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When changing dedicated server @Hetzner - do I need to use wipe/clean software?`
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When changing dedicated server @Hetzner - do I need to use wipe/clean software?`

myhkenmyhken Member

Hello.

Just followed almighty LETs advice to change my i7 2600 server to a E3-1245v2 server.
I have finally copied all data from the old to the new, and everything is up and running on the new server. But I have lots of data on the old one, including all my personal backup.

Is the smart thing to use a wipe software (I have license on BCWipe) on all my data, before I run a couple of Linux installs (wipes the disks), before I cancel the server?

Or will Hetzners software do to job before they redeploy the server again?

Comments

  • comXyzcomXyz Member

    I think their system will re-format the server before assigned it to the new customer.

    But it's up to you, you can clean all the disks before cancelling the server also.

  • classyclassy Member

    Just wipe the master boot record, don't trash the disk for others. And yes, Hetzner wipes it, but you never know, no system is flawless.

  • Mahfuz_SS_EHLMahfuz_SS_EHL Host Rep, Veteran

    It's not so important to get it wiped. You can just reinstall the OS so that the data don't remain there. I hardly think anyone would try to recover your Data using any Recovery Software :-P

  • NeoonNeoon Community Contributor, Veteran
    edited May 2015

    It depends, they do it hopefully when you terminate the old one. But i would use a software and do it myself.

    But when you transfer it, it dosent happen.

  • coolicecoolice Member

    I do not trust providers to wipe it correctly 100% so usually dump HDD servers with

    find /backup/dir -exec shred {} \;

    and then reinstall

    shred in default mode do 25 overwrites

    P.S if you use something different than ext oredered or writeback mode it may do not work as stated

  • MrXMrX Member

    Mahfuz_SS_EHL said: It's not so important to get it wiped. You can just reinstall the OS so that the data don't remain there. I hardly think anyone would try to recover your Data using any Recovery Software :-P

    Would be a fun experiment to run. Rent a couple of dedicated servers, try to recover data, and see what you find.

    classy said: And yes, Hetzner wipes it, but you never know, no system is flawless.

    Do they wipe or do they just reformat?

  • classyclassy Member

    @MrX said:

    Most providers only reformat, by asking the next customer what OS they want and overwriting any existing config. If providers would wipe disks as in, irrecoverably wiping data they would ruin their own disks.

    Thanked by 1Zeniic
  • myhkenmyhken Member

    I can't see a clear answare here, so I think I wipe my personal backup files, and then do a couple of system formating (using Windows, going to Linux, then back to Windows).
    Then let Hetzner do what they do.

  • Mahfuz_SS_EHLMahfuz_SS_EHL Host Rep, Veteran

    @myhken said:
    I can't see a clear answare here, so I think I wipe my personal backup files, and then do a couple of system formating (using Windows, going to Linux, then back to Windows).
    Then let Hetzner do what they do.

    It would just decrease Disk Performance.

  • MrXMrX Member

    classy said: Most providers only reformat, by asking the next customer what OS they want and overwriting any existing config. If providers would wipe disks as in, irrecoverably wiping data they would ruin their own disks.

    That's what I figured, which is why I was curious about your usage of the word wipe.

  • If you are really skepticle of your Data, Identify the make of your drives (seagate/WD/Hitachi), order LARA KVM, mount DM/Diagnostics for your HDD and WIPE/Secure ERASE/Write ZEROs to your Drive. It will 99% Ensure Data is erased off the server.

    Just my 2 Cents

    Thanked by 1myhken
  • myhkenmyhken Member

    Mahfuz_SS_EHL said: It would just decrease Disk Performance.

    So if the next customer run data recovery software, they can get all my files then?
    So the best way to secure my own files is to wipe the disk before I cancel the server...
    I don't care if the disk goes bad after I have canceled the server. Why should I, when all my private files, documents, pictures, info etc etc are stored on the server?

  • afonicafonic Member

    If you have sensitive information, of course you need to wipe! The posibility of the next user of the hard drive trying or even getting files from your hard drives is minimal, but running a couple of commands before you turn over the server for good can't hurt.

    See:
    https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Securely_wipe_disk

  • 4n0nx4n0nx Member

    Reinstall, fill up hard drive with dd. Then it's pretty much impossible to recover anything. If you are paranoid, fill it up a second time.

  • MakenaiMakenai Member

    @4n0nx said:
    Reinstall, fill up hard drive with dd. Then it's pretty much impossible to recover anything. If you are paranoid, fill it up a second time.

    Not really relevant in this case, but it is possible.

    https://www.usenix.org/legacy/publications/library/proceedings/sec96/full_papers/gutmann/index.html

    Very good read.

  • I would reinstall the OS if I had important files on it. Most providers do a fresh install on dedicated servers, but you never know.

    @MarkTurner curious to see what other data centers or providers do?

  • @CFarence - DBAN and Killdisk are the ones we use.

    Thanked by 1cfgguy
  • Robot will do it automatically but I recommend using a in ram program that will wipe 7x of the data and 7x zero. But that is just a DOD method lol.

    Thanked by 1myhken
  • msg7086msg7086 Member

    @myhken said:

    Re-format has nothing to do with the data on the drive.

    Running full formatting is just bad sectors checking, not wiping data.

  • myhkenmyhken Member

    @msg7086 said:
    Running full formatting is just bad sectors checking, not wiping data.

    Thats why I use BCWipe to Wipe all my data from the disks, before I change OS from Windows to Linux, then back to Windows, then Wipe all free space with BCWipe (From Jetico), then let Hetzner do what they do normally. Think I will be safe then...

  • MrXMrX Member

    myhken said: Thats why I use BCWipe to Wipe all my data from the disks, before I change OS from Windows to Linux, then back to Windows, then Wipe all free space with BCWipe (From Jetico), then let Hetzner do what they do normally. Think I will be safe then...

    Yep, the NSA won't find your vacation photos now!

  • 4n0nx4n0nx Member

    Another approach would be to encrypt the hard drive.

  • Mahfuz_SS_EHLMahfuz_SS_EHL Host Rep, Veteran

    Yeah, you're quite correct in your sense. If Data's are private & confidential, I would suggest you to do wipe :-)

  • DBAN.

    The good thing is that it's in-memory so you don't need to have Console/KVM/Virtual Media connected after it has loaded. (It may take a couple of days depending on how thorough of a wipe & performance of your system).

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