2006-12-04 07:16:36 · 7 answers · asked by Stokleyfan4life 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
Take it in to a computer store and ask them to do a low level format on your computer. A low level format erases everything on the hard drive. A regular format leaves the information there but allows the operating system to write over it. I can't imagine it would cost any more than about $50.
The guy below me said to format and reinstall. This doesn't erase information; it only allows the operating system to write over existing information. Your personal information will still be accessible. You need to do a low level format.
2006-12-04 07:19:09 · answer #1 · answered by robtheman 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I completely agree with the low-level format. And if you are really paranoid about your personal information. And dont want to bring it in to a computer shop, you can probably find a brand new hard drive for about the same price.
Take out your hard drive, put in the new one, and advertise it as having a brand new hard drive :) that could net you a couple of bucks more....
Just make sure you buy the right hard drive that would be compatible with your system.
Goodluck!
2006-12-04 07:28:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Destroying the puzzling force is the purely element which will safeguard your archives one hundred%. even if, a computer w/o a operating puzzling force & an OS is purely nicely worth about $10 for parts. you may want to guage loading Linux over the entire force. As its record format is different, it makes fix of previous archives puzzling w/o particular hardware that few might want to be prepared to purchase purely to get your own counsel. As maximum computer consumers purely use it for surfing the internet, Linux is okay. the terrific prognosis is that a used computer heavily isn't nicely worth a lot with new, extra useful ones popping out each month. perhaps you may want to easily supply it to a depended on friend?
2016-11-23 16:30:04 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Low level format is wrong. You are thinking of a zero-fill format. They are two very different things.
You can download a free utility from here:
http://killdisk.com/
This will write all zeros to your harddrive, making it virtually impossible (at the very least, extremely difficult to recover any data).
Or you could remove the hard drive all together and sell it without one.
2006-12-04 07:25:09 · answer #4 · answered by cornpie jones 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can tell you that there are only two ways to remove/protect your personal data on your HDD. Believe me there is no software out in the market that will wipe your HDD clean. Spent many years in the intelligence service. And there are tools that can strip all your data off of any program that claims it has cleaned your HDD.
1) Remove the HDD from the pc that you are selling and let the buyer purchase their own HDD. (I put my old HDD in a safe).
2) Beat the HDD to death with a hammer. (No software tools can strip the data off once it has been banged to death with a hammer.
Minddoctor, France
2006-12-04 08:04:05 · answer #5 · answered by MINDDOCTOR 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I heard evidence eliminator can wipe out your personal information permanently
http://www.evidence-eliminator.com/product.d2w.
2006-12-04 08:04:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have a windows disk (or what ever OS ur using) format your hard drive and reinstall windows
2006-12-04 07:20:12 · answer #7 · answered by woteva 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋