To customize the BitRaser Drive Eraser & Diagnostics ISO, log in to the cloud console, click ‘Create Custom ISO’, and enter your credentials again to start the ISO customization process. The customization feature helps you to automate and speed up your data wiping workflow. You can prefill all erasure-related details, such as erasure method, customer information, custom fields, and more, so that technicians performing data wipe can simply erase devices across locations in a standardized manner. You can also enable ‘Auto-Erase’ mode for ‘no click’ erasure, letting the process start and run automatically once the device boots.
Follow the steps below to customize the BitRaser Drive Eraser & Diagnostics ISO.
Step 1: Log in to BitRaser Cloud Console using the login credentials received via email post-purchase. (Refer to Image 1)
Image 1: BitRaser Cloud Console Log-in Screen
Step 2: Click ‘Create Custom ISO’ on the left panel to customize different variants of the BitRaser Drive Eraser & Diagnostics ISO. (Refer to Image 2)
Image 2: BitRaser Main UI Interface
Step 3: Now, re-enter your password to begin the ISO customization process and click 'Log in'. Then, select the ‘BitRaser Drive Eraser & Diagnostics ISO’ version that you want to customize. After choosing the ISO file, click the ‘Customize’ button. (Refer to Image 3)
Image 3: Select BitRaser Drive Eraser & Diagnostics ISO to Customize
Step 4: Choose the BitRaser Drive Eraser & Diagnostics variant that you want to customize (BitRaser Cloud, Network Cloud, or Offline variant), then scroll down and click ‘Customize’ to proceed.
To learn more about the different variants of BitRaser Drive Eraser, you can read our article.
Once you have chosen the variant, click ‘Next’ to begin customization. (Refer to Image 4)
Note: You can save up to three ISO files simultaneously in the cloud console that can be used later. However, if you need to create an additional ISO then one needs to be deleted.
Image 4: BitRaser Cloud Variant ISO to Customize
Step 5: Follow the steps to set up the ISO according to your preferences. It allows you to pre-configure many data fields and functions. Let us see all the options that you can customize.
- The first option is 'General', which allows you to customize the following: (Refer to Image 5)
- Process Settings: Using this option, you can choose to perform both erasure and diagnostics simultaneously or choose to run ‘Only Erasure or Diagnostics’.
- Run Diagnostics with erasing: This option securely erases the selected drives while running hardware diagnostics simultaneously. The erasure process continues in the background with hardware testing in the foreground. This helps in saving technicians time.
- Only Erasing: This option wipes out the selected drives without performing any hardware diagnostics.
- Only Diagnostics: This option runs hardware diagnostic tests without performing data erasure.
- Generate Detailed Report Instead of Short Report: Enable this option to generate a comprehensive diagnostics report instead of the default summary report.
- Keyboard Layout: You can choose the keyboard layout according to your requirements from English-US, French-FR, Italian-IT, etc.
- Eject CD on Boot: Choose 'Yes' if you want the bootable CD to eject after the device boots into BitRaser.
- Hardware Diagnostics: Enable this option to allow the software to do basic hardware diagnostic tests. These tests will help you check the status of various hardware components like the motherboard, processor, memory, keyboard, battery, Wi-Fi, etc. Please note that this is separate from detailed Hardware Diagnostics.
- Enable Screensaver: Turn on the BitRaser screensaver and set the screensaver timeout. During the erasure process, the screensaver displays the erasure progress on the screen. A Green Tick mark is shown once the process completes, only if erasure is selected.
- Write Fingerprint: The application will write a fingerprint at the sector level of the drive to verify that the drive was erased using BitRaser Drive Eraser. The fingerprint can be verified using the ‘Hex Viewer’ in the BitRaser application.
- Enable Disk Smart Size: Using this option, you can round off the actual drive size to the nearest market standard size, making it easier to resell.
- Show Restart Button: This option will show the 'Restart Button' in the BitRaser Drive Eraser main interface.
Image 5: General Tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- Click the 'Next' button to go to the 'Erasing' tab. (Refer to Images 6a & 6b). The Erasing tab allows you to customize the following:
- Erasure Method: You can select from 26 globally recognized erasure standards, including NIST Clear, NIST Purge, US DoD 5220.22-M, and IEEE 2883:2022, to set the default erasure method based on your client's requirements.
- Verification: You can freeze the erasure verification method so that all drives wiped using this ISO file follow a standardized verification method. The software allows you to choose from 'Random’ or 'Total’ Verification. You have an option to skip verification by choosing the No Verification option
Note: In case a user selects the US DoD or NIST Purge standard, then the verification by default is ‘Total Verification.’
Image 6a: Erasing tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- Enforce method on SSDs: You may enforce a method of erasure on SSDs. For example, the NIST Purge method can be enforced for all SSDs wiped using the customized ISO. This option is meaningful while implementing a data destruction policy for flash media.
- Auto Select All Drives to Erase: You may check this option if you want the software to select all internal and external drives for erasure automatically.
- Auto Erase: ITADs can select this option to perform auto erasure without having to click the 'Erase' button in the software. The software will start erasing drives as soon as it connects to the internet and has acquired erasure licenses from the cloud server.
- Freeze Erasure Method & Verification: Selecting this option will freeze the erasure method and verification type for the ISO being created. This ensures consistent, standardized erasure across all locations, even if operations are distributed across multiple sites, helping you stay compliant with regulatory requirements.
- Enable RAID Dismantling: Checking this option enables the software to automatically detect and dismantle RAID configurations in servers. The software supports RAID dismantling for select controllers like LSI, Adaptec, and Dell PERC.
- Remove HPA/DCO Automatically: This option will enable the software to detect and erase hidden areas like HPA and DCO every time the customized ISO is used.
- Erase Remapped Sectors: Select this option if you want the software to erase remapped sectors automatically.
- Shutdown Machine after Erasure: This option will shut down the system once the erasure process is over.
- Sync Report On Cloud During Erasure Process: If you select this, the erasure progress on the application will be synced with the BitRaser Cloud Console, ensuring that the erasure report is updated in real time on the cloud.
Image 6b: Erasing tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- Generate Certificate For: You can generate an individual or a collective certificate for all the drives you wiped.
- Bad Sector Settings: You can set a threshold for the number of bad blocks and sectors in the disk. The erasure process will stop automatically if the bad block/sector number exceeds your threshold, and the erasure result will be ‘Failed’. By default, the Bad Blocks Limit is 10, and the default Bad Sectors Limit is 50.
- Click the 'Next' button to go to the 'Test' tab. The Test tab lets you assess your hardware using Quick or Advance testing.
- Quick Test: This option allows you to customize both automatic and manual hardware diagnostic tests based on your requirements. It includes 21 predefined tests, with automatic diagnostics for the CPU, Ethernet, system board, memory, GPU, battery, display, storage, and CMOS, and manual diagnostics for the keyboard, display, Bluetooth, mouse, touchscreen, fingerprint reader, microphone, webcam, ports, audio, Wi-Fi, accessories, and device grading. (Refer to Image 7a.)
- Advance Test: This option allows you to perform a more comprehensive hardware diagnostic through Device Advanced Settings. The configuration is divided into three stages, enabling you to customize various test parameters. (Refer to Image 7b.)
- Automatic Test Settings: Customize the CPU, memory, and battery stress time based on your testing requirements.
- Battery & Storage Settings: Customize the battery threshold time to assess battery health and select the amount of storage to be tested during the storage diagnostic.
- Manual Test Settings: Customize the duration for manual tests, including audio recording, display color, and fingerprint scanning.
Image 7a: Quick Test Tab BitRaser ISO Customization
Image 7b: Advance Test tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- After this, click the ‘Next’ button to go to the ‘Server’ tab. The Server tab allows you to save your BitRaser Cloud Console credentials in the ISO and saves valuable time for the technician. (Refer to Image 8)
Image 8: Server Tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- Auto Connect to Cloud Account: This option automatically connects the software with the BitRaser Cloud Console. This saves time and reduces the number of clicks a technician makes for each erasure.
- Enable HTTPS Support: Checking this option will enable HTTPS support for communication with the BitRaser Cloud Console.
- Click 'Next' to go to the 'Network' tab. This section helps you pre-select your desired network connection. The option selected by default is 'DHCP'.
- Wireless: By selecting the wireless option, you can save the 'SSID Name' and 'Password', eliminating the need to input these values repeatedly for every erasure. (Refer to Image 9)
Image 9: Network Tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- Click 'Next' to go to the ‘Proxy’ tab. You can enable the Proxy and save its details on the ISO, so you do not have to reenter it with each erasure. (Refer to Image 10)
Image 10: Proxy Tab BitRaser ISO Customization
- Click on the 'Next' button to go to the 'ERP Services’ tab. This function is useful for those ITADs who are using ERP like Razor or MakorERP. The ERP Services tab allows ITADs to enter the required credentials and configure an automatic connection between the ISO and their selected ERP system. Once configured, erasure and diagnostic reports can be automatically synced to the ERP, streamlining the reporting process and reducing manual effort. To customize the ISO for ERP integration, follow the steps below.
- Click the ‘Next’ icon to access the ‘Custom Fields tab’. The Custom Fields tab has two options.
Note: Both options, i.e., Customer Details and Technician/Validator Details, are checked by default.
- Click 'Next' to save the custom fields and move to the 'Notes' tab to describe any further comments or notes about the present ISO configuration settings. (Refer to Image 13)
Image 13: Notes Tab BitRaser ISO Customization
You may also click 'Previous' to check or edit previous settings. Otherwise, click on 'Submit' to start the ISO creation process.
An 'ISO Customization is in process, Please wait' message will pop up on your screen while ISO is getting customized based on your inputs. Once the process is completed, you may download the ISO and write it to a USB drive. To create a bootable USB and get started, follow the steps provided in the KB How to Create a Bootable USB with Rufus?
Note: The ISO creation process cannot be stopped while in progress. If you close the browser window/tab at this point and log in again to the ISO customization console, it will show you an error message. In that case, wait for some time for the ISO customization request to be completed and then try to log in again.
You can now see your newly customized ISO under the 'Customized ISO Information' tab in the 'BitRaser ISO Dashboard'. Check the Product Name, Variant, Version, Size, and Date in a tabular format. Then, click the ‘Download’ button in the last column and start wiping your drives and devices. (Refer to Image 14)
Image 14: BitRaser Customized ISO Information Screen
