erase hard disk drive

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Patrick97
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erase hard disk drive

Post by Patrick97 »

Hi know that even when you format a computers hard drive, there are still traces of data that are left.
I have downloaded the HDDLowLevelFormatTool. I have not used it but I reckon it would securely erase all data from a hard drive. Does anyone else know of any other program that would do a better job?

Thanks.
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kenc51
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Re: erase hard disk drive

Post by kenc51 »

Patrick97 wrote:Hi know that even when you format a computers hard drive, there are still traces of data that are left.
I have downloaded the HDDLowLevelFormatTool. I have not used it but I reckon it would securely erase all data from a hard drive. Does anyone else know of any other program that would do a better job?

Thanks.
Just get the software from your HDD manufacturer, most have a bootable CD image which can do a low level format (write zeros to the drive)
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Re: erase hard disk drive

Post by bubba »

google "boot and nuke" its a nice little program that you can boot to and will do multiple D.O.D. low level formats.

Couple things to remember when formating.

FIRST back up the important stuff, just in case.

NEVER do it when you think there could be a chance the power will go off, if it does in the middle of a format the drive is now a brick. Its best to have the machine hooked to a battery backup unit when formating.

Also when using boot disks to wipe drives, only have the drive(s) you want formated hooked up. More than once I have seen (and done myself) formated the wrong drive from a boot disk. This is why the first step is to back up the important stuff.
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Re: erase hard disk drive

Post by Darkstar »

boot and nuke is what i use http://dban.sourceforge.net/

its also on the UBCD

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Re: erase hard disk drive

Post by Softix »

I have been using data eraser ever since whenever am formating my hard disc drive http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/
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