I'm volunteering with a group that gathers, tests, repairs, and sends computers to schools in Senegal. We're dedicated to securely erasing the hard drives we receive, but currently, we're using ViVARD for testing and erasing drives one by one, which is really slow. I'd love to find a way to connect and work on several SATA drives at once, either by testing and erasing them simultaneously or in batches. Does anyone have suggestions for a setup that could speed up this process? Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
Have you thought about creating an Unraid USB? Once it's up and running, you can install plugins like unassigned devices and pre-clear. This setup allows multiple drives to be pre-cleared at the same time without needing a license since it doesn't configure an array. This could definitely streamline your hard drive wiping process.
We set up a 12-port KVM switch, which lets us wipe and switch to the next PC seamlessly. You can work on 12 PCs simultaneously, but remember, the wiping speed is still dependent on the drives themselves. If you can manage it, try getting a 20-port KVM for even more efficiency! I usually run Clonezilla, which has a built-in disk wipe feature. Might be worth considering for your setup!
I typically use Ubuntu with `hdparm` for secure erase on HDDs, and for SSDs, I use the manufacturer’s tools or `nvme`. A basic PC with several SATA PCI adapters works just fine, just keep an eye on the power consumption. It’s perfect for wiping multiple drives simultaneously, just be cautious of not overloading the system.
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