Stopping DBAN while it's working, and questions about HPA

[groupsuser]

I chose DoD 5220-22.M as the method, with verification on all passes. Being a first-time user of DBAN, I didn't realize what I would be facing time-wise, so I chose (I'm sure many of you will find this quite funny... ) 10 rounds!!!! Now, once the program has started, I see that choosing 10 rounds was not necessary and definitely will take too much time. Is there any safe way I can stop the process before it finishes 10 rounds?

Another question: The hard-disc is on a ThinkPad T42 (60 GB), and I chose not to wipe the HPA. Does the wipe process, as I have it configured, erase the MBR? If not, how do I make sure the MBR gets erased?

Last question: Once the present wiping process is finished, can I go back and erase the HPA? Do I need to un-hide the HPA first in the BIOS before starting DBAN?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[dajhorn]

Is there any safe way I can stop the process before it finishes 10 rounds?

Just reset the computer and run DBAN again.

Does the wipe process, as I have it configured, erase the MBR?

If the partition table was wiped, then the MBR was wiped too.

Last question: Once the present wiping process is finished, can I go back and erase the HPA?

You can run DBAN on a computer more than once.

Do I need to un-hide the HPA first in the BIOS before starting DBAN?

Yes, DBAN honors the HPA.

 

[groupsuser]

dajhorn,

Thanks for your quick, to-the-point, and helpful answers. And thanks for the time you dedicate to this forum.

In your previous response you wrote:

If the partition table was wiped, then the MBR was wiped too.

How do I know if the partition table was wiped?

 

[dajhorn]

How do I know if the partition table was wiped?

There will be no "Partition" lines if you run DBAN again.

If you run the Microsoft Windows installer, then it will complain about an "unformatted or unrecognized" disk.