FAQ - Expert Eraser
Document Actions
How to detect SCSI
drives in ExpertEraser™?
Does the
ExpertEraser™ software cover all international standards for
data erasure?
What is
"sanitising a drive"?
The ExpertEraser™
software does not detect my security key!
Can I use
ExpertEraser™ to erase a hard drive that has activated
password in BIOS?
Where can I see
how many erasures that are left on my ExpertEraser diskette or
inside the security key?
Err Code
7155-4201-1113 or Err Code 7155-4201-0213, what can I
do?
My ExpertEraser™
diskette is damaged, and I need the erasure reports, what can
I do?
ExpertEraser™;
Error message "No valid security key", what's wrong?
ExpertEraser™
Refill; Error message "No valid security key", what's
wrong?
Error message
"Can not load DOS", what's wrong?
ExpertEraser™
stops and reports this error message "Bus hung",what's
wrong?
ExpertEraser™
stops reports "unsuccessful erasure". What can I do to erase
this hard drive?
How can I install
a new operating system after using ExpertEraser™?
ExpertEraser™ is
freezing (the "Select Disk" window doesn't come up)", what's
wrong?
How to detect SCSI drives in
ExpertEraser™?
There are many different vendors of SCSI adapter cards for
PCs. Even if SCSI itself is fairly standard, adapters are not.
Ibas' approach has been to use Adaptec's ASPI (Advanced SCSI
Programming Interface). ASPI drivers for DOS come with most
SCSI adapters.
ASPI gives fast and efficient access to the full command-set
of all SCSI disks. It enables ExpertEraser™ to do far more
than any ordinary disk utility on SCSI disks. For instance,
ExpertEraser™ controls the SCSI-disk defect management
directly. An ASPI driver has to be installed on the diskette
containing ExpertEraser™ before the program can erase any SCSI
disks. This is an example of how this is done in CONFIG.SYS
for an Adaptec 2940 SCSI adapter:
DEVICE=ASPI8DOS.SYS
A Buslogic adapter may be installed like this:
DEVICE=BTDOSM.SYS
If you have an Adaptec SCSI Adapter, the ASPI menu might help
you finding the right driver.
Please also consult the manual that comes with your SCSI
adapter card for installation instructions.
Does the ExpertEraser™ software
cover all international standards for data erasure?
Yes, by offering optional number of
overwrites, the ExpertEraser™ program covers all the
international standards. The most common standards are DOD
5220.22M from US Department of Defense, and NATO standards.
The DOD standard require a 3 times overwriting
procedure.
What is "sanitising a
drive"?
Sanitising a drive destroys all information stored on it,
including the boot sector, the operating system and the
partition table. The drive is put in a virgin state, similar
to when it was released from the factory.
The ExpertEraser™ software does not
detect my security key!
The ExpertEraser™ software does not detect my security
key!
ExpertEraser™ reports the message Failed, Error communicating
with key. This could be due to the key being defective or
removed from the printer port. Make sure the security key is
properly inserted. If the problem persists, please use the
following procedure to solve the problems:
IBM Thinkpad models:
IBM Thinkpad models have Bi-directional Printer port modus as
default. The Dallas key used as a security key in
ExpertEraser™ will not function in this modus on the Thinkpad.
To solve the problem, please use our Fix for IBM
Thinkpad.
Compaq Desktop with Celeron Processors:
The ExpertEraser™ security key from Dallas has experienced
some problems with communicating on the parallel port. This is
caused by weak pull-up transistors used on some types of
Celeron main boards from Compaq. The solution is to use a
serial key holder (DS1411) instead of the parallel key holder.
The DS1411 adapter requires the ExpertEraser v.1.41. Both the
serial port adapter and the ExpertEraser™ v.1.41 is available
is available. Please contact your local ExpertEraser™
dealer.
Serial Port Adapter
DS1411
Parallel Port Adapter
DS1410E
If the problem persists, please contact ExpertEraser™
support.
Can I use ExpertEraser to erase a
hard drive that has activated password in BIOS
BIOS can provide hard drive protection in two different ways:
- The protection is in BIOS only.
Problem is overcome by connecting the hard drive to a computer without such protection.- BIOS also use the hard drive built in protection.
In this case it's no help in connecting the hard drive to another computer. The protection will still be active. Solving this problem is depending of the actual type of BIOS. Contact the manufacturer of your BIOS for help.
When it's not possible to get around the protection, one solution is to erase the hard drive by de-magnetisation. This will erase all the data, but unfortunately the hard drive cannot be used after such treatment.
You can check how many erasures that are left by starting the ExpertEraser and in the second window after selecting a hard drive can you see it.
I have one of these two Err Code
7155-4201-1113 or Err Code 7155-4201-0213 on my screen, what
can I do?
These two error codes are due to a problem regarding the
copy protection software that we are using. The problem
occurred on computers faster than about 600 MHz. The problem
is now solved, please contact your local ExpertEraser dealer,
and you will receive a new diskette.
My ExpertEraser diskette is
damaged, and I need the erasure reports, what can I
do?
Ibas can help you to recover the erasure reports. The
diskette must be shipped to Ibas Norway, please contact your
local ExpertEraser dealer to arrange the shipment.
I'm using ExpertEraser 1, 10, 50 or
100 and I get this error message "No valid security key",
what's wrong?
One of the files on the diskette is damaged, so
ExpertEraser cannot read the information regarding how many
erasures are left on the diskette. The most common reason for
this is that dusty read/write heads has damaged the diskette,
or the heads have oxidized inside the floppy drive. Please
contact your local ExpertEraser dealer to arrange the return
shipment of the package. We will determine how many erasures
are left on the damaged diskette and ship you a new one.
The ExpertEraser has problem to read how many erasure that
are left in the security key(hardware key). Please check
this:
- Make sure the security key is properly inserted
- Check that the button inside the security key is installed properly. Try to push the button into the security key once more.
- Please also check the answer under the question:
- The ExpertEraser™ software does not detect my security key!
- If the problem persists, please contact ExpertEraser™ support.
I'm using ExpertEraser 1, 10, 50
or 100 or Refill and I get this error message "Can not load
DOS", what's wrong?
One of the files that contain the operating system on the
diskette is damaged, so the computer cannot boot correctly.
The most common reason for this is that dusty read/write heads
has damaged the diskette, or the heads have oxidized inside
the floppy drive. Please contact your local ExpertEraser
dealer to arrange the return shipment of the package. We will
determine how many erasures are left in the package and ship
you a new one.
I have booted up the ExpertEraser
and started the erasure process, but ExpertEraser stops and I
get this error message "Bus hung", what's wrong?
There is a problem with the ATA standard compatibility of
either the hard drive or the motherboard (chipset) or both.
The ExpertEraser is communicating directly with the hard drive
and therefore need to have an ATA compatible hard
drive/motherboard combination.
But my hard drive/motherboard has been working properly
before?
Yes, the BIOS (or Windows) have hidden this compatibility
problem from the applications. However, since ExpertEraser
communicates directly with the hard drive and not through the
BIOS, the incompatibility becomes a problem. The reason that
ExpertEraser is communicating directly with the hard drive is
that you cannot erase all the blocks on the hard drive
communicating through the BIOS.
One possible workaround could be to try to erase the hard
drive in another computer. Another possible workaround could
be to experiment with the /c:N parameter when starting
ExpertEraser. This will cause ExpertEraser to use relaxed
command timing.
I have booted up the ExpertEraser
and started the erasure process, but ExpertEraser stops and
inside the erasure report it stands unsuccessful erasure. What
can I do to erase this hard drive?
ExpertEraser will detect any abnormality with the hard
drive and stop the erasure procedure. The hard drive will
not be totally erased, or maybe not erased at
all. That depends of when the erasure procedure stops. The
solution is to erase the hard drive by de-magnetising
it. Unfortunately the hard drive cannot be used after such
treatment.
How can I install a new operating
system after using ExpertEraser?
ExpertEraser will overwrite all blocks on the hard drive,
including the master boot record and partition table. After
using ExpertEraser your hard drive will be as "new". It will
no longer be possible to boot from the hard drive, so you must
boot the computer from a bootable diskette or a CD.
To install a new operating system on the hard drive, you must
follow the instructions from the software provider of the
operating system you want to install. Normally the package of
a new operating system contains boot diskettes or a boot CD.
Use either the boot diskette or the boot CD to start the
installation of the new operating system, and follow the
instructions.
It's also possible to use FDISK and FORMAT to make partitions
and to format them with these two programs under DOS. To use
these two programs you must create a bootable diskette.
To create a bootable diskette with FDISK and FORMAT:
- Insert a new diskette in your floppy.
- On DOS-prompt, type: FORMAT A: /S
- Copy FDISK.EXE and FORMAT.EXE to the diskette. These two programs can you normally find under C:\Windows\Command (Windows 98). If you have Windows NT/2000 you don't have these to programs.
- Insert the diskette into the floppy drive of the computer you just have erased and boot up the computer. Use FDISK and FORMAT to make partition(s) and to format them.
- Now you can start installing new applications on the hard drive.
I'm using ExpertEraser V1.6(Fast)
1, 10, 50 or 100 or Refill and the ExpertEraser is freezing
(the "Select Disk" window doesn't come up)", what's
wrong?
The new ExpertEraser V.1.6 is supporting Ultra Direct Memory
Access(UDMA). Supporting this feature makes it possible to
increase the erasure speed. How much the erasure speed is
increased is depending on the UDMA level supported by the hard
drive, and the clock frequency of the motherboard. We have
measured improvements in the erasure speed up to 6-7 times
related to the older version of ExpertEraser(4-5
min/GB).
Some old computers, that are not supporting UDMA, may get
ExpertEraser to freeze on start up (the "Select Disk" window
doesn't come up). The solution is simply to change one out of
two entries in the diskettes autoexec.bat file:
Set PCI_ENA=T ExpertEraser will try to use UDMA (default). If
you won't use UDMA: set PCI_ENA=F, and ExpertEraser will
behave as always before. (Setting this variable to "F" will
also disable the PCI_MECH variable.)
If the default settings makes the computer to freeze, but you
still want to use the UDMA feature:
Let the PCI_ENA remain "T", and change the PCI_MECH in stead.
(This variable doesn't do anything at all if the PCI_ENA
(above) Is set to "F".)
Set PCI_MECH=0 (Default) Scanning through BIOS (Freezes if
BIOS isn't able to handle this request).
Set PCI_MECH=2 Bypass BIOS using method 2 (Work on most
computers)
Set PCI_MECH=1 Bypass BIOS using method 1.
If none of these 3 PCI_MECH-settings (0,1 or 2) is working,
then set PCI_ENA=F, and simply use
ExpertEraser the "old" way (4 - 5 min/GB).
Swedish armed forces choose Ibas to delete sensitive data