FAQ
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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).
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