Norton Utilities for Mac has a utility called Wipe Info; if you choose the option "Government Wipe", it makes three passes while erasing the hard disc. I doubt that anyone outside of the NSA would be able to recover your files after such a treatment.
HOWEVER, be sure you know what you're doing if you ever want someone to be able to use the computer in the future! I work in a government lab, so was required to use this option last week on a PM 7100 I was replacing by a newer machine. As an afterthought, I decided it would be thoughtful to put a copy of a workable OS on the hard drive just in case the computer might be eventually sold to someone outside our lab. Well, I couldn't do it! Although the 7100 makes the boot-up chime when switched on, the monitor never shows anything except a completely blank screen, even when I put a Norton Emergency floppy disk into the floppy drive before startup. (I know this floppy disc works because I have used it in the recent past, and I even tried a duplicate floppy I have on hand, with the same non-result.) Such a total lack of response is totally without precedent in my experience. I didn't have enough time to pursue this any further and maybe I'm overlooking a simple solution, but you should be careful about the erase procedure you choose. Mel Halbert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ------------------- >Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 09:20:45 -0700 >From: Amber <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: erasing hard drive >Message-id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >I am about to put my Rev B iMac up for sale and before I do so, I want >to ensure that the new owner will not have access to my old work files. > >Is erasing the hard drive the most secure way to clean a hard drive and >make any of my files completely irretrievable ? > >Amber > > >------------------------------ -- The iMac List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | - Epson Stylus Color 580 Printers - new at $69 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> iMac List info: <http://lowendmac.com/imac/list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/imac-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
