Comments on: FREE: Active@ Kill Disk – hard driver eraser http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/ For Windows Administrators Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:37:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Stu Kopelman http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-131840 Stu Kopelman Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:03:44 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-131840 Here is one of Peter Gutmann's original papers on "Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory". It is a brilliantly written article, one which I have read, and will surprise those who believe that data is 100% erasable. http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/secure_del.html Here is one of Peter Gutmann’s original papers on “Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory”. It is a brilliantly written article, one which I have read, and will surprise those who believe that data is 100% erasable.

http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/secure_del.html

]]> By: JP http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122787 JP Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:44:25 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122787 yes! I came back to post the fix but it seams that you have beat me to it. Thanks for helping! yes! I came back to post the fix but it seams that you have beat me to it. Thanks for helping!

]]> By: Michael Pietroforte http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122785 Michael Pietroforte Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:43:30 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122785 You probably have to format the disk. You can do this in the Computer Management Console. Just type "computer..." in Start Search, then click on "Disk Management". Good luck! You probably have to format the disk. You can do this in the Computer Management Console. Just type “computer…” in Start Search, then click on “Disk Management”. Good luck!

]]> By: JP http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122784 JP Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:39:25 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122784 Help please. had a file on my internal 2nd drive (not the operating system drive) with 49g of old video files. Had tried to delete it several different ways but explorer.exe kept chocking on it and would stop trying. I used Active Kill Disk to wipe this drive. Now it does not show up in the my computer window. How do I reallocate it to vista so that it can be used again? Help please.

had a file on my internal 2nd drive (not the operating system drive) with 49g of old video files. Had tried to delete it several different ways but explorer.exe kept chocking on it and would stop trying. I used Active Kill Disk to wipe this drive. Now it does not show up in the my computer window. How do I reallocate it to vista so that it can be used again?

]]> By: Michael Pietroforte http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122734 Michael Pietroforte Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:52:04 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122734 Ronin, it is not worth the time. I just stumbled across this <a href="http://sansforensics.wordpress.com/2009/01/15/overwriting-hard-drive-data/" rel="nofollow">scientific study</a> which proves that one pass is by far enough. Buying a disk wiping tool is a waste of money. Ronin, it is not worth the time. I just stumbled across this scientific study which proves that one pass is by far enough. Buying a disk wiping tool is a waste of money.

]]> By: Ronin Vladiamhe http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122363 Ronin Vladiamhe Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:42:19 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122363 Pietro, I guess I'm looking at Gutmann from the standpoint of its 35 passes. Of course, if one wants to make data unrecoverable, maybe 35 passes is worth the time. Pietro,

I guess I’m looking at Gutmann from the standpoint of its 35 passes. Of course, if one wants to make data unrecoverable, maybe 35 passes is worth the time.

]]> By: Michael Pietroforte http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122159 Michael Pietroforte Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:49:05 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122159 Jesper, the feature list of Eraser looks impressive. Chipher is certainly also an option. I should have mentioned it in the article. However, formatting the disk isn't secure enough in my view. Josh, you are right, I should categorize the free tools. I hope I will find some time for it in the near future. The best free monitoring tool I know is the <a href="http://4sysops.com/archives/review-the-dude-30-the-best-free-network-monitoring-tool-i-have-ever-tried/" rel="nofollow">The Dude</a>. Lucas, thanks for the hint. DBAN is certainly great if you want to erase a complete disk. Ronin, how much longer does the Gutmann algo need compared to the method of the free version? Jesper, the feature list of Eraser looks impressive. Chipher is certainly also an option. I should have mentioned it in the article. However, formatting the disk isn’t secure enough in my view.

Josh, you are right, I should categorize the free tools. I hope I will find some time for it in the near future. The best free monitoring tool I know is the The Dude.

Lucas, thanks for the hint. DBAN is certainly great if you want to erase a complete disk.

Ronin, how much longer does the Gutmann algo need compared to the method of the free version?

]]> By: Ronin Vladiamhe http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-122045 Ronin Vladiamhe Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:41:32 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-122045 I have the paid version of Active@KillDisk, so the Gutmann algo is available, along with a few other also. Since the Gutmann algo is slow, I have refrained from using it. I might have to rethink that approach on the near future. I have the paid version of Active@KillDisk, so the Gutmann algo is available, along with a few other also. Since the Gutmann algo is slow, I have refrained from using it. I might have to rethink that approach on the near future.

]]> By: Lucas http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-121990 Lucas Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:03:47 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-121990 I have been using DBAN (Darik's Boot And Nuke) http://www.dban.org/ It's free, open source, and can use (among others) the Peter Gutmann’s algorithm without the one-pass limitation of the free Active@ Kill Disk. Worked great for me. I have been using DBAN (Darik’s Boot And Nuke)
http://www.dban.org/

It’s free, open source, and can use (among others) the Peter Gutmann’s algorithm without the one-pass limitation of the free Active@ Kill Disk.

Worked great for me.

]]> By: Josh http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-121989 Josh Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:45:06 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-121989 Hey guys, I just wanted to give a suggestion. I'm looking for monitoring software that I can run at home on my server and monitor colocated servers I have. Or I can put it on a box in the DC. Either way, you guys should categorize your Free Tools as it would make it a lot easier for people to find specific software. In case you know of software off the top of your head as to what I'm looking for, I do want something that I can go back a week/month, etc and see what the CPU usage was, or the memory usage, etc. Hey guys, I just wanted to give a suggestion. I’m looking for monitoring software that I can run at home on my server and monitor colocated servers I have. Or I can put it on a box in the DC. Either way, you guys should categorize your Free Tools as it would make it a lot easier for people to find specific software. In case you know of software off the top of your head as to what I’m looking for, I do want something that I can go back a week/month, etc and see what the CPU usage was, or the memory usage, etc.

]]> By: Jesper Ravn http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-121934 Jesper Ravn Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:31:40 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-121934 Hi Michael Another freeware tool could be Eraser. http://www.heidi.ie/node/6 The build-in commands in Windows could also be a solution. format : /fs:ntfs /x cipher /w:: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814599 /Jesper Hi Michael

Another freeware tool could be Eraser.
http://www.heidi.ie/node/6

The build-in commands in Windows could also be a solution.

format : /fs:ntfs /x
cipher /w::

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814599

/Jesper

]]> By: Michael http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-121906 Michael Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:50:51 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-121906 I think methods such as the Peter Gutmann’s algorithm are 100% secure. A strong magnetic field is not really better. I think methods such as the Peter Gutmann’s algorithm are 100% secure. A strong magnetic field is not really better.

]]> By: Ronin Vladiamhe http://4sysops.com/archives/free-active-kill-disk-hard-driver-eraser/comment-page-1/#comment-121900 Ronin Vladiamhe Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:16:27 +0000 http://4sysops.com/?p=1989#comment-121900 I've been using Active@ KillDisk Professional 3.1 since early 2007, and it has worked very well. So much so that I've never considered upgrading. As for disposing of hard drives, this has been a question for years, with so many avenues one can take. Absent destroying the drive, or maybe a strong magnetic field, is there anything out that can make date 100% unrecoverable? I’ve been using Active@ KillDisk Professional 3.1 since early 2007, and it has worked very well. So much so that I’ve never considered upgrading. As for disposing of hard drives, this has been a question for years, with so many avenues one can take. Absent destroying the drive, or maybe a strong magnetic field, is there anything out that can make date 100% unrecoverable?

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