If you're going to be wiping it totally, you can't be running off it at the time - so one thing you can do is to get one of those Linux "Live CDs", boot off that, and wipe if from there.
Someone made a Live CD specifically for this purpose:
Darik's Boot & Nuke. It can even run off a USB Key or a floppy disk, and does what it says on the tin.
edit: just re-read the original post: some drive failures are related to temperature, so the drive may be wipe-able if it's given time to cool down or put in a fridge for a bit. However, if the drive is really knackered, then no program is going to work on it, so... know anyone with some neodymium magnets, or a MRI machine?