Linux or DOS Write Zeros to Hard Drive Recommendations?

[kenitholson]

Hi,

Have some HDDs to write zeros to entire disk and would like to use a bootable DOS Floppy to do this.

Appreciate any recommendations.

If you think a bootable Floppy Linux app is faster would be interested. I do use DBAN 1.06 from bootable Floppy but only want to write zeros to these HDDs so am checking if there is something faster.

Thanks

Ken

[lcoughey]

You could download MHDD and make a bootable floppy or USB and then use the erase command.

In linux you can copy /dev/zero to the device you wish to erase.

Example, using ddrescue where x is the actual disk number you wish to erase:

> ddrescue --force /dev/zero /dev/sd[x]

[kenitholson]

Hi Luke,

Was reading some basic info MHDD erase command but it did not mention what the options (if like DBAN...) is it only Zero writing?

I normally use Windows so Linux is challenging for me.

DBAN uses SysLinux so did some checking The Syslinux Project http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php? ... ux_Project but have not found any info if there is a Linux write Zeros to HDD app that can use with it on a bootable floppy?

Am not familiar with ddrescue will it fit on a bootable floppy?

Thanks for your suggestions!

Ken

[rogfanther]

That brings to mind a question : when using ddrescue or hddsuperclone, when enabling the option for filling the bad positions with something ( eg, "BADBADBAD" ) theorically this would overwrite all of the destination disk ? So that it would not be necessary to clear the disk before

[mikail13]

i use HDTune. if you use DOS you waste your time and electrical energy.