From: Jiri Baum <jirib@sweeney.cs.monash.edu.au>
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 95 18:38:29 PDT
To: shamrock@netcom.com (Lucky Green)
Subject: Re: PC disk wipe software
In-Reply-To: <199510092220.SAA19341@book.hks.net>
Message-ID: <199510110137.LAA11056@sweeney.cs.monash.edu.au>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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Hello cypherpunks@toad.com
  and shamrock@netcom.com (Lucky Green)

> In article <199510091318.JAA24166@jekyll.piermont.com>, perry@piermont.com
> ("Perry E. Metzger") wrote:
 
[asking for utility to wipe data from MS-DOS hard drive]
 
shamrock@netcom.com (Lucky Green) answered:

...
> They all invariably fail to wipe the slackspace at the end of
> allocated, but not fully used blocks. Consequently, several kB of data
...

Since nobody seemed to mention it: I suspect that most of them also
fail to wipe already reallocated space.

Think about it: some of that space was only overwritten once...

So to be safe I guess make a backup (with a backup utility that doesn't
copy slackspace), wipe the disk, then restore. Also beware programs that
do not properly zero their files when allocating them.

The cliche answer to the original question, I believe, is:
  yes, go to the hardware store and ask for a 'sledgehammer'.


Hope that makes sense...

Jiri
- --
If you want an answer, please mail to <jirib@cs.monash.edu.au>.
On sweeney, I may delete without reading!
PGP 463A14D5 (but it's at home so it'll take a day or two)
PGP EF0607F9 (but it's at uni so don't rely on it too much)

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