VMS Drive Cleanup Assist

[Gordon JC Pearce]

Adrian Graham wrote:
> 
> 
> On 26/10/05 19:49, "Erik Klein" <classiccmp at vintage-computer.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>>The question is: how do I clean the drives completely without any real
>>chance of data being recovered?  The only other option would be to leave
>>the drives behind so they can be crushed.
> 
> 
> Later versions of VMS have an $init/erase command that physically writes
> zeroes to the disk; the best way of properly initialising is to put the
> drives through a degausser but even that might not please the security
> conscious.

Not to mention that degaussing would destroy most non-ST506 type drives 
anyway.  Nearly anything with some sort of onboard microcontroller will 
want firmware off the drive...

Gordon.