How can one delete safely their files and hard drive. Other than manually destroying the Hard Drive? I have heard on TV about Evidence Eliminator? Does it work if not how do you delete data? According to the news we as a nation rip up bank statements burn credit cards etc but often will just throw our computers on tips or give to sites without doing anything to our data. What can we do
2007-02-21 01:11:13 · 8 answers · asked by Derek L 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Security
Can you please explain to me in detail?
2007-02-21 01:14:32 · update #1
formatting the drive is the only way
2007-02-21 01:13:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Formatting the hard drive DOES NOT destroy the data at all, it just writes new tables for where to store data on the drives.
Dariks' Boot and Nuke is usually suggested for free:
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
Personally, I prefer CopyWipe (also free):
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/copywipe.php
But Active Killdisk is also highly regarded (also free):
http://www.killdisk.com/
These are all software solutions and destroy securely all the data on a drive. The drives can Be used again though.
Mechanically you can attack old drives with an oxy-acetylene gas torch, or dismantle the drive and mechanically scrub the oxide coating off the platters inside the drives with coarse wet-and-dry sandpaper. The drive cannot be used again though with these methods.
If you want to "sanitize" your own drive, that is securely erase all traces of documents you have worked on and so on, then Evidence Eliminator" probably is best, although the free program "Crap Cleaner" is still pretty good, while for erasing single files or folders (or memory cards, USB flash drives, etc) I prefer "Eraser" (again free). Both of these can be downloaded from:
http://www.castlecops.com/downloads-cat-29.html
I hope this helps?!
2007-02-21 01:52:10 · answer #2 · answered by TK_M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've learned that once somethings written to a hard drive, it can never be removed. Although you need a super data recovery expert to get it back.
Its best to get a high powered magnet and put it around it, that will destroy it, then throw stones at it just to make sure.
2007-02-21 01:27:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
in many circumstances interior the government or enormous agencies, drives are destroyed whilst they fail or are retired. this is easier than spending hours percontinual to break the counsel with application. and that i detect that a hammering a huge screwdriver interior the path of the acceptable conceal destroys a difficultcontinual very efficiently.
2016-10-02 12:05:00 · answer #4 · answered by dorais 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use Darik's boot and Nuke (DBAN). Formatting the drive does not make the files unrecoverable.
2007-02-21 01:14:54 · answer #5 · answered by whodeyflya 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Eraser is free and is considered as one of the best disk eraser available.
http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/
2007-02-21 01:15:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well it seems to me you have private, personal, and/or blackmailable matterial you have in ur pc that you might distroyed quickly if you get the CIA, FBI and what other goverment/law enforcement dudes.
buddy, google it.
2007-02-21 01:32:36 · answer #7 · answered by Homer 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
http://dban.sourceforge.net
It will make sure all is dead and gone, but the HD can be used again.
2007-02-21 01:38:55 · answer #8 · answered by Chris Down 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋