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Still not enough
The head of a hard drive does not pass over the exact same spot of the hard drive when writing a bit to that spot's corresponding address. The drives are just physically incapable of that microscopic precision. So even if you write random 0s and 1s over a sector of a hard drive, there will still be phantoms of the bits that were there before.

As someone stated before, the only truly secure way to wipe a hard drive is to sand all platters (both sides), and then melt down the platters and electronics. If you must preserve the drive so it can be used again, then run a special low-level format utility, that writes random 1s and 0s, multiple times over the whole drive (7 at the very least).
Posted by: doctormoriarty   Posted on: 04/20/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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What about low-level formatting?  Ferd666 | 04/20/05
That's only step one..  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/20/05
many, many times  ZzSmirKzZ | 04/20/05
Multiple wipes are needed but IMHO hardware changes could resolve this  Root User | 04/20/05
Nope Nope and hunh uh  Squawkbox | 04/20/05
Who's your rep Squawk?  Jeff Spicoli | 04/20/05
i recommend KillDisk  Monkey_MCSE | 04/20/05
apparently you need to actually read the article before you respond  Valis Keogh | 04/20/05
RE: "What about low-level formatting?"  ajapierce | 04/21/05
Several hours? $20 to $30....?  Jomo_z | 04/20/05
Angle grinder  wizard_of_oz | 04/22/05
Here's the RIAA solution..  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/20/05
Message has been deleted.  itanalyst | 04/20/05
Thank You ZDNet Nazis  itanalyst | 04/20/05
For the truly paranoid...  wolf_z | 04/20/05
All major drive makers have their own low level utilities..  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/20/05
Wire wheels are too much trouble; just drill it.  Atlant | 04/22/05
Not enough  wizard_of_oz | 04/22/05
Mac OS X Secure Empty Trash and Zero all data  RicD_ | 04/20/05
Still not enough  doctormoriarty | 04/20/05
Thanks for your comment...  RicD_ | 04/20/05
Destroying the Drive  kaneos | 04/20/05
Thermite  wizard_of_oz | 04/22/05
Re: Thermite  chsjbowen@... | 04/22/05
I have the PERFECT solution  Jeff Spicoli | 04/20/05
One more step..  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/20/05
Offtopic...  Loverock Davidson | 04/20/05
"Seen the new Playboy?..  Jeff Spicoli | 04/20/05
STUPID, STUPID, STUPID ...  Eggs Ackley_z | 04/20/05
Of Course...  agohige | 04/20/05
Sometimes it's not the computer owners fault.  Kerensky97 | 04/20/05
Shallow end  BruceWheelock@... | 04/21/05
My Solution...  agohige | 04/20/05
The BEST Solution  Nullifidian | 04/20/05
another way  crocd | 04/20/05
A lot of discussion for a simple task  mdailey | 04/20/05
It can be reconstructed...  MV_z | 04/22/05
Skeletons on your hard drive  Loverock Davidson | 04/20/05
Bitty Better Destroy His Hard Drives  itanalyst | 04/20/05
But the 4 SuSE stickers on his PC won't give it away..  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/20/05
Out of date  somiko | 04/20/05
Limits of technology ...  George Mitchell | 04/20/05
Didn't you just two negatives to = a positive?!?  Squawkbox | 04/20/05
Dangit  Squawkbox | 04/20/05
I'm confused ...  George Mitchell | 04/20/05
Oh Ok  Squawkbox | 04/20/05
Burn it  CobraA1 | 04/21/05
re: Burn it  Wolfie2K3 | 04/21/05
Better make sure the fire's hot  wizard_of_oz | 04/22/05
Re Stupid, stupid  j.t.neuteboom@... | 04/21/05
An Angle we never think about  ITGuy04 | 04/21/05
Physically damage the platters (as many have described above)  Atlant | 04/22/05
If you want to trash your harddrive ...  coffeenite | 04/21/05
degaussing  wrestler_z | 04/23/05
one time solution  fletch_z | 04/28/05

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