OS keys / data erasing

talent80 · Feb 1, 2012

Not sure where to put this thread so stuck it here. I am starting a business which I will becoming across workable HDs, and will be refurbishing. Part of my work will be degaussing the HDs. I have never used a degausser before and was wondering if any one has. Does it erase everything including OS? And is there a cheap way to get keys for OS? XP or 7

plodr · Feb 2, 2012

From what I've been reading, degaussing a hard drive makes it unusable. Is that what you want?

Degaussing a modern hard drive will also erase the drive's firmware, rendering the drive completely useless. If you want to erase a hard drive and also want it to work properly after being erased, you must erase the drive using data destruction software instead.
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talent80 · Feb 2, 2012

Yes that helps, but if I am going to refurbish do I have to have new key or use the original OS and keep the tags on the tower?

DavidGP · Feb 3, 2012

Hi

You can also use the good end of data erasing as in Darik Boot and Nuke or Active @ Killdisk

You can go higher with the likes of CCleaner as a free option but only if the drive in question is a slave (2nd drive) as it has a full drive wiper and will do via Tools > Drive Wiper and then in the dropdown choose Wipe = Entire Drive and Security = Very Complex (35 Pass wipe, which is a Gutmann algorithm and higher than DoD standard, will take an age so 7 pass DoD standard should be fine)

SSD HDDs are ok with RCMP TSSIT OPS-II, Schneier 7 Pass as should likely normal magnetic HDDs

As for serial keys if you have the original CD/DVD or Restore partition for a OEM PC then the key should be fine on the side, but for a rebuild then the cheapest way is OEM keys or to set yourself as a Microsoft System Builder both options are worth looking into.

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OS keys / data erasing

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