Eliminating data from hard disks;options

Hi,

We have to phase out and decomission several Compaq/HP servers and
respective hard drives. I attempted to use a tool 'maxblast' (or something
like that) in the past, and I didn't get that one to work on multiple hard
disks with unconfigured RAID.

Two questions:

1)If I use the vendor tool to 'delete' an array and 'recreate' an array, is
the data on the hard drive wiped out? According to the message on the screen
it says that is the case. I am wondering if security wise, the data on the
hard drive has been destroyed for good and what it would take to recover it
in case someone with bad intentions manages to explore data from those hard
drives.

2)Imagine I run 'SmartStart CD' (it is just a vendor initialization software
from HP) and I run the option 'Erase System Partition'. That respective
option tells me that the whole data and system partition would be deleted
from the hard drive. Upon running the tool I noticed that the LED on the
hard drives flash very quickly and the message on the screen states that the
data has been erased. Since that happens so fast, I am wondering whether the
data has been wiped out? If I don't get an answer from people on this, I may
ask HP, however I am trying here to get an unbiased feedback.

Thanks much,

Marlon

Malke
Mon Feb 12 09:36:23 CST 2007

Marlon Brown wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We have to phase out and decomission several Compaq/HP servers and
> respective hard drives. I attempted to use a tool 'maxblast' (or something
> like that) in the past, and I didn't get that one to work on multiple hard
> disks with unconfigured RAID.
>
> Two questions:
>
> 1)If I use the vendor tool to 'delete' an array and 'recreate' an array, is
> the data on the hard drive wiped out? According to the message on the screen
> it says that is the case. I am wondering if security wise, the data on the
> hard drive has been destroyed for good and what it would take to recover it
> in case someone with bad intentions manages to explore data from those hard
> drives.
>
> 2)Imagine I run 'SmartStart CD' (it is just a vendor initialization software
> from HP) and I run the option 'Erase System Partition'. That respective
> option tells me that the whole data and system partition would be deleted
> from the hard drive. Upon running the tool I noticed that the LED on the
> hard drives flash very quickly and the message on the screen states that the
> data has been erased. Since that happens so fast, I am wondering whether the
> data has been wiped out? If I don't get an answer from people on this, I may
> ask HP, however I am trying here to get an unbiased feedback.


Since I haven't ever used HP's proprietary utilities, I can't comment on
what they do. I would ask HP tech support. Instead, you may want to look
at Acronis Drive Cleaner. It has a ton of options. Check with the
Acronis site for this product regarding usage with RAID arrays.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

David
Mon Feb 12 10:06:42 CST 2007

From: "Marlon Brown" <MarlonBrown@discussions.microsoft.com>

| Hi,
|
| We have to phase out and decomission several Compaq/HP servers and
| respective hard drives. I attempted to use a tool 'maxblast' (or something
| like that) in the past, and I didn't get that one to work on multiple hard
| disks with unconfigured RAID.
|
| Two questions:
|
| 1)If I use the vendor tool to 'delete' an array and 'recreate' an array, is
| the data on the hard drive wiped out? According to the message on the screen
| it says that is the case. I am wondering if security wise, the data on the
| hard drive has been destroyed for good and what it would take to recover it
| in case someone with bad intentions manages to explore data from those hard
| drives.
|
| 2)Imagine I run 'SmartStart CD' (it is just a vendor initialization software
| from HP) and I run the option 'Erase System Partition'. That respective
| option tells me that the whole data and system partition would be deleted
| from the hard drive. Upon running the tool I noticed that the LED on the
| hard drives flash very quickly and the message on the screen states that the
| data has been erased. Since that happens so fast, I am wondering whether the
| data has been wiped out? If I don't get an answer from people on this, I may
| ask HP, however I am trying here to get an unbiased feedback.
|
| Thanks much,
|
| Marlon
|

No. Use a disk sanatizing software utility. A common utility is that from Norton/Symantec
that comes with several suites and Ghost called GDisk.exe. You can actually set switcgh
parameters to wipe each disk according to current DoD standards.

Otherwise use a deguasser if you don't go the software wiping route.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

Marlon
Mon Feb 12 11:18:04 CST 2007

I have a deguasser here and I will use this one. That's quicker I think. The
only thing is that I understand that the deguasser would not only format,
but it would make the HD's useless, what is not a problem in my case anyway.

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
news:%23wi8K$rTHHA.4076@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> From: "Marlon Brown" <MarlonBrown@discussions.microsoft.com>
>
> | Hi,
> |
> | We have to phase out and decomission several Compaq/HP servers and
> | respective hard drives. I attempted to use a tool 'maxblast' (or
> something
> | like that) in the past, and I didn't get that one to work on multiple
> hard
> | disks with unconfigured RAID.
> |
> | Two questions:
> |
> | 1)If I use the vendor tool to 'delete' an array and 'recreate' an array,
> is
> | the data on the hard drive wiped out? According to the message on the
> screen
> | it says that is the case. I am wondering if security wise, the data on
> the
> | hard drive has been destroyed for good and what it would take to recover
> it
> | in case someone with bad intentions manages to explore data from those
> hard
> | drives.
> |
> | 2)Imagine I run 'SmartStart CD' (it is just a vendor initialization
> software
> | from HP) and I run the option 'Erase System Partition'. That respective
> | option tells me that the whole data and system partition would be
> deleted
> | from the hard drive. Upon running the tool I noticed that the LED on the
> | hard drives flash very quickly and the message on the screen states that
> the
> | data has been erased. Since that happens so fast, I am wondering whether
> the
> | data has been wiped out? If I don't get an answer from people on this, I
> may
> | ask HP, however I am trying here to get an unbiased feedback.
> |
> | Thanks much,
> |
> | Marlon
> |
>
> No. Use a disk sanatizing software utility. A common utility is that
> from Norton/Symantec
> that comes with several suites and Ghost called GDisk.exe. You can
> actually set switcgh
> parameters to wipe each disk according to current DoD standards.
>
> Otherwise use a deguasser if you don't go the software wiping route.
>
> --
> Dave
> http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
> http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm
>
>

David
Mon Feb 12 11:36:54 CST 2007

From: "Marlon Brown" <MarlonBrown@discussions.microsoft.com>

| I have a deguasser here and I will use this one. That's quicker I think. The
| only thing is that I understand that the deguasser would not only format,
| but it would make the HD's useless, what is not a problem in my case anyway.
|

You are correct except the term "format" is specific to preparing a hard disk to have a
structure an OS will use to read/write files. The act of degaussing will destroy both the
High Level Format and the Low Level Format and can leave the disk unusable [NOTE:
manufacturer tools may be used to re-low level format the disk and subsequently high level
format the disk]. However, degaussing will guarantee a sanatized disk with the Bellevue
SchoolDistrict having no worries.

--
Dave
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm

Marlon
Mon Feb 12 12:13:19 CST 2007

You guys rule. Thanks much.

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message
news:%239RukxsTHHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> From: "Marlon Brown" <MarlonBrown@discussions.microsoft.com>
>
> | I have a deguasser here and I will use this one. That's quicker I think.
> The
> | only thing is that I understand that the deguasser would not only
> format,
> | but it would make the HD's useless, what is not a problem in my case
> anyway.
> |
>
> You are correct except the term "format" is specific to preparing a hard
> disk to have a
> structure an OS will use to read/write files. The act of degaussing will
> destroy both the
> High Level Format and the Low Level Format and can leave the disk unusable
> [NOTE:
> manufacturer tools may be used to re-low level format the disk and
> subsequently high level
> format the disk]. However, degaussing will guarantee a sanatized disk
> with the Bellevue
> SchoolDistrict having no worries.
>
> --
> Dave
> http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html
> http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm
>
>