Write zeros to W7 hard drive...

[cottonball]

Hello folks,

Just had a great experience using DiskPart clean all on an older W8 computer that I am donating, Write zeros to hard drive | Windows 8 Help Forums and now would like to do the same with a Windowa 7 PC. Well, the W7 PC is a nightmare!!

Tried to get to a command prompt at boot, and got nowhere. Finally got to a cmd prompt after booting to Safe Mode.

Tried running diskpart > list disk >select disk # > clean all at the command prompt, and struck out. Get a virtual disk device error, clean is not allowed on the disk containing the current boot, system...etc.

Is there any other option to write zeros on the disk without creating a bootable CD or USB?

Thanks for your help!!

 

[SIW2]

Is there any other option to write zeros on the disk without creating a bootable CD or USB?

Not unless you attach the disk to a different machine with a working os.

What is difficult about using boot media?

 

[file3456]

I've always used something called Darik's Boot and Nuke. Data Removal: Darik's Boot and Nuke - DBAN

For flash-based media (SSDs et al) I use Parted Magic. But even with that data can still be on the flash-based medium. I've done some major reading on the subject and it looks like in order to properly erase data on a flash-based drive you have to know how the manufacture implemented the proper secure erase. This is typically by raising the voltage of the drive a few micro volts. For this reason I'll never sell or give away a flash-based drive. This goes for USB sticks and SD cards of course. To guarantee total erasure of a flash-based drive, you just remove the case of the drive and you'll see the memory chips on the front and back of the board. Drill a hole in the center of each chip and chuck the whole lot in the trash. It's now completely sanitized.

For a platter type hard drive, you'd want to just use a degausser. This is what the Start Department, DoD, NSA, CIA, you name it would undoubtedly use. Well, not them directly, I guess there's some government hired company to take care of date sanitation. Though, if you have an embassy somewhere they'd have a degausser I'm sure. I don't know if they would use flash-based medium because of how data can just stick on those things. If they do then they would most likely be instructed to drill holes into the memory chips like I talked about if in an emergency, or use some propitiatory software. Then perhaps the drives are sent in so called diplomatic pouches free from customs intervention for safe disposal in the home county. But this is just a guess. LOL

 

[cottonball]

SIW2 and F22 Simpilot,

Thanks for your replies.

After trying and retrying to get to command prompt at boot, it finally showed up by going through System Recovery Options.

Can't remember how I got there, but got to
Administrator: X:\windows\system\cmd.exe,
and DiskPart clean all finally worked!!

Have a great day!!

 

[SIW2]

Can't remember how I got there

You booted into winre.wim.