Problems erasing HDD data using the Live CD

[bfree]

I would like to delete the data thereon or format the drive.

You don't need to delete anything, just format the partition and it will all be gone!

No it won't if a drive is just formated then even basic file recovery software can get to the data.

This command will zero oout the partition (I think you'll have to rebuild the partition.)
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hdb1(or whatever the drive name is)
To completly erase the drive use, (I know the drive must be rebuilt)
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hdb(once again, place the drive name here)

After wards uses something like qtparted to rebuild.

Yes, if you want to erase any chance of data recovery you will need to do a lot more then just formatting the partition, but you will also have to do more then just dd if=/dev/zero, preferably at least repeated passes of dd if=/dev/random.

First thing to note is that echobeach said he wanted to delete the data OR format the drive. Secondly unless you want to destroy any chance someone has of recovering what you had previously on the disk you can just format and not bother doing any of this.

If your selling the disk to a stranger though, unless you are sure there could be nothing private on the disk it probably is worth trashing the data off the drive first.