With the best DoD wipe software - AOMEI Backupper Professional, you can completely wipe a hard drive, either HDDs or SSDs, along with step by step instructions. Scroll down to learn more!
DoD 5220.22-M is a data sanitization standard originally published by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1995. While it is often called the "military-grade" standard for erasing hard drives, it is technically a software-based overwriting method designed to prevent data from being recovered.
It operates in binary mode, bypassing the file system to directly target physical disk sectors, and overwrites data in 3 passes using 0s, 1s, and random characters respectively. Then, perform a verification check to ensure the random character is exactly what is stored on the disk, and confirmthatno original data "ghosts" remain.
AOMEI Backupper Professional ranks among the top DoD wipe software with its modern erasure process. While most tools meeting U.S. Department of Defense standards require a steep learning curve, AOMEI integrates this feature into a user-friendlyinterface.
Now, it’s time to erase a hard drive using DoD wipe software - AOMEI Backupper. You can follow the steps below.
Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper after installing. Under the Tools tab, click Disk Wipe.
Step 2. Select the erasure type - Wipe disk, partition(s), or unallocated space. Then, select the desired drive and click Next.
Step 3. Select DoD 5220.22-M and click Start to wipe the hard drive completely. You can modify the rewrite times, up to 7 passes.
It will be executed in reboot mode if the drive contains an operating system. Just wait and don’t close the PC.
⚠️Notes:
✅ If you want a fast & safe method to erase hard drive, try: Fill sectors with Zero, or Fill sectors with random data. By comparison, the latter one is safer.
✅ For a more thorough erasure method, try Gutmann. It overwrites data 35 passes, extremely secure but very slow.
This article introduces the best DoD wipe software - AOMEI Backupper Professional, and how to erase a hard drive using it. With it, you can wipe entire disk, either HDDs or SSDs, specific partition(s), or unallocated space.
In addition, you can modify the DoD 5220.22-M overwrite times, up to 7 passes. It also provides a bootable environment to wipe a system drive. No need to create a bootable USB drive manually. For data security, you can create a full backup of your important files within this software.
1. How long does 7-pass DoD wipe take compared to 3-pass wipe?
7-pass DoD wipe takes more than double the time of 3-pass DoD wipe as it literally writes across your entire drive 7 times instead of 3.
2. Is a DoD wipe overkill for a personal home computer?
For most people, yes. Modern storage technology is so advanced that even a single-pass "Zero Fill" makes data recovery nearly impossible for standard software.
3-pass DoD wipe is the industry standard for total destruction, ideal when reselling your PC to a stranger. 7-passes, however, is almost always excessive for personal devices and causes unnecessary wear on the hardware.
3. Can data be recovered after using DoD wipe software?
No, once DoD wipeis complete, the data is permanently destroyed. Even expensive forensic labs cannot "undo" a 3-pass or 7-pass overwrite on a modern drive.