Reformat and secure data deletion

[gogreen]

I erased the old Windows XP partition and created and formatted a new one, and reinstalled Windows XP. All this on a machine I want to sell. Does this securely erase data I previously had on the hard drive? Thanks.

 

[GEWB]

I erased the old Windows XP partition and created and formatted a new one, and reinstalled Windows XP. All this on a machine I want to sell. Does this securely erase data I previously had on the hard drive? Thanks.

No, you need a "wipe" utility to overwrite all free space.

Do a search as there are many free utilities to do this. (It helps to delete cache and temp directory files, empty trash, then defrag before running the wipe utility).

Regards,
GEWB

 

[allend66]

I don't think you need a 3rd party app. Following Bare Foot Kid's excellent tutorial using the diskpart command should sort you out.

Also see Microsoft's page for extra info.

 

[GEWB]

I don't think you need a 3rd party app. Following Bare Foot Kid's excellent tutorial using the diskpart command should sort you out.

Also see Microsoft's page for extra info.

Thanks for remembering that - old habits die slowly...but does the XP version have that switch?

Regards,
GEWB

 

[allend66]

Also see Microsoft's page for extra info.

Thanks for remembering that - old habits die slowly...but does the XP version have that switch?

Regards,
GEWB

The link above seems to say so.

 

[gogreen]

Hmmm. Would wiping the free space with CCleaner do it?

 

[gregrocker]

Not CCleaner, use free Partition Wizard bootable CD if you need a GUI.

Otherwise boot the WIn7 DVD or Repair CD, press Shift + F10 at first screen, type in Command Box:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (use target HD #)
CLEAN ALL
EXIT

Takes about 1 hour per 300 gb to write zeroes to entire HD.

 

[gogreen]

Not CCleaner, use free Partition Wizard bootable CD if you need a GUI.

Otherwise boot the WIn7 DVD or Repair CD, press Shift + F10 at first screen, type in Command Box:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (use target HD #)
CLEAN ALL
EXIT

Takes about 1 hour per 300 gb to write zeroes to entire HD.

Are these directions the same for an XP machine?

 

[theog]

If using Win XP CD.





Type in command line
DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (win HD)
CLEAN ALL



http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[DeaconFrost]

DISKPART will work, but if you want something else as an alternative, DBAN is a very small, but effective program that you download in the form of an .iso file. You'll get choices as to the level of over-writing/wiping you can achieve.

http://www.dban.org/

 

[gogreen]

Well, I found DISKPART a bit too complicated for me, so I downloaded Dban's iso file and have it working on the XP machine right now. It'll take about 2 hours. It's set for autonuke, which I believe is DoD Short. Do you think that is sufficient?

Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

One set of zeroes is sufficient to overwrite any infected or corrupt code. Any more than that is for making data unrecoverable.

 

[gogreen]

One set of zeroes is sufficient to overwrite any infected or corrupt code. Any more than that is for making data unrecoverable.

My goal is to make any data unrecoverable--I should have mentioned that. Sorry. So is the autonuke DoD Short method OK for that? Thanks.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I'm surprised you thought the DBAN method was the easiest. DISKPART is very simple to use, and you were even given the commands to use in order.

Anyway, yes, that should be sufficient for data destruction.

 

[gogreen]

I'm surprised you thought the DBAN method was the easiest. DISKPART is very simple to use, and you were even given the commands to use in order.

Anyway, yes, that should be sufficient for data destruction.

Microsoft's instructions for DISKPART for Windows XP, at least, seemed complicated to me. Anyway, DBAN worked perfectly, and I'm now reinstalling Windows XP--all in preparation to selling the computer. Thanks for the word on the data destruction.

 

[FliGi7]

All data is unrecoverable after one pass of 0's to the full drive. Doing more passes than one is superfluous.

 

[gogreen]

All data is unrecoverable after one pass of 0's to the full drive. Doing more passes than one is superfluous.

Good to know. And a real time-saver for the next time! Thanks.

 

[DeaconFrost]

All data is unrecoverable after one pass of 0's to the full drive. Doing more passes than one is superfluous.

If seen plenty of people suggesting otherwise. I don't know enough to say which is right, but considering what a person has to lose, it is well worth the extra time to do a DoD wipe, just to be sure. I do them when I sell a disc online or through eBay to someone I don't know. I use a zero-only option when I give a drive to a friend or family member. When I'm dealing with releasing my drives to the wild, I prefer to know for sure that my data is gone. If it takes an extra hour or so, I'm fine with that.

Microsoft's instructions for DISKPART for Windows XP, at least, seemed complicated to me.

theog posted the commands in above. Especially in Windows 7, it is a very easy app to use, and very handy. It's handy enough that it made me stop using gdisk, which was my go to app for a decade. When you boot from a Windows 7 install disc, and get to the title screen, hit Shift+F10, I believe, and it will bring up a console to run DISKPART in. Then the commands given above by theog will work as well.

 

[Monsoon]

DISKPART will work, but if you want something else as an alternative, DBAN is a very small, but effective program that you download in the form of an .iso file. You'll get choices as to the level of over-writing/wiping you can achieve.

Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

I just want to add a word of caution here regarding DBAN.

I turned two older scsi drives into door stops when I used DBAN to wipe them.

Both drives worked prior to running DBAN, but both were dead when I went to install Windows.

I doubt if anyone here is still using scsi drives, so this is just a heads up.

 

[Monsoon]

One set of zeroes is sufficient to overwrite any infected or corrupt code. Any more than that is for making data unrecoverable.

My goal is to make any data unrecoverable--I should have mentioned that. Sorry. So is the autonuke DoD Short method OK for that? Thanks.

nothing short of an electron microscope, will recover data after a single pass with any of the major drive wipe apps.

the dod standard is for ultra critical top secret data.

no one is going to invest that much time, effort, and money in recovering your data.