Disk Cleansing

[Brian Atkins_1]

We have a legacy 10.20 system that will finally be shutdown for good in a couple of weeks. Following the shutdown, we will be shipping the equipment off to the DRMO (Military Equipment Sales / Auction). Before doing so, I need to scrub all the existing data from the disks, including the root volumes. Nothing can remain, including the OS.

We currently have a shell script that can triple write a series of 1's and 0's to the disk (fill the disk with 1's, then fill the disk with 0's, repeat 3 times). However, from a maintenance shell, I don't have access to tools like dd (used primarily in the script).

Anyone had to do anything like this before?

[Patrick Wallek]

I think the thing to do here would be to install a base HP-UX to a drive, wipe all of your other drives with your script, and then just remove the drive you installed HP-UX on prior to shipping the machine.

[Craig Rants]

Being a former DOD employee, I know what you are talking about. Anyway, the command is mediainit, that always was acceptable for our ISSO.

GL,
C

[Trond Haugen]

Seems your script will do the trick for normal erasing. But I know there are companies around that for big bucs can retrive data that has ben overwritten more times than that. I have also been in contact with customer that will not return damaged disks but pay more to keep and physically destroy them. that was a military installation too.

Regards,
Trond

[Jeff Schussele · Accepted solution]

Hi Brian,

A simple solution would be to install a previously loaded boot disk in this system (or install a new disk & load base OS on it) & use this disk to run your script on all other disks. Then remove this disk before shipping.
It should be noted that mediainit or format commands do not physically overwrite any data, which would be recoverable.
Your method of physically overwriting all blocks is better especially since you rotate the pattern - random rotation would be even better. But nothing is 100% certain - except physically destroying the disk.

Rgds,
Jeff

[Anonymous]

here's some from www.lat.com:
UniShred Pro permits the immediate reuse of disks with no possibility of data compromise.

It avoids the harm that can be caused by removing hard disks from their host systems for physical destruction or for degaussing. It is environmentally safe; avoiding the hazards of chemical oxide removal, including the possible dissipation of oxide materials into the air.
--
hth, Thomas.

[Anonymous]

to be more specific:
http://www.lat.com/usp_main.htm

[Anonymous]

some more word on it:
http://rr.sans.org/unix/sec_files.php