How To Erase Your Hard Drive

How To Erase Your Hard Drive Simple Guide

#1 nat

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 09:54 AM

Hi

I'm wanting to sell my old desktop, and have been advised that I should erase the hard drive before selling it.

How do I go about doing this? I'm not too technically minded so can someone please give the "simple" guide..!

Many thanks

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#2 Kevin_D

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 10:19 AM

Hi. nat. You can try this program.

#3 rigacci

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 10:20 AM

You can do an Fdisk but that really doesn't remove it. They say that the only way is to write zeroes to it a few times.

What I usually do is just toss the HD. The best method I have seen is to put it in a log splitter (seriously).

At the cost of a new hard drive, I would replace it and then destroy it. The hard drive is just about the only thing that moves, besides the fans, so it has a limited lifespan.

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#4 Rocco5955

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 10:22 AM

Here's what I use. I just boot to either a floppy or CD, and let 'er rip!
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#5 nat

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 10:59 AM

rigacci, on Jan 15 2008, 05:20 PM, said:

My sentiments exactly !! Are you selling one by any chance!! ??

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#6 nat

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 11:06 AM

Cheers all for your answers. I think I'd better clarify my question cos I didn't put it correctly. It's actually a work laptop which I must return, not sell. I thought that I could erase the hard drive but having read your answers, obviously I can't!!

Sorry for the confusion!

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#7 hamluis

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 11:41 AM

If it's a work laptop, chances are that they will clear the hard drive before re-issuing it. You might ask before eliminating the O/S, though.

A low-level format would probably accomplish what it appears that you want. All hard drive manufacturers have utilities for doing such, available at their respective websites.

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#8 rigacci

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 04:21 PM

Sorry but no, I don't. I just bought a 120GB notebook drive for about $70 from New Egg. I imagine you could do with an 80 or 40. They are running about $50. You should then be able to reinstall the OS, in order to get it ready for sale. If it doesn't activate, call Microsoft and explain the Hard Drive was replaced. They will usually activate on the basis of either a hard drive replacement or a motherboard replacement.

Good luck.

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#9 Sneakycyber

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 05:08 PM

Use Kill Disk the government trust it, I am sure you can too. It will erase EVERYTHING.

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#10 tg1911

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Posted 15 January 2008 - 05:59 PM

If you just want to eliminate your personal files, while leaving the Operating System intact, use Eraser.

Install Eraser.
Delete all of your personal files.
Set Eraser to make at least, 3 passes (5 would be better, if you have a lot of time to spare).
Double-click My Computer.
Right-click your harddrive, and select Erase unused space.

This will make 3 passes, with 1's, and 0's, to the unused portions of the harddrive.

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#11 nat

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Posted 16 January 2008 - 04:17 AM

rigacci, on Jan 15 2008, 11:21 PM, said:

I was actually referring to the "Log Splitter""................!!!! :thumbsup:

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#12 nat

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Posted 17 January 2008 - 01:10 PM

tg1911, on Jan 16 2008, 12:59 AM, said:

If you just want to eliminate your personal files, while leaving the Operating System intact, use Eraser.

Hi TG911 - Thanks for the info for Eraser - great program - is there something similar for Linux ??? Cheers :thumbsup:

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#13 garmanma

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Posted 17 January 2008 - 01:39 PM

nat, on Jan 17 2008, 01:10 PM, said:

tg1911, on Jan 16 2008, 12:59 AM, said:

If you just want to eliminate your personal files, while leaving the Operating System intact, use Eraser.

Hi TG911 - Thanks for the info for Eraser - great program - is there something similar for Linux ??? Cheers :thumbsup:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/openeraser/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/expimenttk/
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