JP2004287549A - Method for erasing data from removable media, computer program, and recording media - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and completely erase data from a removable media such as a memory card. <P>SOLUTION: First, all the recording media drives connected to a computer are detected (S701). Only the removable media drives are selected from among them as the drives of media from which data can be erased (S702). Then a screen for erasing the drives of the removable media for erasing data and the method of erasure is displayed (S703). On the selection screen, a removable media drive and a method of erasure are selected and an erasure start button is clicked to execute an erasure process (S704). After erasure is completed, a message box is displayed for checking whether or not dumping is to be performed (S705). If dumping is to be done, a dumping screen is displayed; if not, a main screen 200 is restored. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data erasing method for a removable medium, and more particularly, to a data erasing method for a removable medium capable of easily and completely erasing data recorded on a removable medium such as a memory card, a computer program, and a computer program. It relates to a recording medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For the purpose of preventing personal information and important data from leaking from the hard disk when returning a leased or rented personal computer (PC) or letting go of an old computer for replacement, etc. There are many means for erasing data, and there are various erasing methods.
[0003]
For example, in the NSA standard (U.S. Department of Defense NSA standard), complete erasure of recorded data is realized by writing a random number the first time and the second time and writing zero (hexadecimal 00) the third time. In the old NSA standard, complete erasure of recording data is realized by writing zero at the first and third times and writing a fixed value (for example, hexadecimal FF) at the second and fourth times. Further, in the DoD standard (U.S. Department of Defense standard), complete erasure of recorded data is realized by writing zero at the first time, fixed value at the second time, and random number at the third time. In the NATO standard (NATO standard), complete erasure is realized by writing zero at the first, third, and fifth times, writing a fixed value at the second, fourth, and sixth times, and writing a random number at the seventh time. ing.
[0004]
There is also known a method for achieving high-speed data erasing (see Patent Document 2). According to this method, random unit data is created, and the recording data for erasing is created by repeatedly using the random unit data. Therefore, the time for creating the recording data for erasing can be shortened, and the time for the data erasing process can be shortened. .
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2003-030801
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, recently, flash memory cards (hereinafter simply referred to as memory cards) have been widely used in place of removable media such as a flexible disk (FD) and a magneto-optical disk (MO). A memory card is a removable recording medium having a built-in flash memory, and has been widely used in digital cameras, PDAs, mobile phones, and other electronic devices due to the recent increase in capacity.
[0007]
However, even if the data in the memory card is initialized by a format command prepared on the operating system (OS), the data becomes invisible as a file, but substantial data remains. Since the memory card is small and easily lost and easily accessible to humans, it is difficult to prevent data recorded on the memory card from leaking. Further, there is a need for a tool that can easily and completely erase the contents of FDs and MOs.
[0008]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a data erasing method, a computer program, and a recording medium for a removable medium that can easily and completely erase data on a removable medium such as a memory card.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object of the present invention is characterized by comprising a selecting step of selecting a removable medium to be erased and an erasing method thereof, and an erasing step of erasing data recorded on the selected removable medium according to the erasing method. This is achieved by a method for erasing data on removable media.
[0010]
According to the present invention, data on a removable medium such as a memory card can be easily and completely erased.
[0011]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the selecting step includes a step of displaying only removable media from the erasable recording media as a selection target on a screen.
[0012]
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent data in the hard disk from being accidentally erased and to easily select a removable medium.
[0013]
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises, after the erasing step, a step of selecting whether or not to dump data in the removable medium.
[0014]
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to confirm the erasure state by prompting the user to dump while the removable medium is recognized as a drive.
[0015]
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the removable medium is a memory card.
[0016]
According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, data in a memory card that is small, easily lost, and easily accessible can be easily and reliably erased.
[0017]
The object of the present invention is also a selecting step of causing a computer equipped with a recording / reproducing means for a recording medium including a removable medium to select a removable medium to be erased and an erasing method therefor, and a step of recording the data on the selected removable medium. The present invention is also attained by a computer program for executing an erasing step of erasing data in accordance with the erasing method.
[0018]
The above object of the present invention is also achieved by a computer-readable recording medium recording the computer program.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a computer system for implementing a method for erasing data on a removable medium according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, the computer system 100 includes a computer main body 101, display means such as a display 102, and data input means such as a keyboard 103 and a mouse 104. These display means and data input means constitute a graphical user interface together with a data erasing program for a hard disk described later. A computer main body (sometimes simply called a computer) 101 is a configuration of a general personal computer, and includes a CPU 105, a memory 106, a hard disk drive (HDD) 107, a flexible disk drive (FDD) 108, and a CD-ROM drive 109. , A memory card drive 110, an input / output interface (I / O) 111, and the like.
[0022]
Various device drivers 112, an OS 113, a data erasing program 114a for removable media, other application software 114, and the like are installed in the computer main body 101. These software and the above-mentioned hardware cooperate with each other, so that An erasing function is realized. That is, the software stored in the hard disk drive (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a hard disk) 107 by the installation is read out to the memory 106 and processed by an instruction from the user or automatically at the time of starting the computer, and is removed. An operation for realizing the data erasing function of the medium is executed. These software may be provided by a recording medium such as a CD-ROM 109C. In that case, the program is read and installed by the CD-ROM drive 109. Alternatively, it may be provided online from the Internet, in which case it is downloaded from the Internet via a network interface (not shown).
[0023]
In the present embodiment, the flexible disk 108F and the memory card 110C are data to be erased as removable media. The memory card may be of any type, and a plurality of memory card drives 110 may be provided.
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main screen (window) of a data erasing program for a removable medium displayed on the display 102.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 2, in this window 200, a message column 201 for displaying the description of the erasing method and the erasing status, a pull-down menu 202 for selecting a drive to be erased, a pull-down menu 203 for selecting an erasing method, A pull-down menu 204 for selecting the number of times of erasure, an erasure status display field 205 for displaying a remaining time required to complete erasure and an elapsed time from the start of erasure to the present, an erasure start button 206a, a dump display button 206b, A button 206c is provided.
[0026]
FIG. 3 shows a pull-down display of the drive selection menu 202.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 3, when the drive selection menu 202 is clicked, a list of drives currently recognized by the OS is displayed. Actually, the hard disk 107 is also recognized as a drive, but is not displayed in the list in order to prevent data in the hard disk 107 from being erased by mistake and to facilitate selection of a removable medium. For example, drives C to E are assigned as hard disk drives and are not displayed in the list even if they are recognized on the OS. As a result, a 3.5-inch FD 202a of the A drive, a memory card (1) 202b of the F drive, and a removable medium 202c of the G drive are displayed as shown. The user can select either by operating the mouse 104 or the keyboard 103.
[0028]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a pull-down display of the erasure method selection menu 203.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 4, when the erasing method selection menu is clicked, a list of applicable erasing methods is displayed in a pull-down display. For example, in the present embodiment, various applicable erasing methods such as the original erasing method 203a, the “random writing + zero writing” method 203b, the NSA standard 203c, the old NSA standard 203d, the DoD standard 203e, and the NATO standard 203f are listed. ing. The user can select one of them by operating a mouse or the like.
[0030]
When "random writing + zero writing" is selected in FIG. 4, a pull-down menu for selecting the number of times of random writing is activated, and the number of times of erasing can be selected. For example, a list of combinations of random write times (1 to n) and zero write times (fixed to 1) arranged in the order of the total number of times of writing is displayed. The user can select one of them by operating a mouse or the like.
[0031]
After the above items are selected, when the erase start button 206a is clicked, the process of confirming whether or not to actually erase the data is repeated several times, and then the entire selected drive (media) is targeted. Then, an erasing process according to the selected erasing method is executed. Here, "erasing" means that data of "0" or "1" is overwritten according to an appropriate rule so that the data does not make sense. For example, when “removable medium” of the G drive is selected and the NSA standard is selected as the erasing method, erasing processing according to the NSA standard is performed on the entire removable medium of the G drive. Specifically, random numbers are written in the first and second times over the entire recording area, and hexadecimal zero is written in the third time. Thereby, the recorded data can be completely erased. In the case of a memory card based on a flash memory, the number of times of writing may be small because there is no problem of residual magnetization as in a magnetic recording medium, but the number of times of writing may be small in a medium using magnetism such as FD or MO. It is preferable to select an erasing method with a large number.
[0032]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the erasure status display column 205 during execution of the erasure process.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 5, when the erasing process is executed, the remaining time 205a, the elapsed time 205b, the medium size 205c, the current number of times of writing 205d, and the progress are displayed in the erasing status display field 205. A meter (progress bar) 205e is displayed. With these displays, the user can easily confirm the erasure processing status. It should be noted that the erasing process is interrupted in the middle by pressing the suspend button 206d displayed in place of the end button 206c at the same position as the end button 206c (see FIG. 2) only during the execution of the erasing process.
[0034]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a message box displayed after the erasing process is completed.
[0035]
As shown in FIG. 6, when the erasing process is completed, a message box (window) 601 to that effect is displayed in front of the main screen to confirm whether or not to dump. That is, it is possible to prevent the user from returning to the main screen without operating the message box 601. To view the dump of the erased medium, the user clicks an “OK” button 601 a in the message box 601 to shift to the dump mode. Since the erased removable medium is not formatted, if the drive is opened once and returned to the main screen 200, it may not be recognized as a drive again, and may not be dumped. However, if the drive is still recognized, that is, if the drive is dumped immediately after the locked data is erased, the erased state of the data can be surely seen. In this way, by prompting the user to dump while the removable medium is being recognized as a drive, it is possible to confirm the erased state.
[0036]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a data erasing procedure of the removable medium.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 7, in the data erasing of the removable medium, first, all the recording media drives connected to the computer are detected (S701), and only the removable media drive is selected as the drive of the medium from which the data can be erased. It is selected (S702). Then, as shown in FIG. 2, a screen for selecting the drive of the removable medium to be erased and the erasing method thereof is displayed (S703). On this selection screen, a removable media drive and an erasing method are selected, and the erasing start button 206a is clicked to execute erasing processing (S704). However, in some drives, even if the removable medium itself is not set, it can be recognized on the OS and selected as a drive of the erasable medium. However, when the erasure start button 206a is clicked, the removable medium remains in the drive. If not set, a warning is displayed and the erasure process is not started. That is, assuming that the removable medium is set, the drive is selected, and the removable medium to be erased is selected. When the erasing is completed, a message box for confirming whether to dump is displayed (S705). When dumping, the dump screen is displayed. When not dumping, the screen returns to the main screen 200.
[0038]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, data in a removable medium such as a memory card can be easily and completely erased. In addition, since the hard disk drive that is actually recognized is not displayed on the list of erasure targets, it is possible to prevent data in the hard disk from being accidentally erased, Selection becomes easy. Also, since a screen for selecting whether or not to display the dump is displayed immediately after erasing the media data, the user can be prompted to confirm the erasure state, and the erasure state can be surely confirmed. .
[0039]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope described in the claims, and these are also included in the claims. Needless to say.
[0040]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which a “random writing + zero writing” method, an NSA standard, an old NSA standard, a DoD standard, a NATO standard erasing method, and the like can be selected. However, any erasing method can be applied.
[0041]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the dump function (dump tool) is executed according to the message box 601 displayed after the end of the erasing process has been described as an example, but it is essential that the dump tool accompany the execution of the erasing process. Instead, for example, by clicking the dump display button 206b on the main screen 200 shown in FIG. 2, the dump function can be used at any time for the used (recognized) removable medium, and It is also possible to determine whether data erasure is necessary by checking the recording state of the removable medium with the dump tool.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a data erasing method, a computer program, and a recording medium for a removable medium capable of easily and completely erasing data on a removable medium such as a memory card.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of a computer system that realizes a data erasing method for a removable medium according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main screen (window) of a data erasing program for a removable medium displayed on a display 102;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a pull-down display of a drive selection menu 202;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a pull-down display of an erasure method selection menu 203;
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an erasure status display column 205 during execution of an erasure process.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a message box displayed after the erasing process is completed.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a data erasing procedure of a removable medium.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 computer system 101 computer main body 102 display 103 keyboard 104 mouse 106 memory 107 hard disk drive (HDD)
108 Flexible Disc Drive (FDD)
108F Flexible disk (FD)
109 CD-ROM drive 109C CD-ROM
110 Memory card drive 110C Memory card 111 Input / output interface (I / O)
112 Device driver 113 OS
114 Application software 114a Data erase program 200 Main screen (window) of data erase program
201 Message column 202 Drive selection menu 202a 3.5-inch FD selection item for A drive 202b Memory card (1) selection item for F drive 202c Removable media selection item for G drive 203 Erasing method selection menu 203a Original erasing method Selection item 203b Random + zero writing method selection item 203c NSA standard selection item 203d Old NSA standard selection item 203e DoD standard selection item 203f NATO standard selection item 204 Erase count selection menu 205 Erase status display field 205a Remaining time Display 205b Display of elapsed time 205c Display of size 205d Display of number of deletions 205e Meter (progress bar)
206a delete start button 206b dump display button 206c end button 206d suspend button 601 message box (window)
601a OK button 601b Cancel button

Claims (6)

A selection step of selecting a removable medium to be erased and an erasing method thereof,
A method for erasing data on a removable medium, comprising: an erasing step of erasing data recorded on the selected removable medium according to the erasing method. The selecting step includes:
A method of erasing data from a removable medium, comprising the step of displaying only a removable medium from among the erasable recording media as a selection target on a screen. After the erasing step,
A method of erasing data on a removable medium, further comprising the step of selecting whether to dump data in the removable medium. The method of erasing data, wherein the removable medium is a memory card. A computer equipped with a recording / reproducing means for recording media including removable media,
A selection step of selecting a removable medium to be erased and an erasing method thereof,
A computer program for executing an erasing step of erasing data recorded on the selected removable medium according to the erasing method. A computer-readable recording medium on which the computer program according to claim 5 is recorded.

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