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How to wipe disk clean totally

Erase root password before reselling computerproblems with grubWubi Grub Prompt “Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported”Ubuntu 14.04 can't boot after hard shutdownOperating System not found (Grub error)GRUB Boot 2.02 beta2-9ubuntu1.3Gnu Grub 2.02 beta2-9ubuntu1.3Can't boot into windows after removing ubuntuHow do I start Ubuntu from grub?cannot install windows XP after deleting Ubuntu 16.04 and formating all the hard drive?ISO Image loaded, unable to access programme

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1

I saw this has been answered before but related to windows.

I have the following on a 2009 macbook air and would like to wipe the disk and start over:

Minimal bash-like line editing is supported.
For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions.
Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.
Grub>

I typed in exit and nothing occurred. Any direction please. I do not know what else is on this particular disk and to avoid complication I just want to wipe ALL and start over newly. Please advise. Thanks. Best, Richard

grub2

share|improve this question

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 15 mins ago

This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.

add a comment | 

1

I saw this has been answered before but related to windows.

I have the following on a 2009 macbook air and would like to wipe the disk and start over:

Minimal bash-like line editing is supported.
For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions.
Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.
Grub>

I typed in exit and nothing occurred. Any direction please. I do not know what else is on this particular disk and to avoid complication I just want to wipe ALL and start over newly. Please advise. Thanks. Best, Richard

grub2

share|improve this question

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 15 mins ago

This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.

add a comment | 

I saw this has been answered before but related to windows.

I have the following on a 2009 macbook air and would like to wipe the disk and start over:

Minimal bash-like line editing is supported.
For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions.
Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.
Grub>

I typed in exit and nothing occurred. Any direction please. I do not know what else is on this particular disk and to avoid complication I just want to wipe ALL and start over newly. Please advise. Thanks. Best, Richard

grub2

share|improve this question

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

share|improve this question

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

share|improve this question

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

asked Jan 26 '16 at 23:24

Richard LewisRichard Lewis

612

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

0

I would install a fresh copy of Ubuntu, and that will wipe the disk in the process. That should be a sufficient "wipe" unless you are trying to hide files from a forensic investigator. Good luck!

share|improve this answer

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

add a comment | 

-1

Wiping the disk is not necessary. Just boot using a LiveCD/LiveUSB and (re-)install Ubuntu. During installation, you can reformat the whole disk. That should be sufficient.

If you want to wipe the disk before reinstalling, you can write zeros across the complete disk using the LiveCD/LiveUSB, a terminal, and the dd command.

Edit

To wipe a hdd, you need to boot a Live-Image of a Linux system, eg. Ubuntu. After booting into the system, you need to open a terminal. Root privileges are required to write on hardware level to a disk, therefore you need to become root. A root shell can easily be opened by

sudo -i

Before you use the dd command, it is absolutely necessary to determine the correct location of your hdd. This can be done for example by gparted. This enables you to match the expected vs. found partitions and hdd size. Make sure, that you are using the correct location, otherwise you will destroy the data set!!! In the following I assume, that the hdd is located at /dev/sda.

To wipe the disk, you can use the command

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

That will write zeros on the entire disk, making it very unlikely that someone can recover the original data. Instead of /dev/zero you can use /dev/urandom to use (pseudo-)random data instead of zeros, but that will slow down the writing process dramatically! You will find often, that overwriting only one time is not sufficient to prevent recovering. I think and read that this is an urban legend (eg. here).

Hope that this description is detailed enough to wipe your disk. Last, let me put the warning here once more: Make sure, you are using the right disk location for the dd command, otherwise your data will be unrecoverable destroyed!!!*

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 1 '16 at 23:33

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks Frank. You mean just type 000000 following the grub command I now have? (with the install USB in). And what is "dd" exactly? I type that after? Sorry just trying to understand the sequence here. I just have the message I wrote ending in "grub" as a dos type prompt on my screen so want to understand what I type next exactly. Thanks.
  
  – Richard Lewis
  Jan 28 '16 at 9:00
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Dear Richard, no... You have to boot the LiveCD. I will add some information to my answer to illustrate the process.
  
  – Frank Förster
  Feb 1 '16 at 23:07
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Ok, thanks Frank for your full and detailed answer. I will be giving this a go at the weekend. I let you know.
  
  – Richard Lewis
  Feb 2 '16 at 23:15
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Does not answer the question - the question the op is essentially asking is 'how to wipe disk from grub'
  
  – theYnot
  May 20 '18 at 9:10
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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0

I would install a fresh copy of Ubuntu, and that will wipe the disk in the process. That should be a sufficient "wipe" unless you are trying to hide files from a forensic investigator. Good luck!

share|improve this answer

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

add a comment | 

0

I would install a fresh copy of Ubuntu, and that will wipe the disk in the process. That should be a sufficient "wipe" unless you are trying to hide files from a forensic investigator. Good luck!

share|improve this answer

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

add a comment | 

I would install a fresh copy of Ubuntu, and that will wipe the disk in the process. That should be a sufficient "wipe" unless you are trying to hide files from a forensic investigator. Good luck!

share|improve this answer

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

share|improve this answer

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

answered Jan 27 '16 at 0:23

Justin PavatteJustin Pavatte

1134

-1

Wiping the disk is not necessary. Just boot using a LiveCD/LiveUSB and (re-)install Ubuntu. During installation, you can reformat the whole disk. That should be sufficient.

If you want to wipe the disk before reinstalling, you can write zeros across the complete disk using the LiveCD/LiveUSB, a terminal, and the dd command.

Edit

To wipe a hdd, you need to boot a Live-Image of a Linux system, eg. Ubuntu. After booting into the system, you need to open a terminal. Root privileges are required to write on hardware level to a disk, therefore you need to become root. A root shell can easily be opened by

sudo -i

Before you use the dd command, it is absolutely necessary to determine the correct location of your hdd. This can be done for example by gparted. This enables you to match the expected vs. found partitions and hdd size. Make sure, that you are using the correct location, otherwise you will destroy the data set!!! In the following I assume, that the hdd is located at /dev/sda.

To wipe the disk, you can use the command

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

That will write zeros on the entire disk, making it very unlikely that someone can recover the original data. Instead of /dev/zero you can use /dev/urandom to use (pseudo-)random data instead of zeros, but that will slow down the writing process dramatically! You will find often, that overwriting only one time is not sufficient to prevent recovering. I think and read that this is an urban legend (eg. here).

Hope that this description is detailed enough to wipe your disk. Last, let me put the warning here once more: Make sure, you are using the right disk location for the dd command, otherwise your data will be unrecoverable destroyed!!!*

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 1 '16 at 23:33

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks Frank. You mean just type 000000 following the grub command I now have? (with the install USB in). And what is "dd" exactly? I type that after? Sorry just trying to understand the sequence here. I just have the message I wrote ending in "grub" as a dos type prompt on my screen so want to understand what I type next exactly. Thanks.
  
  – Richard Lewis
  Jan 28 '16 at 9:00
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Dear Richard, no... You have to boot the LiveCD. I will add some information to my answer to illustrate the process.
  
  – Frank Förster
  Feb 1 '16 at 23:07
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Ok, thanks Frank for your full and detailed answer. I will be giving this a go at the weekend. I let you know.
  
  – Richard Lewis
  Feb 2 '16 at 23:15
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Does not answer the question - the question the op is essentially asking is 'how to wipe disk from grub'
  
  – theYnot
  May 20 '18 at 9:10
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

-1

Wiping the disk is not necessary. Just boot using a LiveCD/LiveUSB and (re-)install Ubuntu. During installation, you can reformat the whole disk. That should be sufficient.

If you want to wipe the disk before reinstalling, you can write zeros across the complete disk using the LiveCD/LiveUSB, a terminal, and the dd command.

Edit

To wipe a hdd, you need to boot a Live-Image of a Linux system, eg. Ubuntu. After booting into the system, you need to open a terminal. Root privileges are required to write on hardware level to a disk, therefore you need to become root. A root shell can easily be opened by

sudo -i

Before you use the dd command, it is absolutely necessary to determine the correct location of your hdd. This can be done for example by gparted. This enables you to match the expected vs. found partitions and hdd size. Make sure, that you are using the correct location, otherwise you will destroy the data set!!! In the following I assume, that the hdd is located at /dev/sda.

To wipe the disk, you can use the command

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

That will write zeros on the entire disk, making it very unlikely that someone can recover the original data. Instead of /dev/zero you can use /dev/urandom to use (pseudo-)random data instead of zeros, but that will slow down the writing process dramatically! You will find often, that overwriting only one time is not sufficient to prevent recovering. I think and read that this is an urban legend (eg. here).

Hope that this description is detailed enough to wipe your disk. Last, let me put the warning here once more: Make sure, you are using the right disk location for the dd command, otherwise your data will be unrecoverable destroyed!!!*

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 1 '16 at 23:33

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Thanks Frank. You mean just type 000000 following the grub command I now have? (with the install USB in). And what is "dd" exactly? I type that after? Sorry just trying to understand the sequence here. I just have the message I wrote ending in "grub" as a dos type prompt on my screen so want to understand what I type next exactly. Thanks.
  
  – Richard Lewis
  Jan 28 '16 at 9:00
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Dear Richard, no... You have to boot the LiveCD. I will add some information to my answer to illustrate the process.
  
  – Frank Förster
  Feb 1 '16 at 23:07
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Ok, thanks Frank for your full and detailed answer. I will be giving this a go at the weekend. I let you know.
  
  – Richard Lewis
  Feb 2 '16 at 23:15
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Does not answer the question - the question the op is essentially asking is 'how to wipe disk from grub'
  
  – theYnot
  May 20 '18 at 9:10
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Wiping the disk is not necessary. Just boot using a LiveCD/LiveUSB and (re-)install Ubuntu. During installation, you can reformat the whole disk. That should be sufficient.

If you want to wipe the disk before reinstalling, you can write zeros across the complete disk using the LiveCD/LiveUSB, a terminal, and the dd command.

Edit

To wipe a hdd, you need to boot a Live-Image of a Linux system, eg. Ubuntu. After booting into the system, you need to open a terminal. Root privileges are required to write on hardware level to a disk, therefore you need to become root. A root shell can easily be opened by

sudo -i

Before you use the dd command, it is absolutely necessary to determine the correct location of your hdd. This can be done for example by gparted. This enables you to match the expected vs. found partitions and hdd size. Make sure, that you are using the correct location, otherwise you will destroy the data set!!! In the following I assume, that the hdd is located at /dev/sda.

To wipe the disk, you can use the command

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

That will write zeros on the entire disk, making it very unlikely that someone can recover the original data. Instead of /dev/zero you can use /dev/urandom to use (pseudo-)random data instead of zeros, but that will slow down the writing process dramatically! You will find often, that overwriting only one time is not sufficient to prevent recovering. I think and read that this is an urban legend (eg. here).

Hope that this description is detailed enough to wipe your disk. Last, let me put the warning here once more: Make sure, you are using the right disk location for the dd command, otherwise your data will be unrecoverable destroyed!!!*

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 1 '16 at 23:33

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594

share|improve this answer

edited Feb 1 '16 at 23:33

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594

answered Jan 27 '16 at 3:25

Frank FörsterFrank Förster

1594