> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "ToddAndMargo" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: "Scientific Linux Users" <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2014 12:11:29 AM
>> Subject: /dev/zero and flash drives
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> On a flash drive, does the following not only ease the drive,
>> but does it also turn off all the charges?
>>
>>         dd bs=4096 if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdc1
>>
>> Many thanks,
>> -T

On 05/16/2014 09:40 PM, John Lauro wrote:

> That would only wipe one partition, not the entire drive.  If you
> want to erase the entire drive use /dev/sdc (or whatever device).

Ah poop.  A typo.  And I do know that.

>
> Also, be aware that unlike hard drives, for flash drives it
 >  likely does not "erase" the drive.  Internally the drive might
 >  just mark the sectors as all clear and flag the previous contents
 >  as erasable without actually clearing the flash.  With a highly
 > over provisioned enterprise drive it may wait to actually clear
 >  the flash chips. Not that the original data would be easily
 > accessible (probably have to take the drive apart), but it is
 > something to keep in mind if there is sensitive data...

So "zero" does not clear the charge?
I always "smack" my old drives with a hammer before tossing them.