This article is a total walkthrough on utilizing DBAN, which covers downloading the program to your computer, burning it to a bootable device, and erasing all the files.
How to Erase a Hard Drive Using DBAN
Download the DBAN program. To start, you have to download DBAN.
You can do this on the same computer system you’re going to erase or on a completely different one. You do it, the goal is to get the ISO file downloaded and then burned to a bootable gadget like a CD or flash drive.
Download DBAN.
Save the DBAN ISO file to your computer. When you’re prompted to download DBAN to your computer, be sure to save it somewhere simple for you to access. Anywhere is great, however make a mental note regarding where.
As you can see in this screenshot, we waited to the Downloads folder in a subfolder called dban, however you can select any folder you ‘d like, like the Desktop.
The download size is less than 20 MB, which is quite little, so it shouldn’t take long at all to complete downloading.
The download size is less than 20 MB, which is quite little, so it shouldn’t take long at all to complete downloading.
Once the DBAN file is on your computer, you require to burn it to a disc or USB gadget, which we cover in the next step.
Burn DBAN to a disc or USB gadget. To utilize DBAN, you’ll need to properly put the ISO file on a gadget that you can then boot from.
The DBAN ISO is small enough to fit on a CD or perhaps a flash drive. If all you have is something larger, like a DVD or BD, that’s great, too.
BAN can’t just be copied over to a disc or USB gadget and be anticipated to work correctly, so be sure to follow the instructions in one of the links listed below if you’re not already knowledgeable about burning ISO images.
How to Burn an ISO Image File to a DVDHow to Burn an ISO File to a USB Drive
In the next step, you’ll boot from the disc or USB device you’ve simply prepped in this action.
Restart and boot into the DBAN disc or USB device. Place the disc or plug in the USB gadget that you burned DBAN to in the previous action, and after that reboot your computer system.
You may see something like the screen listed below, or maybe your computer logo design. Regardless, simply let it do its thing. You’ll know pretty rapidly if something isn’t right.
If Windows or whatever operating system you have actually installed attempts to begin like it usually does, then booting from this DBAN disc or USB drive has actually not worked.
How to Boot From a CD, DVD, or BD DiscHow to Boot From a USB Device
Choose an option from the DBAN main menu.
DBAN is possibly simply moments away from irreversibly eliminating all the files on all your hard disks, so make certain to pay very close attention to the directions in this step and the following ones.
The screen shown here is the primary screen in DBAN and the one you ought to see first. If not, return to the previous step and make certain you’re booting from the disc or flash drive properly.
Prior to we begin, please understand that DBAN is created to be utilized with your keyboard just … your mouse is ineffective in this program.
In addition to using the regular letter secrets and the Enter crucial, you’ll require to understand how to run the function (F#) secrets. These are located at the top of your keyboard and are as simple to click as any other key, but some keyboards are a little different. If the function keys aren’t working for you, make sure to hold down the Fn key first, and then select the function secret you wish to use.
DBAN can work in one of 2 ways. You can either go into a command at the bottom of the screen to instantly start removing all the hard drives you have plugged into your computer system, using a predefined set of directions. Or, you can pick the hard drives you wish to eliminate, along with choose precisely how you desire them to be deleted.
DBAN Menu Options
There are your alternatives from the DBAN menu:
As you can see, the F2 and F4 options are informative only, so you don’t have to be concerned about reviewing them unless you have a RAID system set up (which most likely isn’t the case for the majority of you … you would probably know if so). For the quick approach of erasing every hard disk drive plugged in, you’ll want to press the F3 key. The options you see there (along with the autonuke one) are described in full information in the next step.To have the flexibility to select the hard disk drives you want to eliminate, how many times you desire the files to be overwritten, and more specific choices, press the ENTER key at this screen to open interactive mode. You can find out more about that screen in Step 7.
If you understand how you wish to continue, and you’re positive that there’s absolutely nothing on any linked drive that you want to keep, then go all out.
Continue with this tutorial for some more choices or if you’re not exactly sure which method to go.
Right away start utilizing DBAN with a Quick Command. Selecting F3 from DBAN’s primary menu will open this Quick Commands screen.
If you use any command you see on this screen, DBAN will not ask you which hard disk you wish to remove, nor will you be required to confirm any prompts. Rather, it will automatically assume you want to eliminate all the files from all the connected drives and will right away start deleting after you go into the command. To select which disk drive to erase, push the F1 secret, and then go to the next step, overlooking everything else on this screen.
DBAN can use among numerous various methods to remove files. The pattern used to eliminate the files, along with how many times to duplicate that pattern, are the distinctions you’ll discover in each of these approaches.
DBAN Commands and Data Sanitization Method
In bold are the commands DBAN supports, followed by the information sanitization approach they utilize:
dod – DoD 5220.22-Mdodshort – Same as dod other than just 3 passes are run rather of 7ops2 – RCMP TSSIT OPS-IIgutmann – Gutmannprng – Random Dataquick – Write Zero
You can also utilize the autonuke command, which is the exact same thing as dodshort.
Select the links beside the commands to learn more about how they work. As an example, gutmann will overwrite the files with a random character, and do so as much as 35 times, whereas fast will write a no and only do it when.
DBAN advises utilizing the dodshort command. You can utilize any of them that you think is essential, but ones like gutmann are definitely an overkill that will just take more time to finish.
Type one of these commands into DBAN to start wiping all your disk drives with that specific data wipe technique. If you wish to choose which hard disk drive to eliminate, in addition to tailor the wipe technique, see the next action, which covers interactive mode.
Select which disk drive to wipe with Interactive Mode. Interactive mode lets you tailor precisely how DBAN will erase files, along with which disk drives it will wipe. You can get to this screen with the ENTER key from DBAN’s main menu.
If you do not want to do this, and would rather have DBAN remove all your files the easy method, restart this walkthrough at Step 4, and make certain to choose the F3 key.
Along the bottom of the screen are the different menu choices. The middle of the screen is how you choose which hard drives you want to remove.
Pushing the P key will open the PRNG (Pseudo Random Number Generator) settings. There are two options you can select from– Mersenne Twister and ISAAC– however keeping the default one should be perfectly fine.
Choosing the letter M lets you select which wipe approach you wish to run. See the previous step for more details on these options. DBAN suggests selecting DoD Short if you’re unsure.
V opens a set of three alternatives you can select from to specify how typically DBAN ought to confirm that the drive is empty after running the selected clean approach. You’re able to disable confirmation completely, turn it on for the last pass only, or set it to validate the drive is empty after each pass has actually finished. We recommend choosing Verify Last Pass since it will keep verification on but won’t require it to follow each pass, which would otherwise slow the whole process down.
Pick how many times the chosen wipe method should run by opening the Rounds screen with the R key, entering a number, and pushing ENTER to save it. Keeping it at 1 will run the method as soon as, but ought to still suffice to erase everything securely.
Finally, you need to select the drive(s) you want to eliminate. Go up and down the list with the J and K secrets, and push the Space secret to select/deselect the drive(s). The word clean will appear to the left of the drive(s) you choose.
As soon as you’re sure you’ve picked all the correct settings, press the F10 secret to begin wiping the hard drive(s) immediately.
Await DBAN to erase the hard drive(s). Below is the screen that’ll reveal when DBAN has actually started. As you can see, you can neither stop nor pause the process at this moment.
You can view the statistics, like time remaining and any number of errors, from the top right side of the screen.
Verify DBAN has successfully erased the hard drive(s). Once DBAN has finished the data wipe of the selected hard drive(s), you’ll see this DBAN succeeded message.
At this point, you can safely remove the disc or USB gadget that you’ve set up DBAN to, and after that closed down or restart your computer.
If you’re selling or getting rid of your computer or disk drive, then you’re done.
If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need to make a tidy Windows install or a tidy Linux set up.
FAQHow do you remove a Mac’s hard disk drive?
You can factory reset a Mac to clean its difficult drive. Select your difficult drive, pick Erase, and follow the prompts.
How do I completely remove a disk drive?
To totally remove a disk drive, clean the hard disk drive using information destruction software application. Another option: Use a degausser to interfere with the magnetic domains on the drive and permanently eliminate the hard disk.
How do I remove an external hard drive?
To remove an external hard drive, connect the drive to your primary computer system. Launch File Explorer, select This PC, and choose the external drive.
