is there any way to erase a hd?

G

Guest

Like most people I know, I have invested in these magic applications that
claim to 'permanently' erase stuff off a hard drive.

I have since discovered that this is, for want of a better phrase, bullshit
(excuse my language).

I was wondering if, apart from 'physically destroying' my HD (as recommended
by NASA, the CIA, the NSA, The FBI blah blah blah blah) there was a way of
permanently erasing HDD contents.

I've nothing to hide, but the idea that data can apparently be recovered
even after it's been written over on the surface of a modern HDD disturbs me.

Opinions please... :)
 
J

John Wunderlich

=?Utf-8?B?QmF6emEgSGF6emEgUHJvYmxlbQ==?=
I was wondering if, apart from 'physically destroying' my HD (as
recommended by NASA, the CIA, the NSA, The FBI blah blah blah
blah) there was a way of permanently erasing HDD contents.
Click to expand...

Try the freeware "Eraser" located at:
<http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/>
One of its features is that it will create a "Nuke Boot Disk" where you
can boot your machine from the floppy and it will wipe the contents of
the entire Hard Disk.

HTH,
John
 
B

BoaterDave

You could use the FDISK facility if you can put your hands on a Windows 98
set-up disk
or download from the internet after a 'Google' search.

I hope this helps.

David.
_________________________________________________
| =?Utf-8?B?QmF6emEgSGF6emEgUHJvYmxlbQ==?=
| |
| > I was wondering if, apart from 'physically destroying' my HD (as
| > recommended by NASA, the CIA, the NSA, The FBI blah blah blah
| > blah) there was a way of permanently erasing HDD contents.
| >
| >
|
| Try the freeware "Eraser" located at:
| <http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/>
| One of its features is that it will create a "Nuke Boot Disk" where you
| can boot your machine from the floppy and it will wipe the contents of
| the entire Hard Disk.
|
| HTH,
| John
 
J

John Wunderlich

Expect that the "nuking" will/should take hours to complete.
Click to expand...

With all the gigabytes I have on my disk, I would not feel comfortable
that my information was truly erased if it didn't take some time.
Eraser has an option to wipe just once or multiple times as per
government specifications.

-- John
 
R

Richard Urban

fdisk all you want. Then give me your drive and I will recover everything
from the drive.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
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