Question on shredding a terebyte drive

[mike cloaked]

On Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 5:47 PM, Tim <ignored_mailbox at yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> On Thu, 2009-09-03 at 09:23 +1000, Roger wrote:
>> I've found over time that formatting with ext3 tends to remove most
>> hidden partitions
>
> I don't see how it can do that.  Formatting creates a file system within
> a partition.  If you want to do something to a partition, you need to
> use a function that works outside of the partition.
>
> You could format what's stored in the hidden partition, but that
> partition would still be there, unless you did something *else*.
>

Is it not possible to use secure erase direct to the drive firmware
using HD parm?  This is also available from some isos such as
PartedMagic once booted independently of the drive to be erased.  Some
machines may need to the drive to be re-hotplugged to gain access to
the settings for secure erase but I have done it with drives over some
years now (though not terabyte ones) - this method usually gives the
fastest way to completely erase the drive and make it factory fresh
afterwards presuming it is not actually damaged!
-- 
mike c