delete data permanently..HELP???

deborahking · Jul 12, 2010, 12:48 PM

hey m gonna sell my old PC along with hard disk, it contains lot of important n sensitive data so after backup
i want to delete it permanently so that it can never be recovered
what to do is there any tool to do such??
help!!!

***craig5320*** · Jul 12, 2010, 01:37 PM

You want a low-level formatter like this: HDDGURU: HDD Low Level Format Tool

But that's a windows tool, so you won't be able to run it on the active drive, if you have the option attach it to a second pc and format it from that one then put it back in the pc, or find a bootable formatter. I don't think the usual windows CD ones are upto scratch.

**MIG-31** · Jul 12, 2010, 01:43 PM

Killdisk may be an option for you...And it does support a Low Level Format..

It has always worked for me...But you do need a Floppy Disk Drive to use it.

***Veridian3*** · Jul 12, 2010, 02:34 PM

And HDDErase which works in DOS and has a bootable ISO etc.

http://forum.hddguru.com/hdderase-t9993.html

shaman9876 · Jul 12, 2010, 03:22 PM

Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBan) works great and is a bootable ISO that can be burned to cd-r.

DBAN Download | Darik's Boot And Nuke

Darik's Boot and Nuke | Download Darik's Boot and Nuke software for free at SourceForge.net

mkk · Jul 12, 2010, 03:26 PM

Killdisk is straightforward enough and trusted, but if you would want an option that requires no special software there is one built into later versions of Windows. Connect the drive to another computer running Vista or 7, then format the drive so that there are no files left on it, a quick format is enough for this purpose but full won't hurt. Then run this line in a command prompt:
CIPHER /W:X:
Where X should correspond to the volume letter of the drive, maybe it's ending up being called E or something. The command then walks over the empty areas of a drive three times with different data patterns, which is plenty. This can also be run on any drive with data as it only covers the empty areas, but this wiping routine does not cover the tiny bits of empty space that resides at the end of files on a harddrive. Making it not entirely secure unless used on empty drives.

Callandor · Jul 18, 2010, 02:25 AM

Here's my favorite bootable low level formating program, its called Eraser and is very easy to use as well:-

Eraser

I thought I would add it just to cataloge all these in one thread.

RoyBatty · Jul 18, 2010, 09:30 AM

There is also the Wipe Free Space function in CCleaner which you can set from 1 to 35 passes, good for cleaning USB flash disks, memory cards etc.

Jul 12, 2010, 12:48 PM	#1
deborahking HardwareHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	delete data permanently..HELP??? hey m gonna sell my old PC along with hard disk, it contains lot of important n sensitive data so after backup i want to delete it permanently so that it can never be recovered what to do is there any tool to do such?? help!!!

Jul 12, 2010, 01:37 PM	#2
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,563 Rep Power: 441 System Specs	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? You want a low-level formatter like this: HDDGURU: HDD Low Level Format Tool But that's a windows tool, so you won't be able to run it on the active drive, if you have the option attach it to a second pc and format it from that one then put it back in the pc, or find a bootable formatter. I don't think the usual windows CD ones are upto scratch. __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Jul 12, 2010, 01:43 PM	#3
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,809 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? Killdisk may be an option for you...And it does support a Low Level Format.. It has always worked for me...But you do need a Floppy Disk Drive to use it. __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Jul 12, 2010, 02:34 PM	#4
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,025 Rep Power: 181	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? And HDDErase which works in DOS and has a bootable ISO etc. http://forum.hddguru.com/hdderase-t9993.html

Jul 12, 2010, 03:22 PM	#5
shaman9876 HardwareHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: USA, WI Posts: 80 Rep Power: 62 System Specs	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBan) works great and is a bootable ISO that can be burned to cd-r. DBAN Download \| Darik's Boot And Nuke Darik's Boot and Nuke \| Download Darik's Boot and Nuke software for free at SourceForge.net

Jul 12, 2010, 03:26 PM	#6
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,487 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? Killdisk is straightforward enough and trusted, but if you would want an option that requires no special software there is one built into later versions of Windows. Connect the drive to another computer running Vista or 7, then format the drive so that there are no files left on it, a quick format is enough for this purpose but full won't hurt. Then run this line in a command prompt: CIPHER /W:X: Where X should correspond to the volume letter of the drive, maybe it's ending up being called E or something. The command then walks over the empty areas of a drive three times with different data patterns, which is plenty. This can also be run on any drive with data as it only covers the empty areas, but this wiping routine does not cover the tiny bits of empty space that resides at the end of files on a harddrive. Making it not entirely secure unless used on empty drives.

Jul 18, 2010, 02:25 AM	#7
Callandor Forged on Dragonmount Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 7,219 Rep Power: 303 System Specs	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? Here's my favorite bootable low level formating program, its called Eraser and is very easy to use as well:- Eraser I thought I would add it just to cataloge all these in one thread. __________________

Jul 18, 2010, 09:30 AM	#8
RoyBatty HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 1,941 Rep Power: 122 System Specs	Re: delete data permanently..HELP??? There is also the Wipe Free Space function in CCleaner which you can set from 1 to 35 passes, good for cleaning USB flash disks, memory cards etc.