How to erase my hard drive completely

[chaang]

Hi ,

 

I have a very old laptop inspiron 6000 thats in a bad state but i want to sell on ebay. My q is how do i ensure that all the info on the HD is deleted. Is there something i can use to delete everything or is it best to keep the HD. Its 160 gb so shud get a bit of cash.

 

I understand that formatting does not neccessarily delete everything and that info is still retrievable.

 

Thanks

Edited June 16, 2010 by chaang

[Craig_ozz]

if you do a full format then data is lost forever.

 

If you reload windows using the install disks, it asks if you wish to re-format first. Just say yes and re-format and load windows back onto the laptop. Everything should be gone that was on there before.

[RandyJohnson]

I would reformat - then reinstall fresh copy of windows...

But, first I would delete everything - then use "Disk Cleanup".

then copy something innocuous repeatedly until it completely fills the hard drive.

then delete it.

then reformat and reinstall fresh copy of windows.

 

do you have the original disks?

cheers

[chaang]

if you do a full format then data is lost forever.

 

If you reload windows using the install disks, it asks if you wish to re-format first. Just say yes and re-format and load windows back onto the laptop. Everything should be gone that was on there before.

 

I thought you could still recover info using specialist software ?

[Craig_ozz]

not sure about specialised software - I guess its possible. I always use Mcafee shredder for my recycle bin and temp internet files. They say shredder you cant recover files that have been shredded but hey who knows.

 

I dont have anything on my PC thats a state secret

[gogo dog]

This is the program you need

 

http://eraser.heidi.ie/

[Vortex]

This is the program you need

 

http://eraser.heidi.ie/

 

 

This will not do what the OP is trying to achieve, this needs to be installed with operating system to be used and they want to erase all data from the hard drive, the poster above who mentioned writing across the entire drive was heading along the right lines.

 

I have worked in the data retrieval industry for over 10 years, just formatting your hard drive will not work and even if you reinstall the operating system I could still access the old data.

[miles stewart]

hi try this link

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/157126/how_to_completely_erase_a_hard_drive.html

 

might help you

[miles stewart]

someone on the comments said this is good as well

 

 

 

But the best system wipe I have used is Kill Disk, at Killdisk.com. This is a stepped down Govt HD wiper. It writes "0's" through the HD. Totally wipes it out, and This is a Shareware/Freeware Program so its definetly worth the money.

[RandyJohnson]

I reformat regularly for performance reasons.

PC is so much faster after you remove all the accumulated crap.

 

I have noticed a significant difference between formatting with XP and vista.

vista takes seconds.

not sure if it is related to drive type, but It cannot be setting all the bits to zero in several seconds.

 

Specific programs do what?

i don't know.

Maybe nothing, maybe email my banking details to Nigeria?

 

what does work is writing over all the data on your hard drive with a bunch of files - text files with paragraphs of gibberish will do.

I simply wrote a program to copy in infinite loop until drive full - 2 minutes to write may take all night to copy...

probably easy to create batch file to do the same...

 

BTW - I tried to sell a laptop on eBay. Was purchased twice by Nigerians before I gave up - perfect email from PayPal(fake).

[miles stewart]

I thought you could still recover info using specialist software ?

 

after you have done the above you can check yourself if theres anything to recover tuk com have all the recovery programmes on one disk you can try and see if theres anything that can be recovered.

 

you will know if its clean then.

[spore]

If you are seriously concerned about any sensitive material on your HD, then consider drilling open your hard disk, grinding down the platters, and melting all of the parts in a furnace. Because somebody with a lot of time, money, and brains can always recover your data, at least part of it.

Edited June 16, 2010 by spore

[fostraswift]

If you are seriously concerned about any sensitive material on your HD, then consider drilling open your hard disk, grinding down the platters, and melting all of the parts in a furnace. Because somebody with a lot of time, money, and brains can always recover your data, at least part of it.

 

a computer geek friend told me this also...

 

use the following software to erase all date....to be sure

 

 

[chaang]

If you are seriously concerned about any sensitive material on your HD, then consider drilling open your hard disk, grinding down the platters, and melting all of the parts in a furnace. Because somebody with a lot of time, money, and brains can always recover your data, at least part of it.

 

i think I have the answer now . Thank You.

[Jumpmaster]

Hi ,

 

I have a very old laptop inspiron 6000 thats in a bad state but i want to sell on ebay. My q is how do i ensure that all the info on the HD is deleted. Is there something i can use to delete everything or is it best to keep the HD. Its 160 gb so shud get a bit of cash.

 

I understand that formatting does not neccessarily delete everything and that info is still retrievable.

 

Thanks

 

Go to CCleaner dot com and download cleaner for free. It has a function that will erase your HD to NSA standards. There's even a step above that available on there as well. It's a really useful tool.

[SmellyFarang]

This is the program you need

 

http://eraser.heidi.ie/

 

HDs are cheap enough that you should simply buy a new one for the PC.

 

Then you can keep your old one to use for backups/etc in an external enclosure ($10 + 2 minutes to install).

 

Best way to securely wipe a HD for disposal is to use a utility like Eraser like gogo dog says, but first put the HD into an external enclosure so you can do a full wipe of the entire drive.

[jojomecanic]

Two cases :

 

1 - You have very important datas that must not be read by any people

2 - you just care about your privacy, but if someone discover a samll part of it, it wont realy change your life (any man has had at least 1 picture of sex on his computer...)

 

Case 1 :

Just crush your hard drive and spread little pparts appart !

 

Case 2 :

- Unplug your old drive and plug it into your new computer

- download http://eraser.heidi.ie

- use this program to remove all datas using 35 pass method

- use again this program to erase unused space on hard drive (35 pass)

- repeat this wiping may be 3 or 4 times (10 for paranoïacs)

You should then be safe. If FBI gets your HDD, they might recover some datas, but we've just said we're in case 2, not case 1...

[hazze]

Deleted data can almost always be recovered.

 

When data is deleted all that is done is the first chatacter of the name is removed.

Overwriting the data is a sure way to remove it.

 

So if you really want to be sure. Delete the data. and then fill your hard disk to maximum capacity with random data.

That will destroy data beyond any means of recovery.

 

Format does not destory data, but it requires a fairly skilled person to recover this data.

 

Specialist applications can also be bought to delete data.

In practice all they are doing is deleting the data and overwriting it with rubbish.

Edited June 16, 2010 by hazze

[chaang]

Thank you guys for all your input. I really appreciate it. I will probably format and then copy 160gb of films or something and then reformat again plus the software advice.

 

If you are selling an old laptop that functions but is in really bad cosmetic condition ( some marks on corner of screen and paint worn of of palm rest etc) - Is it better to sell the parts or just sell as a laptop.

 

We are probably looking at a negligible sale price anyway for a dell inspiron 6000 that is about 5 years old right ! So probably doesnt matter either way right ?

Edited June 16, 2010 by chaang

[jasonbalmer]

While it is true that deleted data can be recovered any decent disk wipe program is going to make the recovery so time consuming and expensive as to not be worth it. So unless you have something on there that would justify someone going to a *lot* of expense, I wouldn't worry much as long as you do a decent shred of the data using a program such as CCleaner.

 

If it were me I would remove the drive and attach it to another system (you'll need some sort of adapter -- one of those USB external harddrive cases would work fine) so that I was not depending on having an OS on the drive to be wiped. I'd format the drive and then run CCleaner on it using maybe a triple pass DOD method. There is a wipe protocol in CCleaner (Guttman ... or something like that) that does 38 passes and claims to be state of the art in data obliteration. Overkill me thinks, but if it lets you sleep easy, go for it. Just realize that some of these super multipass wipes can take days to complete.

[Vortex]

Thank you guys for all your input. I really appreciate it. I will probably format and then copy 160gb of films or something and then reformat again plus the software advice.

 

If you are selling an old laptop that functions but is in really bad cosmetic condition ( some marks on corner of screen and paint worn of of palm rest etc) - Is it better to sell the parts or just sell as a laptop.

 

We are probably looking at a negligible sale price anyway for a dell inspiron 6000 that is about 5 years old right ! So probably doesnt matter either way right ?

 

Worth noting Dell parts are highly sort after in thailand, some of the repair companies in Tukcom would probably make you a fairly decent offer for it.

[jojomecanic]

When data is deleted all that is done is the first chatacter of the name is removed.

Overwriting the data is a sure way to remove it.

So if you really want to be sure. Delete the data. and then fill your hard disk to maximum capacity with random data.

That will destroy data beyond and means of recovery.

 

That is what Eraser does ! http://eraser.heidi.ie/download.php

It replace all the datas 35 times (not only first character) and after it delete them !

 

I will probably format and then copy 160gb of films or something and then reformat again plus the software advice.

 

same answer as above.

You'd better run a full delete with eraser instead of format. Then run a "delete unused space".

Format just do nothing ! Just hides datas from unadvanced users and after you cannot delete them properly.

The eraser is free ! Go for it.

[chaang]

That is what Eraser does ! http://eraser.heidi.ie/download.php

It replace all the datas 35 times (not only first character) and after it delete them !

 

 

 

same answer as above.

You'd better run a full delete with eraser instead of format. Then run a "delete unused space".

Format just do nothing ! Just hides datas from unadvanced users and after you cannot delete them properly.

The eraser is free ! Go for it.

 

merci beaucoup !

[andypoker]

if you are going to install a new hard drive dont just throw the old one in the bin

i used to work for a recycling company and nowadays all your rubbish is sorted through and sperated

there was a few guys from work that was allways looking for old computer parts to fix and rebuild old machines

old hard drives were quite common through the rubbish and the guys used to take them home and go through the old files

destroy your hard drive m8 if there is any banking info on there

[Edge]

 

If you are selling an old laptop that functions but is in really bad cosmetic condition ( some marks on corner of screen and paint worn of of palm rest etc) - Is it better to sell the parts or just sell as a laptop.

 

We are probably looking at a negligible sale price anyway for a dell inspiron 6000 that is about 5 years old right ! So probably doesnt matter either way right ?

 

Now you have it.

 

You're really selling it for parts anyway. I've looked at a lot of 6400s on there and they don't fetch much now. A 6000 isn't going to make much except to someone who wants some parts from it.

 

You see plenty of listings saying "HD removed for Privacy Reasond/?"

 

Just buy an External HD case (few hundred baht here). It's easy to take out and put into it's nice posh case and you have a very useful 160 GB Ext HD storage/backup option.

 

If someone wants to buy it to use they can buy a new HD and format and all in good.