Symantec 10024709 User Manual

136

Managing partitions using GDisk
Deleting and wiping your disk

The syntax for the delete switch is as follows:

GDisk: gdisk disk /del {/pri[:nth]|/ext[:nth]|/log:nth|/p:partn-no|/all} 
[/qwipe|/dodwipe|/customwipe:n]

The syntax for the diskwipe switch is as follows:

GDisk: gdisk disk /diskwipe [dodwipe| /customwipe:n]

For example:

■

gdisk 1 /del /all /qwipe completes one pass to delete all partitions and data on 
disk 1.

■

gdisk 1 /del /p:2 /qwipe wipes partition 2 on disk 1 with one pass.

■

gdisk 1 /diskwipe /customwipe:15 wipes the entire disk with 15 passes.

/diskwipe switches

disk

Represents the physical fixed disk, from1 to 8.

/del

Deletes a DOS partition or logical DOS drive.

/pri[:nth]

Deletes the nth primary DOS partition. The default is 1.

/ext[:nth]

Deletes the nth extended DOS partition. The default is 1. Also deletes 
any logical partitions in the extended partition.

/log:nth

Deletes the nth logical DOS drive from the extended DOS partition.

/p:partn-no

Indicates the partition to delete. Use the number reported by GDisk in 
standard display mode (not using /lba or /raw) for partn-no.

/all

Deletes all partitions.

/qwipe

Overwrites the partition’s data area before deleting the partition. Makes 
one pass of deleting the data on the disk.

/dodwipe

Overwrites the partition’s data area before deleting the partition. Makes 
seven passes of deleting the data on the disk. This is the security 
standard for the U.S. Department of Defense.

/customwipe:n

Overwrites the partition’s data area n times before deleting the 
partition. n can be set from 1 to 100. /customwipe:7 is equivalent to 
/dodwipe.