How to wipe seagate external hard drive​?

Wiping a Seagate external hard drive goes beyond simple reformatting. It’s the process of securely erasing all data to ensure nothing can be recovered. Whether you’re selling the drive, recycling it, or eliminating sensitive data, wiping ensures your information stays private.

Part 1: What It Means to Wipe a Hard Drive

Wipe vs. Format

Formatting removes file structure, but data can often be recovered with recovery tools.

Wiping overwrites existing data with random or zeroed-out data, making recovery nearly impossible.

When Should You Wipe Your Drive?

Before selling, donating, or recycling the drive

When removing sensitive personal or corporate data

If your drive has been infected with malware

To start fresh with no traces of old partitions or files

Part 2: Preparation

Step 1: Back Up Important Data

Move critical files to another device or cloud storage.

Double-check that nothing valuable is left.

Step 2: Identify the Correct Drive

On Windows, open File Explorer > locate the drive letter.

On macOS, open Disk Utility to identify the external drive.

Step 3: Install Optional Tools

Seagate Toolkit (for drive management)

Third-party data erasure tools like DBAN (Windows), CCleaner, or Macrorit

Disk Utility (macOS, built-in)

Part 3: Wiping on Windows

Method 1: Windows Built-In Format with Overwrite

Open File Explorer.

Right-click on the Seagate external drive > Format.

Select NTFS or exFAT.

Uncheck Quick Format (forces full format, overwriting data).

Click Start.

Method 2: Command Prompt with Diskpart

Open Command Prompt as Administrator.

Type:

diskpart

list disk

select disk X (replace X with your Seagate drive)

clean all

exit

clean all securely erases the drive by writing zeros to the entire disk.

Method 3: Use Third-Party Wipe Software

DBAN (Darik’s Boot and Nuke): Create a bootable USB to run the tool.

Eraser: Windows app that can overwrite free space or entire volumes.

CCleaner: Includes a drive-wiping tool under the “Tools” tab.

Part 4: Wiping on macOS

Method 1: Disk Utility (Secure Erase)

Open Disk Utility.

Select the external Seagate drive.

Click Erase.

Choose a file format (APFS, HFS+, or exFAT).

Click Security Options (only available on HDDs, not SSDs):

Move the slider to increase security (1-pass to 7-pass overwrite).

Click Erase.

Method 2: Terminal with Diskutil

Open Terminal.

Find the disk:

diskutil list

Wipe with zero-fill:

diskutil secureErase 0 /dev/diskX

Replace diskX with the appropriate identifier.

Number represents:

0: Single-pass zero-fill

1: Random data

2: US DoD 7-pass standard

Part 7: After the Wipe

Step 1: Reformat the Drive (Optional)

If you plan to reuse the drive:

On Windows: Use File Explorer or Disk Management to format.

On macOS: Use Disk Utility.

Step 2: Recheck Drive Functionality

Confirm the wipe worked by checking the available space.

Try copying a file to test write permissions.

Step 3: Dispose or Store Safely

Recycling: Use certified e-waste centers.

Storage: Keep it in a dry, shock-proof container.

Part 8: Troubleshooting

Windows

Drive not detected: Try different USB ports or cables.

Diskpart access denied: Run Command Prompt as admin.

Disk is write-protected:

diskpart

list disk

select disk X

attributes disk clear readonly

macOS

Secure Erase option grayed out: Not available on SSDs.

Disk won’t unmount: Boot into Recovery Mode and try Disk Utility.

Part 9: Safety Tips for Secure Data Handling

Use encryption before wiping: Ensures that even incomplete wipes don’t expose data.

Keep drives labeled: Avoid wiping the wrong drive.

Use write-blockers: When handling sensitive investigations or forensics.

Always verify the wipe: Use recovery software to confirm data is unrecoverable.