2006-06-15 15:48:11 · 11 answers · asked by mikejones08 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
delete them all ... then copy something ( junk ) all over the hard drive ... then delete again ... that makes sure that the original data will never be able to recover ...
2006-06-15 15:52:08 · answer #1 · answered by luxuguy 1 · 1⤊ 5⤋
Formating doesn't erase everything permanently. Data recovery software and failing that Data Recovery services can still get it.
You would need a magnet strong enough to lift a car - most people don't have these sitting around the house and the corner hardware store doesn't usually sell them.
If you want to delete everything so it is virtually unrecoverable, you need to use a disk wiping software - I use Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN). His site also lists other commercial products.
Keep in mind, the US Government simply doesn't get rid of the truly top secret stuff - because even if it can't be recovered today, who is to say it can't be tomorrow the way technology advances.
2006-06-15 22:56:28 · answer #2 · answered by lwcomputing 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) if and only if you have all the software
that came with the computer. This is a program written by the
National Security Administration (NSA) that wipes out the
hard-drive completely of any thing and everything. You will have to
reload all the software onto your computer if you use this. It is
free to download and you have to put it onto a disk. As far as
deleting things off of your hard-drive it doesn't happen. Everything
you do is date and timestamped and stored on your hard drive. That is why police, fbi, and others use data extraction software. With DBAN everything is gone. Good Luck!
2006-06-15 23:01:42 · answer #3 · answered by Skeeter 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A Cyber Crime Unit officer I know told me there is no way to remove all the info from you hard disk. Nothing in the way of disk cleaner programs or reformatting can prevent a good police CyberCrime unit from retrieving info from it.
They recently convicted a child porn lover. He must have suspected the police were aware of him and reformatted then removed it and smashed it with a hammer. They got the smashed drive and retrieved more than enough info for a conviction. Only took the jury 20 mins to find him guilty.
About the only way to clean a hard disk completely is to melt it into a molten mass.
2006-06-16 00:40:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
After going to add/remove programs in the control panel and deleting anything w/name of program you want to delete (exmp: AOL) then go: Click on Start-go to search-(or if using win 98 its under find)and you want to do a search in files and folders-type in the program (exp:aol) and click on search and delete anything it finds.
2006-06-15 23:00:39 · answer #5 · answered by oswtygrl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes go to add/remove programs or go into all programs & look for what you want to delete you'll have to restart your puter so the changes can take effect
2006-06-15 23:30:54 · answer #6 · answered by sugarbdp1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes there is aproduct.
Stellar Wipe - Safe Data Eraser
Wipe, Erase, Overwrite, Destroy, Eliminate Data and Files
You can find it here:
http://www.stellarinfo.com/file-eraser.htm
my husband of 24yrs is computer tech expert and says this one is best.
2006-06-15 23:18:37 · answer #7 · answered by noteparece? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
delete all ur partitions (if any). format ur hard drive. this should be an assuring way of losing all ur data, unless u backed up ur imp bytes.
2006-06-15 22:55:25 · answer #8 · answered by Praveen k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A low level format should do it.
2006-06-15 23:01:29 · answer #9 · answered by PBarnfeather 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honestly, take a magnet to it...it can destroy your hardrive....but it will certainly erase the information!!!!
2006-06-15 22:52:07 · answer #10 · answered by somedudeyouknow1 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋