How to securely erase HDDs and SSDs

Do you have a pile of old drives that you want to wipe clean before sending them on their way to Silicon Heaven? Perhaps you need to wipe a drive clean in a computer you’re selling or giving away. Whatever the case may be, below are some tips on securely ridding your information from hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs).

HDDs

There are three approaches you can take for erasing HDDs.

• Software — The cheapest way to clean a pile of hard drives is to wipe them with a software eraser. Be aware that this method isn’t quick and it won’t work on defective disks. One free tool for wiping such drives is Darik’s Boot and Nook. To use it, you’ll need to create a wipe CD or DVD, then hook up the drives you want to wipe to a PC, and run the software. Before beginning, it’s recommended that you read and familiarize yourself with the documentation for this software, because you don’t want to wipe the wrong drive.

• Hardware — If you’re not into the software approach, another route you can take is to employ a bespoke hardware tool to do the job. At this point, things can add up in price, but it’s faster and means you don’t have to dedicate a PC to the wiping operation. One standalone, reliable tool to look into for this purpose is Wiebetech’s Drive eRazer Ultra, which starts at $200. It’s proven successful when it comes to wiping down lots of drives.
• Hands-on — What if the drives you want to wipe clean died or became defective in some way with data still on them that cannot be wiped? Since the drive is dead, you can take a chance and leave it as is, or you can go hands-on with it to destroy drives before taking them to the recycling plant. You’ll need: a hammer, a thick nail, thick gloves, a block of wood, and eye protection. The final step: apply brute force while being sure to put the nail through the platters of the drive.

SSDs

Now, here’s where wiping away data can get complicated, as things can get convoluted. So keep it simple if you want to keep your work projects and vacation pictures safe.

• Erase using manufacturer utilities — One sure way to erase SSDs is to use the manufacturer utilities. If you have a drive from a different source, check out their website for more information.
• Encrypt the entire drive — A simple way to encrypt the entire drive is with a complex passphrase. On Windows, for example, you can use something like VeraCrypt, while on Mac, you can use the built-in FileVault utility, and you’re done. You can then format the drive.
• PARTED Magic — Another way to erase SSDs is with a software tool called PARTED Magic. While this software isn’t free (prices start at $9), it’s an effective tool for wiping information from SSDs. Watch the step-by-step video below for additional information.

• Hands-on — Hands-on again. It may be the most fun out of all the listed methods. If the drive is dead, or you want to get rid of it in a hurry (no questions asked), then simply take a hammer to the SSD. But keep in mind that the data in SSDs is held on small flash storage chips rather than large platters. To securely erase the data, you need to smash the chips, meaning you should take the cover off the drive before you start swinging.

Source: ZDNet