Topic: 4 pass disk wipe with bad blocks support

[devnullius]

(misleading title, I know:)

Mostly for my own convenience, posted here.

When I have to check disk for errors OR if I have to wipe a disk with data, there is one tool I use.

I mostly attach the drive in question with a SATA/PATA to usb adapter  to my old PC which I boot with a live Ubuntu server disk OR even to my regular Windows PC with the adatper connected to a VMWare installation of Ubuntu Server x64.

Then, with mount and ls /dev/sd* I figure out which disk is which (to prevent accidents! :>).

Then, it's time to do some read/write testing.

Badblocks supports two modes: destructive read-write testing and non-destructive read/write testing.

non destructive read write command?
sudo badblocks -svn -c 250000 /dev/sdX

destructive, secure 4 pass pattern writing command?
sudo badblocks -svw -c 250000 /dev/sdX

For example:
badblocks -svn -c 250000 /dev/sdb

You might adjust the -c value. It tells you how many blocks (whatever:) can be scanned every pass. You need RAM to accommodate this feature :)

Karma,

Devvie


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[Samker]

Nice! 

[devnullius]

IF repeated badblocks -svn /dev/sda keeps returning same errors, it is time to do a badblocks -svw /dev/sda - a destructive 4 pass read write test that will DESTROY all date FOREVER on your drive. So backup first maybe? ;p

This often will brush away errors not repaired by badblocks -svn ...

Karma,

devnullius

[devnullius]

Other solutions for secure hard disk wiping? Go here: http://scforum.info/index.php/topic,5474.msg22615.html#msg22615

 

devnullius