Overwrite hard drive with random data

Be aware that overwriting a drive with random data is not recommended as the way to securely erase a modern SSD. Here is what a prominent manufacturer of SSDs says about it:

With older hard drives (HDDs), overwriting the entire disk multiple times was the standard way to securely erase data. Because HDDs store information magnetically, each overwrite physically replaces the old data, making recovery almost impossible. So, if you are upgrading from an HDD to an SSD, this method is still a safe way to prepare the drive for resale or disposal.

However, this same approach doesn’t translate to SSDs. Due to wear levelling, data isn’t always stored in the same physical cells, so multiple overwrites can leave fragments behind. It also creates unnecessary write cycles that shorten the SSD’s life span. For solid-state storage, a secure erase command, whether it's manufacturer tools or BIOS/UEFI options, is the correct and more reliable option.

The recommended technique for this type of drive is either:

• Perform a Secure Erase through your computer's BIOS settings. The exact interface for this will depend upon your motherboard.
• Use the nvme format command-line tool to perform a secure erase. The same source gives an example command line: sudo nvme format /dev/nvmeXn1 --ses=1 (where /dev/nvmeXn1 should be replaced with the correct path to the drive in your system).

posted 17 days ago

CC BY-SA 4.0

InfiniteDissent‭

61 reputation 0 3 6 0

I've never done this but according to the ArchWiki you should run

shred -v /dev/sdX

to write random data to the drive. You can also run e.g.

shred -v /dev/sdX1

to wipe only a single partition. You can figure out the right device/partition ID by running lsblk or df. The shred command is part of GNU coreutils so it should available everywhere.

posted 3 months ago

CC BY-SA 4.0

Ordoviz‭

131 reputation 0 5 13 0