OpenText Tableau Forensic TX1 Imager
The Information Company 43
Overwrite - Multiple Pass
TX1 performs three full write passes to the destination or
accessory drive. The first pass writes zeros (0x0000) and
the second pass writes ones (0xFFFF). When a custom
data pattern is specified, it will be written only on the third
pass. Otherwise, the third pass writes a randomly selected
constant value between 0x0001 and 0xFFFE.
Verification is optional. If enabled, it can be configured to
verify after each wipe pass or after only the last pass.
Note that when an HPA/DCO/AMA configuration is
present on a drive, a toggle may be set to remove such
configuration prior to starting the wipe, which will ensure
the entire accessible drive space is overwritten.
The ATA Secure Erase command instructs the drive to
reset all available blocks to the erase state. How the erase
state is implemented on the drive is not mandated by the
ATA specification, which means the final data state on
drives is manufacturer dependent (and not necessarily all
zeros).
Due to the indeterminate nature of the post-wipe data
state, TX1 does not offer verification for Secure Erase
wipes.
Due to known issues with inconsistent and unreliable
Secure Erase support on rotating drives (HDDs), TX1 only
supports this feature on SSDs.
Note that Secure Erase will erase all accessible drive
space, but it will not necessarily erase over-provisioned
space or other space reserved by the drive’s internal
controller.
TX1 will force removal of any detected HPA/DCO/AMA
configurations prior to starting a Secure Erase wipe,
except for USB connected media. TX1 cannot remove
HPA/DCO/AMA configurations for USB connected media,
which means Secure Erase is not supported in that
situation. See the note at the bottom of this table
regarding handling of HPA/DCO/AMA configurations for
Sanitize - Block Erase (SSD
only)
The ATA and SCSI Sanitize – Block Erase commands
instruct the drive to erase all flash memory blocks. This is
typically done electrically, not through writing of data to the
drive. While the state of post-wipe data is not mandated
by the ATA/SCSI specifications, Sanitize – Block Erase
typically leaves a drive in a cleared (all zeros) state, which
allows for post-wipe verification.
Note that Sanitize – Block Erase will erase all user
accessible drive space as well as over-provisioned space
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