Donating PC, how do I ensure all files are deleted deleted and not just deleted

[cuintexas]

All,

I have a PC that I am going to donate, but I want to ensure that all personal files are deleted with no hope of recovery. How can I accomplish that? I have XP.

[Steve R Jones]

A fresh format would be something to consider.

Can also search the internet for "Zero Fill" which wipes the drive real well.

[cuintexas]

A fresh format would be something to consider.

Can also search the internet for "Zero Fill" which wipes the drive real well.

Steve,

When you say "fresh format"....what is that? Sorry....totally computer illiterate here . I would like to be able to leave the programs that I have on it for use by who gets it.

[GroundZero3]

Many applications can recover files just from a format

This is what you are looking for: Erasing a hard drive securely and free!

[stroyal]

You are not going to be able to keep programs with either a regular format, or a secure one.
They wipe the whole drive.

The laptop may have a recovery program, to reinstall all the original programs.

As GZ said, a regular format leaves enough data for the right program to recover.
There are supposedly secure shredder, for erasing data securely, but I have never heard them recommended. I think Spybot has one.

Those might delete the data, but surely that data could also be in a swap file, or another place, that can still be read. Some shredders address this also



I have heard, even secure HD erasers, are not 100%, for the very best recovery programs, although large chunks of data may be completely erased, some will still be there.
But not everyone has an electron microscope, and the time needed.

If you want 110% secure, destroy the old drive, and get a new one.
A 20 pound sledge hammer, usually makes them 100% secure.

A good HD eraser is usually good enough, for most cases.

[stroyal]

One other thing.
I just recycled 12 computers from a school (gave to people without computers), and part of the deal was to securely wipe all the hard drives.
I used the program, that GZ recommended.

I hope it worked.
I'm confident that is did, unless the FBI is interested.

[Dude111]

Restorarion also works (Replaces every deleted sector with 0s (I think its 0s)) (Does much more also)

http://www3.telus.net/mikebike/RESTORATION.html (restoration.zip)

I use this and love it

Good luck bud!

[stroyal]

I think you must concern to an expert weather using it itself !!

What dose that mean?
Is that your advise?
Take it to an expert.

If you are not an expert, why are you giving advice?

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

What dose that mean?
Is that your advise?
Take it to an expert.

If you are not an expert, why are you giving advice?

Have you read their other posts...? At first I thought there was something that you could do once you got to a certain number of posts, but it still doesn't make sense - you'd need LOADS to get anything, or at least anything worthwhile..

[stroyal]

Have you read their other posts...? At first I thought there was something that you could do once you got to a certain number of posts, but it still doesn't make sense - you'd need LOADS to get anything, or at least anything worthwhile..

Yep, I read them.

[adam-red]

At the company I used to work at, we used Darik's Boot and Nuke. You stick the boot disk in and it detects any writable drives and writes zeros to them.

Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

DBAN is a means of ensuring due diligence in computer recycling, a way of preventing identity theft if you want to sell a computer, and a good way to totally clean a Microsoft Windows installation of viruses and spyware. DBAN prevents or thoroughly hinders all known techniques of hard disk forensic analysis.