can still use Puppy while it's happening (post online etc.) 
Cheers,
CP .
Cheers,
CP .