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Cleaning up an External Harddrive

#1 Hal06

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Posted 05 April 2010 - 07:00 PM

On another thread I have detailed issues relating to copying from a laptop to an external harddrive. Thinking that the external drive was the problem I bought a new one. However, it is now clear that the old external hard drive was not the problem. So, I want to take advantage of the store's generous return policy to return the new external hard drive. I tried copying files onto it and the copy failed. I deleted what did copy. Is there anything else I should do before returning the hard drive?

Thanks.

#2 computerxpds

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Posted 05 April 2010 - 07:10 PM

I would Format it before you return it or "nuke" it especially if you had copied anything important to it...

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#3 Hal06

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 07:09 AM

Thanks for the reply. How do I format or nuke it?

#4 OldPhil

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 09:34 AM

Hal06, on Apr 6 2010, 08:09 AM, said:

Thanks for the reply. How do I format or nuke it?

Go to the drive manufactures site and down load their wipe program, it will write 0's to the drive.

Phil

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#5 Hal06

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 12:00 PM

Manufacturer's site did not have a wipe program.

#6 Delta16

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 01:07 PM

(right-click) My Computer > Manage > Disk Management > (right-click) the external drive and select "Format" > Choose "Quick Format"

That should format your drive. Be careful which drive you format.

Regards
Delta

#7 DOSCAT

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 01:32 PM

Hi Hal06, You could download Recuva from filehippo.com or do a google search.
Download it then install it, Open program do a scan of your the external drive then tag all files then right click, a menu will pop up and pick secure overwrite checked, then it will ask you if you are sure that clicking yes mean they are gone forever. click yes it will take
some time just let it run. When that is done go to computer and highlight your external drive right click and pick format (make sure you have picked your external drive)
Now that should take care of it. I use Recuva and I have had very good luck with it.

DOSCAT

This post has been edited by DOSCAT: 06 April 2010 - 09:33 PM

#8 hamluis

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Posted 06 April 2010 - 02:46 PM

FWIW: I think you misinterpreted "manufacturer" to mean the external drive manufacturer.

That was not the intent, it's the hard drive manufacturer (the hard drive is inside the enclosure) who supplies the diagnostic.

In cases where the hard drive manufacturer is also selling external drives, it's one and the same.

Louis

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