There is more and more people concern about their system security, beside installing antivirus programs on their system, they want more stuff to ensure the system is secure, such as malware removal programs like Spybot, HijackThis or something such as hard drive encryption program which can protect your hard drive data using encryption method to create a secure safe box surrounding your hard drive. With this method of encryption, unauthorized user are not allow to access your system without access key, and they cannot even simply format your system by just inserting the OS installation CDs.
Recently I am creating standard OS image for a company and I have to work with few demo units to perform the OS image creation. Unfortunately, one of the Table PC was installed with encryption software. The worst is, the customer forgot the administrator password for the encryption software and if I cannot do anything on this, we will need to replace the hard drive, after that will need to send the encrypted hard drive back to the manufacturer and perform a low level format on it… Definitely I do not want this happen and I tried to search online for solution.
Apparently, I called Raymond for help, asking him what are the tools that available at Internet allow me to perform low level format on the hard drive, and also most importantly, the software should be able to intercept Master Boot Record (MBR), as the encryption software already modified the content inside the MBR, so that other people cannot simply insert an OS bootable disk to perform a wipe off on the hard drive.
Well, there is software called – Darik’s Boot and Nuke, although the name sound very crazy and scary, but it is very useful when you want to perform ‘emergency data destruction’. This tool will wipe off the hard disks of most of the computers during system boot up, and it is easy to use. You guys can go to this website and download the tool from there. The website also provides additional instruction and information on how to use the tool to perform low level format on your hard drive. This is an Open Source solution, which not only available for Intel based system, it also can wipe off Mac system.
To use this tool, just simply follow below steps:
- 1. Download the .iso source, and then burn it into CD
- 2. Insert the CD into your system, and allow your system boot using CD-ROM
- 3. Wait for the Darik’s Boot and Nuke console to launch, type ‘autonuke’ command (Or you can press the F3 key for additional list of quick commands)
- 4. Wait for the program to perform low level format on your hard drive, reboot your system after the format is complete.
I tried this software and found that is useful, thanks for Raymond sharing this with me, and now I would like to take this opportunity to share with you guys. Hope you guys like it.
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