OT: Can Reformatting A Hard Drive To ext3 Destroy All the Data On It?

[Sharpe, Sam J]

2009/5/30 Patrick O'Callaghan <pocallaghan at gmail.com>:
> On Fri, 2009-05-29 at 23:37 +0100, Sharpe, Sam J wrote:
>> 2009/5/29 Jussi Lehtola <jussilehtola at fedoraproject.org>:
>> > Quoting "Sharpe, Sam J" <sam.sharpe+lists.redhat at gmail.com>:
>> >>
>> >> 2009/5/29 Alan Cox <alan at lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>:
>> >>>>
>> >>>> 'shred' is part of coreutils (i.e. installed by default).
>> >>>> Doing something like
>> >>>>
>> >>>> shred /dev/sdX
>> >>>>
>> >>>> as root will write various bit patterns 25 times over the entire drive
>> >>>> (see the man page for more options).
>> >>>
>> >>> Whoopeeedoo. Thats still not the correct way to erase a disk.
>> >>>
>> >>> Use security erase, that is why it is there.
>> >>
>> >> I use a hammer, because it wins over all other solutions on both ease
>> >> of use and catharsis.
>> >
>> > For laptop (1.8" and 2.5") disks, sure. A couple of good bangs and you have
>> > yourself a maraca.
>> >
>> > I haven't so far been able to destroy 3.5" disks with a hammer, as the
>> > enclosure is quite durable. A sledgehammer would probably do the trick. Or,
>> > you can open up the hard drive and smash the magnetic disks.
>>
>> I use some of the undocumented options to /usr/sbin/hammer that are
>> relevant to larger disks:
>>
>> hammer --unscrewfirst|-u
>>        disassemble the drive using a tork wrench first before smashing
>> the platters
>> hammer --force|-f
>>        use more force with the hammer
>>
>> NOTE: use of -u and -f together is discouraged unless wearing suitable
>> protective equipment.
>
> You're forgetting the -v (verbose) option:
>
> # hammer -v /dev/sda
> bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
> bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
> bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
> bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
> bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang

I was trying to be funny. You succeeded. Well done Sir!

-- 
Sam