A simple question about diskpart /clean all

Hello,
I am going to give away a computer of mine since it's old and stays there unused. At same time I don't want any signs of my data being on that computer, so I am currenty running diskpart /clean all command for both of the HDD's inside the computer.

My question is, would that be enough to securely delete data from the HDD's so any data can't be restored from them?

FaberTech said:

AndrejSPB

Use DBAN

DBAN Download | Darik's Boot And Nuke

Two of my instructors at my college recommended this one.

Just make sure no other devices such as USB devices or external HDD are hooked up to that computer.

Hello, thanks for your suggestion! I am wondering what to do if I get the following errors:

Code:

* ERROR /dev/sdf (process crash)
* ERROR /dev/sde (process crash)
* ERROR /dev/sdd (process crash)
* ERROR /dev/sdc (process crash)
* ERROR /dev/sdb (process crash)
* ERROR /dev/sda (process crash)

It seems I have a card reader that might inferne with the process, but I don't see any option to disable it from BIOS. (Or maybe I am looking in wrong place?) My windows installation is also wiped so can't access it.

AndrejSPB said:

It seems I have a card reader that might inferne with the process, but I don't see any option to disable it from BIOS. (Or maybe I am looking in wrong place?) My windows installation is also wiped so can't access it.

Even if you can't somehow disable the card readers via BIOS, invariably these are internally USB-connected to headers on the motherboard.

If you open the computer and look at the back of the drive bay where the card reader is inserted, and follow the data cable connecting it to the motherboard, you can just pull that connector off of the motherboard. That will effectively remove the drive form our machine.

There also might be a power cable going to the back of that card reader drive, and you can pull that power cable to get the same effect.

FaberTech said:

AndrejSPB

Use DBAN

DBAN Download | Darik's Boot And Nuke

Two of my instructors at my college recommended this one.

Just make sure no other devices such as USB devices or external HDD are hooked up to that computer.

He is right. Try it.

AndrejSPB said:

My question is, would that be enough to securely delete data from the HDD's so any data can't be restored from them?

"Can't" means impossible.

I doubt if any method means recovery is impossible, short of shredding the drive into thousands of pieces.

Clean all is good enough for me unless I were turning my hard drive over to the FBI or CIA.

It's mostly a matter of your paranoia level. If you are highly paranoid, clean all or DBAN aren't nearly enough.

ignatzatsonic said:

AndrejSPB said:

My question is, would that be enough to securely delete data from the HDD's so any data can't be restored from them?

"Can't" means impossible.

I doubt if any method means recovery is impossible, short of shredding the drive into thousands of pieces.

Clean all is good enough for me unless I were turning my hard drive over to the FBI or CIA.

It's mostly a matter of your paranoia level. If you are highly paranoid, clean all or DBAN aren't nearly enough.

Well, I just want to zero out all data so the new owner won't be able to easily recover my data.

Thanks for answers everyone, this is now solved.