wiping out my data, permanently

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zoranb

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My Powerbook will be sold so i want to make certain that the new owner will not be able to get his hands on my data files if he tries to use a recovery application. What is the best way to make data i have on my power book to not be recoverable?
 
Boot with the OS X install disk you intend to give with the sell. Before installing go to the installers menu item and find Disk Utility. In Disk Utility click the Erase tab then press the 'Security Options' and select a 35 pass. It will take a while (days) but it will wipe that drive REALLY well. : )

Then install a fresh copy of OS X. You good to go and you can sleep at night. Remember a fresh retail OS X does NOT included the iLife package!
 
Isnt it possible to go to DiskUtility right away and without making a boot? Why must i boot with the OSX isntall disk?
 
1st reason - It's polite to sell a Mac with an operating system already installed! :) (and not a blank hard drive...)
If you are booted to the installer disk, and use that to wipe the hard drive, then it's a simple matter to just continue on with the install/restore. Do an Apple-Q when the install is complete and you see the first 'new user setup' screen. You can then shut down without running that setup, and the new owner has a brand-new fresh install of OS X (and none of YOUR stuff, eh?)

2nd reason (Aha! the real reason!) - you can't erase the volume that has your running operating system while you are booted to that system. You can do that while booted to a different disk, and the install/restore disk gives you the convenience of installing a fresh system (as noted above)
 
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Ok and what about the erasure of the free space? Isnt that enough?
Heres what i would do, first i would delete the files i wouldn't want others to get their hands on using the "Secure empty trash" option, then id make an "erase free space" at the highest option, through disk utility. Do you recon even that wouldn't that be enough?
 
I gave you (in my first response) the absolute PARANOID guide to erasing the drive to DOD standards!:eek:
 
Isnt free space erasing enough? Why must i erase everything? I will first make an secure empty trash to the files i dont want to get their hands on, and then just erase the free space with 35 or so passes!
 
zoranb said:
... What is the best way to make data i have on my power book to not be recoverable?
Click to expand...

You asked for the best way - A full erase is the best way. A 35-way erase takes a LONG time. I wouldn't consider that useful for other than the severely paranoid :rolleyes: (or a guv'mint agency, eh?)
Boot to your restore disk, and erase the drive with Disk Utility, (choosing to write zeroes if you wish), then continue on with a full restore of the original software. It's not too challenging, and the buyer gets a fresh system (without any of your leftover 'junk')
Completely restoring the system to an erased hard drive does enough writing to the drive, making potential recovery of any erased files extremely unlikely.
Why mess around with a partial job? Did you forget about that folder of personal stuff that you accidentally moved to your Applications folder?
Do an erase and restore - why mess around with partial measures?
 
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