Secure data deletion for an RDX removable disk drive

Use stand-alone diagnostics to complete secure data deletion for RDX removable disk drives.

Before you begin

For system and stand-alone diagnostic requirements, see Secure data deletion for devices by using stand-alone diagnostics.

Procedure

  1. If the device is in an IBM® i partition and if you do not know the location code of the device, go to Getting the location code for a device in an IBM i partition by using the resource name of the device and record the location code of the device.
  2. Power off the system. For instructions, see Stopping a system.
  3. Boot the system from stand-alone diagnostics. For information about running stand-alone diagnostics, see Running the stand-alone hardware diagnostics.
  4. From the Welcome to AIX screen, type 1 to select the terminal that you are using as the system console.
  5. From the Diagnostics Operating Instructions menu, press Enter to continue.
  6. From the Function Selection menu, type 3 to select Task Selection.
  7. From the Define Terminal menu, enter a terminal type.
    Note: If you are using a remote terminal connection such as PuTTY, use either the VT320 or VT340 terminal emulation.
  8. If the device is from an IBM i partition, use the location code that you recorded in step 1 and follow the Getting the AIX resource name for a device by using the location code in stand-alone diagnostics procedure to record the usbms name.
  9. From the Task Selection List, select the Format Media option.
  10. From the Resource Selection List, select the RDX removable disk drive for which you want to complete secure data deletion.
  11. Press F7 (function key 7) to proceed with the operation for the selected RDX removable disk drive.
  12. From the Format Media Task screen, select Yes to overwrite the data on the media.
    Note: If you receive a message indicating that a command to prevent media removal failed, press Enter to continue. Ensure that the media is not removed during the remaining steps of this procedure.
  13. From the Format Media Task screen, select Yes to proceed with the overwrite the data operation.
  14. From the Format Media Task screen, select the Write Patterns to Drive option.
  15. Press F7 (function key 7) to proceed with the operation by using the default parameters for the selected RDX removable disk drive.
  16. When the overwrite the data operation by using the write patterns to drive option completes successfully, the secure data deletion of the selected RDX removable disk drive is complete.