Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] Tools for putting HDD back to new state

[Mike Gilbert]

On Mon, Apr 3, 2017 at 2:11 PM, Harry Putnam  wrote:
> I probably should know this, but off the top of my head I don't
> remember ever running into anything like this.
>
> I'd like to do what ever is done to set a used  disk back to the
> state it was in when new... Not sure what that state is, but at least
> no evidence of boot manager or fs having been installed.
>
> This if for something I'm doing on OS openindiana (a solaris offshoot)
> and the disks are for that OS.
>
> The solaris milieu is somewhat behind linux in development of tools at
> least in my opinion.  That is why I'm asking here.
>
> I am a gentoo user as well, but expect I may have to boot the solaris
> host with one or another linux boot ISO in order to have the tools
> required.

If you are not worried about securely removing all data and simply
want to fool fdisk into thinking your drive is empty, use the wipefs
utility. This will zero-out key bytes like the MBR, partition table,
filesystem magic numbers, etc.

You'll want to run it once for each partition, and then once for the
whole device.

wipefs -a /dev/sdx1
wipefs -a /dev/sdx2
wipefs -a /dev/sdx

If you ARE worried about securely removing data, see the other replies
in this thread for better options.

Re: [gentoo-user] [OT] Tools for putting HDD back to new state

[tuxic]

On 04/03 02:11, Harry Putnam wrote:
> I probably should know this, but off the top of my head I don't
> remember ever running into anything like this.
> 
> I'd like to do what ever is done to set a used  disk back to the
> state it was in when new... Not sure what that state is, but at least
> no evidence of boot manager or fs having been installed.
> 
> This if for something I'm doing on OS openindiana (a solaris offshoot)
> and the disks are for that OS.
> 
> The solaris milieu is somewhat behind linux in development of tools at
> least in my opinion.  That is why I'm asking here.
> 
> I am a gentoo user as well, but expect I may have to boot the solaris
> host with one or another linux boot ISO in order to have the tools
> required. 
> 
> 

Hi,

if I understand you correctly: You want the opposite of "Total Recall"
for your harddisk...You want "to remember nothing...ignorance is
bliss" (The Matrix) in case of your harddisk.

I would suggest to 

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/


but!:

Vor example, your drive shows up as:

/dev/sdb
/dev/sdb1
/dev/sdb2
/dev/sdb3

you have to choose the raw device: /dev/sdb
(may be the partitions will not show up).

YOU CAN SHOOT YOUR OWN FEET-WARNING!
Be very careful here! You are acting as root here,
and choosing the wrong device will wipe the wrong 
disk instantly.

Good luck!
Cheers
Meino

PS: I will not take any responsibility for 
any command, which is not submitted by my own
hand -- and even then I will be unsure ;)

[gentoo-user] [OT] Tools for putting HDD back to new state

[Harry Putnam]

I probably should know this, but off the top of my head I don't
remember ever running into anything like this.

I'd like to do what ever is done to set a used  disk back to the
state it was in when new... Not sure what that state is, but at least
no evidence of boot manager or fs having been installed.

This if for something I'm doing on OS openindiana (a solaris offshoot)
and the disks are for that OS.

The solaris milieu is somewhat behind linux in development of tools at
least in my opinion.  That is why I'm asking here.

I am a gentoo user as well, but expect I may have to boot the solaris
host with one or another linux boot ISO in order to have the tools
required.