To really get rid of files, at least to the point where they are not recoverable, fiurst erase them, then save new data on top of them, then run the disk optimizer. After that, erase the files agin, run the disk optimizer again after all of the stuff is erased, then save new stuff, such as large picture files, until the memory is full. By rearranging the memory segments and then writing new stuff in them, and doing the whole sequence a few times, anything that could possibly be recovered would be small chunks of a file at most. Sort oof like the "shred and burn "process, except less pollution.
If I remember correctly, a 7-cycle wipe will clean the HDD to such a level that the only way to gather any data from it is to have near-forensic levels of inspection.
Cabe, I was not inferring that dban is intended for phones. I was replying to the posts about old laptops and PC hard drives being stored just to keep the data safe. At least I thought that was where I replied.
I researched dban a few years ago when I needed to wipe a PC hard drive for my employer. That was one of the best free versions available. From all that I found it can be comparable to (quite) expensive commercial versions as well government methods of data wiping. It depends on the level of erase that you desire and how long you want it to take as to how effective the wipe. It is not as thorough as a government wipe, but pretty darn close for a freeware application and more than likely good enough to recycle your HDD.
I do not believe DBAN can effectively wipe personal data off cell-phones. IE: contact info, text messages, etc. The free storage space, maybe. There is no other way I have seen that can NSA-level clean cell-phones/smartphones. I often read of people buying phones and such off Ebay and restoring all the "deleted" files. So, I never plan on selling a phone like that.
This BlackBelt option is definitely filling a need. I am surprised others are not joining the game.
I think Elizabeth's question is a good one: just how different is this from other software methods, which are notoriously incomplete, vs destroying the drive itself. Can you give us, or point us to, a more detailed technical description of how it works?
I don't think this technology is designed for computer hard drives. Their marketing blurb indicates it is for phones and possibly tablets which use flash memory. I think the only reliable way to prevent data from being recovered from a disc drive is to spike it, then give it to your grand-children and ask them to take extra care in handling it, then burn-it. Flash drives are designed to be fairly robust and until now there were few if any product capable of completely defeating the built-in protection. If you dispose of your cell-phone or tablet, you cannot be absolutely sure the data is erased using any of the device's controls, so this product is a significant step forward.
Cabe, I'll have to try this out. I hate to admit it but I have a couple old laptops and phones where this has been the problem in getting rid of them. Normally I have damaged the hard drive to make sure that no one could get personal information but this is obviously a much better solution. Thanks.
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