How wipe one sector of hard drive in Windows

Question

How would I go about wiping a specific sector of my hard drive from Windows? I mean the hard drive in use...

Either wipe with zeros or replace with random data. Is there any script or program that can do this reliably on Windows startup? I'm running Windows 7 64-bit and the sector I want to wipe is sector 62. Is Winhex able to?

Answer 1

I wrote one for you:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <limits.h>
#include <wchar.h>
#include <io.h>
#include <tchar.h>
#include <Windows.h>

#define _O_U16TEXT 0x20000

static PVOID DisableWow64FsRedirection()
{
    HMODULE hKernel32 = LoadLibrary(_T("kernel32.dll"));
    __try
    {
        BOOL (WINAPI * pIsWow64Process)(HANDLE, PBOOL) = (BOOL (WINAPI *)(HANDLE, PBOOL))GetProcAddress(hKernel32, "IsWow64Process");
        if (pIsWow64Process != NULL)
        {
            BOOL isWow64;
            if ((*pIsWow64Process)(GetCurrentProcess(), &isWow64) && isWow64)
            {
                PVOID old;
                return ((BOOL (WINAPI*)(PVOID*))GetProcAddress(hKernel32, "Wow64DisableWow64FsRedirection"))(&old) ? old : NULL;
            }
        }
    }
    __finally { FreeLibrary(hKernel32); }
    return NULL;
}

int _tmain(int argc, TCHAR *argv[])
{
    _setmode(_fileno(stdout), _O_U16TEXT);
    DisableWow64FsRedirection();
    if (argc == 1 + 3)
    {
        long long offset, length;
        int a = _stscanf(argv[2], _T("%lld"), &offset);
        int b = _stscanf(argv[3], _T("%lld"), &length);
        if (a == 1 && b == 1)
        {
            HANDLE hFile = CreateFile(argv[1], FILE_READ_ATTRIBUTES | FILE_WRITE_DATA, FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE | FILE_SHARE_DELETE, NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_RANDOM_ACCESS, NULL);
            if (hFile != NULL && hFile != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
            {
                __try
                {
                    PBYTE pMem = (PBYTE)calloc((size_t)length, sizeof(BYTE));
                    //Assume we had enough memory...
                    __try
                    {
                        DWORD nw;
                        OVERLAPPED ov = {0};
                        ov.Offset = (DWORD)(offset & ULONG_MAX);
                        ov.OffsetHigh = (DWORD)((offset >> (CHAR_BIT * sizeof(ov.Offset))) & ULONG_MAX);
                        if (WriteFile(hFile, pMem, (DWORD)length, &nw, &ov))
                        {
                            SetLastError(ERROR_SUCCESS);
                        }
                        else { _ftprintf(stderr, _T("Error writing data: %d"), GetLastError()); }
                    }
                    __finally
                    {
                        CloseHandle(pMem);
                    }
                }
                __finally { CloseHandle(hFile); }
            }
            else { _ftprintf(stderr, _T("Error opening file: %d"), GetLastError()); }
        }
        else
        {
            SetLastError(ERROR_INVALID_COMMAND_LINE);
            _ftprintf(stderr, _T("Invalid start or length value: %s, %s."), argv[2], argv[3]);
        }
    }
    else
    {
        SetLastError(ERROR_INVALID_COMMAND_LINE);
        _tprintf(_T("Usage:\n  wipe <file> <start> <length>"));
    }
    return GetLastError();
}

and here's the compiled version (base64 encoding; decode here):

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

You can just run it like:

wipe \\.\PhysicalDrive0 0 512

where the first argument is the file name, the second is the offset, and the third is the number of bytes. The number of bytes probably can't be over ~63 MiB.

Of course, don't blame me if you erase your disk accidentally...