looking for software or frre download of sortware to clear my hardrive...completly of old files pictures etc.
2006-10-20 08:12:16 · 8 answers · asked by ? 3 in Computers & Internet ➔ Software
If you are looking to securely erase your hard drive, simply reformatting your hard drive won't cut it. This is only effective against amateurs. Any good file recovery program will be able to recover the data from your hard drive.
I use a program called Darek's Boot and Nuke
It will completely erase your hard drive. I use the Department of Defense setting with 3 passes. This will be sufficient in most cases.
A word of caution. All data and programs on your hard drive will be unrecoverable. Kind of the point of doing a secure wipe of your hard drive.
Anything you want to save from your hard drive must be copied to CD-ROM or some other sort of storage outside your computer before you erase your drive.
You will then need to reinstall your operating system and all of your programs to make your PC useful again.
2006-10-20 08:30:12 · answer #1 · answered by Mad Jack 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to Start > Run > Type "cmd" in XP or "command" in other Windows > OK > Type "format C:" > Press Enter. Tadaa, you got a clean harddisk.
As for secure clean sweep, there is little way to completely erase any data so secure that it is impossible to recover other than.... melting the harddisk in acid, this is what DoD (and CIA, NSA, KGB (if they still exist today), or any 3-letter-government-agencies) actually do if they really wanted to eliminate super sensitive data.
2006-10-20 09:00:15 · answer #2 · answered by Lie Ryan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Realistically you need to physically destroy the harddrive but, an excellant free programme which will clean 99% of information is DBAN whichh is available for Windows, Opensource and Apple Mac. It is downloaded via an ISO image and should you use it select the DOD option. The entire procedure will take between 12-48 hours depending on the amount of files and the size of the harddrive.
2016-05-22 05:36:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can always format your hard drive and reinstall your OS.
Or if you know what brand of hard drive you have you can go to their website and most offer some kind of low level format program.
I'm assuming though it's your C: drive you want to delete files from completely.
2006-10-20 08:16:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
DBAN. Darik's Boot and Nuke. You can Get it at www.dban.sourceforge.net. I work with Red Cross chapters and other businesses and when I get rid of equipment, this is the program I use. It is a D.O.D. rated program and it is free.
2006-10-20 08:22:48 · answer #5 · answered by Kevin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are numerous free and pay version of secure erase tools.
Try http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/Hughes/SecureErase.html
2006-10-20 08:24:12 · answer #6 · answered by SHAWN G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try typing into command prompt (DOS):
format C:\
2006-10-20 08:53:12 · answer #7 · answered by oxygengiver2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have something to hide?
2006-10-20 08:14:46 · answer #8 · answered by jklassen 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋