Erasing the Hard Drive ?

[danno1]

I want to erase my hard drive on my laptop, because it`s my works computer. And I`m turning it in.
I have financial accounts on there, and want to completely erase it.
I would still like to keep the XP Program on it. If that can`t be done then, I guess I would have to remove it also.

I bought a program called Drive Erase Pro. Anyone know if this could erase all but the XP ?

[striperman36]

Boot the CD and shred the drive.
THey will probably just re ghost it

[crash]

Last job I left, I put a new drive in the computer and kept the old one. Even once formatted, if they really want the data, it can be sent out and recovered.

[NJTackle]

Go to the manufacturer website and download their hard drive utility to write zero's to the drive. This is called a low-level format. This will wipe out the drive (and OS) and not make it recoverable no matter what....or so I was told.

Replacing the hard drive with a new one is also a good idea Then drive a screwdriver or nail thru before discarding. Never assume just because it is thrown in the trash its gone.

[EricW]

If you need to erase data files on your pc and you know where they are, there is a shareware program floating around the net called "eraser". After you install it you can right click on individual files and "erase" them. It has several levels of wiping (#of passes of writing zeros). I think you can customize your own too.

If you want to erase the whole drive, I use Darin's boot and nuke. You create a floppy disk and boot it up. It is linux so it isn't the most user friendly , but not bad. It totally wipes the entire disk. It takes a couple days depending on HD size, but is very effective.

You can google both of those and find them. PM me if anyone has trouble finding them.

Eric

[JohnR]

To sum up what's above, the best way is to "Zero out" the hard drive and reload the operating system. No quick / easy way to leave the OS and just rid the data files...

[Adam_777]

Webroot Windows Washer is a good program that has a utility built in to clean your hardrive all files .Operating system and all.It walks you thru making a boot disc then simply install disc and run program.What you'll have left is an empty clean drive.No point in keeping xp on it.The computer will most likely be scrapped or put in a pile for parts.Spy sweeper also has a free space cleaner which removes all data from free space on your harddrive.The program is a must for windows xp.IMO.

[MrHunters]

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

start from scratch afterwards though.

[Swimmer]

If you still need to erase the drive let me know and I'll tell you how I have done it twice with great success. And it involves none of the above. You can reinstall whatever program that ran your computor afterwards and it'll work fine.

If you need to really clean it take it to a portable sandblaster at a local garage. That'll do it.

[crash]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

If you still need to erase the drive let me know and I'll tell you how I have done it twice with great success. And it involves none of the above. You can reinstall whatever program that ran your computor afterwards and it'll work fine.

If you need to really clean it take it to a portable sandblaster at a local garage. That'll do it.

I take em to the gun range. Mauser really takes the guesswork out of it. .

[FormerUser]

Originally Posted by crash

I take em to the gun range. Mauser really takes the guesswork out of it. .

Very satisfying too!

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by crash

I take em to the gun range. Mauser really takes the guesswork out of it. .

Not everyone has spare .308 ammo to do the job