How to easilly lose a lot of data

[minesheep]

I didn't lost anything just making fun list of ways to lose data and get rid of un necessary files (and any files of cource).
You can use this list to protect your data when you don't do these mistakes.
1. Simply press delete without knowing what are you are doing. "I just deleted ..."
2. Running destructive commands in terminal DO NOT try

Code:

sudo rm -rf / (deletes everything)
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda (wipes hard disk)

DO NOT try these two commands second even destructive with live session
3. Use fake capasity usb storage https://www.instructables.com/id/Dont-fa...ive-Scam!/
4. playing with liquids when using computer

[MS]

Using scripts that deal with erasure of anything or using unspecified scripts made by unconfirmed authors.

There used to be this sneaky bash command, composed entirely of colons, semicolons, apostrophes and such. This command was equivalent to one of the black magic stuff you have mentioned in the point 2.

In case accidental deletion of something critical on the hard drive, I know the right drill is to immediately stop applying any further changes - in particular trying to solve the issue on own behalf, without required competence, that is - perhaps shut down the PC and contact data rescue centre of choice. Majority of time, even when gone from the hard drive, the deleted information is still stored in one of the 'memory boxes' on the hardware - only marked as 'overwritable' for potential next information coming in - therefore possible to be recovered. That is also why we do not want to introduce any further changes in such an errific situation, not to accidentally overwrite our vulnerable piece of data.

Unless you have Timeshift often making backup for you. Then you may try to recover the system image of certain step back in time. Just be sure your Timeshift maintenance is all-inclusive, which means, it saves everything, not just some portion of the system. Timeshift is probably one of the few pieces of software for the developers of which I could willingly donate to.

On the contrary, if we work with confidential information and want to - for example - give the computer to recycling, without risking the information being taken over by overly inquisitive parties having too much spare time on their hands, simply run a destructive disk check. It makes all the 'memory boxes' on the hard drive open and writes a pattern into each one of them, effectively turning everything into tabula rasa.

[minesheep]

how to wipe data. Use at your own risk! no data recover service if misused/misunderstood commands lead to data loss

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero (faster, less secure) or /dev/urandom (slow, more secure) of=/dev/sdx(y)

Examples:
Your internal hdd is sda and you want to wipe partition 1 select one of the commands.

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda1

faster, secure enough for you

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sda1

more secure, slow

Your internal flash drive is sdb and you want to wipe partition 7 select one of the commands.

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb7

faster, secure enough for you

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sdb7

more secure, slow

Your SD card is sdc and you want to wipe whole SD card select one of the commands.

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdc

faster, secure enough for you

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sdc

more secure, slow

Keep in mind that wiping SSD, SD card, usb flash drives, usb SSD or any solid state media wears out after limited amount of program/erase cycles so don't wipe solid state media for fun.

[Sprintrdriver]

Step 5: Just don't take backup. Sooner or later the disk will die.
Step 6: If using a rotating disk connected to a usb-sata adapter : Make the disk read or write something, lift the disk up with your hand and shake it like crazy maniak, maybe even knock it into the table (just don't hit the screen or the cup of coffe).