HDD: Wipe (Zero) unused Blocks

bladecgn · 27 October 2018, 04:48

Is there any tool that clears unused blocks (i.e. overwrites them with zeros) on an amiga hdd?

jbl007 · 27 October 2018, 16:54

ReOrg has an option for that.
And as a side effect you'll get a defragmented file system...

bladecgn · 28 October 2018, 18:59

Thanks. But it does not work for me, as I'm using PFS3.

So, is there any wipe tool that works for this filesystem?

Leffmann · 28 October 2018, 23:22

Check the PFS3 tools in the official archive on Aminet.

If there's no tool for it there then you can do it manually by copying (cloning) all files to a second partition or drive, doing a full format on the first partition, and copying the files back.

As a bonus this will also give you a fully defragmented and optimized file system.

thomas · 29 October 2018, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leffmann

doing a full format

No, that does not work. Format does not fill blocks with zeros but with a random pattern.

Even worse, if you do a full format on a VHD file, it will grow to its maximum size which is the opposite of what was asked for.

You better create a new HDF or VHD and copy all files to that.

Leffmann · 29 October 2018, 09:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas

Even worse, if you do a full format on a VHD file, it will grow to its maximum size which is the opposite of what was asked for.

Yes, but bladecgn said it was an Amiga HDD.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas

No, that does not work. Format does not fill blocks with zeros but with a random pattern.

I didn't know that, but if the purpose is to remove all traces of deleted files then it is perfectly fine.

daxb · 29 October 2018, 12:06

You have to know that he already asked the question and because of answers he knows some/most things already. He wants to pack the partition image with best results, hence the zero all free space approach. WinUAE and HDF was already suggested. Which seems a good solution IMHO. Then he can copy zero files to fill up the HD and delete it later. PFS also contains dd (known from linux) with a zero device that can be used. A small script could automate that.

mark_k · 01 November 2018, 16:01

There are a couple of tools on Aminet:
FillDisk on Fish disk 61
CleanDisk

FillDisk doesn't fill with zeros, but you could hex-edit the executable to replace the string it does fill with with zeros. CleanDisk probably does fill with zeros but I didn't bother to test it.

[It would be nice if WinUAE could support checking if data to be written is all-zero. Then instead of actually writing the data, it could free up the corresponding space on the host (Windows) drive (if using a sparse HDF).]

27 October 2018, 04:48	#1
bladecgn Registered User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Essen / Germany Posts: 188	HDD: Wipe (Zero) unused Blocks Is there any tool that clears unused blocks (i.e. overwrites them with zeros) on an amiga hdd?

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27 October 2018, 16:54	#2
jbl007 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Leipzig/Germany Posts: 466	ReOrg has an option for that. And as a side effect you'll get a defragmented file system...

28 October 2018, 18:59	#3
bladecgn Registered User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Essen / Germany Posts: 188	Thanks. But it does not work for me, as I'm using PFS3. So, is there any wipe tool that works for this filesystem?

28 October 2018, 23:22	#4
Leffmann Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,269	Check the PFS3 tools in the official archive on Aminet. If there's no tool for it there then you can do it manually by copying (cloning) all files to a second partition or drive, doing a full format on the first partition, and copying the files back. As a bonus this will also give you a fully defragmented and optimized file system.

29 October 2018, 12:06	#7
daxb Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 3,303	You have to know that he already asked the question and because of answers he knows some/most things already. He wants to pack the partition image with best results, hence the zero all free space approach. WinUAE and HDF was already suggested. Which seems a good solution IMHO. Then he can copy zero files to fill up the HD and delete it later. PFS also contains dd (known from linux) with a zero device that can be used. A small script could automate that.

01 November 2018, 16:01	#8
mark_k Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Posts: 3,335	There are a couple of tools on Aminet: FillDisk on Fish disk 61 CleanDisk FillDisk doesn't fill with zeros, but you could hex-edit the executable to replace the string it does fill with with zeros. CleanDisk probably does fill with zeros but I didn't bother to test it. [It would be nice if WinUAE could support checking if data to be written is all-zero. Then instead of actually writing the data, it could free up the corresponding space on the host (Windows) drive (if using a sparse HDF).]

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