Re: Linux kernel - Libata bad block error handling to user mode program

Greg Freemyer
2010-03-14T16:12:13Z

On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 12:02 PM, Mark Lord <kernel@teksavvy.com> wrote:
> On 03/11/10 13:29, Greg Freemyer wrote:
>>>
>>> But really.. isn't "hdparm --security-erase NULL /dev/sdX" good enough
>>> ???
>>>
>>
>> This thread seems to have died off.  If there is a real problem, I
>> hope it picks back up.
>>
>> Mark, as to your question the few times I've tried that the bios on
>> the test machine blocked the command.  So it may have some specific
>> utility, but it's a not a generic solution in my mind.
>
> ..
>
> Yeah, a lot of BIOSs do a "SECURITY FREEZE" command before booting,
> which disables things like "SECURITY ERASE" until the next hard reset.
>
> So, on a Linux system, just unplug the drive after booting, replug it,
> and usually it can then be erased.

I have a client that wipes 10,000+ drives a month. (They do this as a
service to banks, etc. as the machines they're in are retired, so they
use 10,000+ machines to wipe those 10,000+ drives.)

They tend not to open the case, just boot via PXE/USB/CD and run a wiping tool.

Opening the case to do as you propose is not really acceptable. Also
they still have a lot of IDE inside those retiring machines.

fyi: If the wipe fails for whatever reason, they do open the case and
physically remove/disable/sanitize the drive.

Greg