Selectively Wipe a Partition

[Daave]

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop PC
to our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell Reinstallation
CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions: one partition
contains everything (Windows, programs, and data) and there is also a
Dell diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and
format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked me to
securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of
programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe). However, I'd rather not
reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this? Specifically,
what I would like to do is wipe *only* the main partition. That is, I
would like to keep the Dell diagnostics partition intact. I am concerned
that most of these programs wipe the entire hard drive.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Daave]

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop
PC to our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell
Reinstallation CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions: one
partition contains everything (Windows, programs, and data) and there
is also a Dell diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and
format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked me to
securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of
programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe). However, I'd rather
not reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this?
Specifically, what I would like to do is wipe *only* the main
partition. That is, I would like to keep the Dell diagnostics
partition intact. I am concerned that most of these programs wipe the
entire hard drive.

More info:

I booted off the DBAN CD I created.

In Interactive Mode, there were three entries under "Disks and
Partitions":

[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,-) ST3120023A
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,1) Partition
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,2) Partition

How do I know which of the two partitions is the Dell Diagnostics one?
That's the one I want to keep!

 

[John McGaw]

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop
PC to our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell
Reinstallation CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions: one
partition contains everything (Windows, programs, and data) and there
is also a Dell diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and
format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked me to
securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of
programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe). However, I'd rather
not reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this?
Specifically, what I would like to do is wipe *only* the main
partition. That is, I would like to keep the Dell diagnostics
partition intact. I am concerned that most of these programs wipe the
entire hard drive.

More info:

I booted off the DBAN CD I created.

In Interactive Mode, there were three entries under "Disks and
Partitions":

[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,-) ST3120023A
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,1) Partition
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,2) Partition

How do I know which of the two partitions is the Dell Diagnostics one?
That's the one I want to keep!

I can think of two methods right off hand. 1) open the boot.ini file in
notepad and see what the boot partition is -- it is likely to be 1 but this
will confirm it. 2) go into disk management and see what it says about the
partitions on the drive.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop PC to
our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell Reinstallation
CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions: one partition contains
everything (Windows, programs, and data) and there is also a Dell
diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and
format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked me to
securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of
programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe). However, I'd rather not
reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this? Specifically,
what I would like to do is wipe *only* the main partition. That is, I
would like to keep the Dell diagnostics partition intact. I am concerned
that most of these programs wipe the entire hard drive.

Thanks in advance.

You could use an imaging program such as Acronis TrueImage to save an image
file of the partitions you wish to preserve, then restore them after wiping
the disk. Note that selectively wiping a disk may defy the purpose of the
exercise: There may well be private information stored on the partition
you're preserving . . .

 

[db]

usually the recovery
partition is a fat and
hidden.

so I would take a look at
the first one on the list
you provided.

perhaps you can search
for that reference at the
dell home site or repost
the question on the dell
forum to get accurate
info from other delli's

--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop PC to our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell Reinstallation CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions: one
partition contains everything (Windows, programs, and data) and there is also a Dell diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked
me to securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe).
However, I'd rather not reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this? Specifically, what I would like to do is wipe
*only* the main partition. That is, I would like to keep the Dell diagnostics partition intact. I am concerned that most of these
programs wipe the entire hard drive.

More info:

I booted off the DBAN CD I created.

In Interactive Mode, there were three entries under "Disks and Partitions":

[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,-) ST3120023A
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,1) Partition
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,2) Partition

How do I know which of the two partitions is the Dell Diagnostics one? That's the one I want to keep!

 

[JS]

Try Bart PE:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Eraser plugin:
http://www.bootcd.us/BartPE_Plugin_Details/57/

 

[Twayne]

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop
PC to our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell
Reinstallation CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions: one
partition contains everything (Windows, programs, and data) and there
is also a Dell diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and
format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked me to
securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of
programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe). However, I'd rather
not reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this?
Specifically, what I would like to do is wipe *only* the main
partition. That is, I would like to keep the Dell diagnostics
partition intact. I am concerned that most of these programs wipe the
entire hard drive.
Thanks in advance.

In addition to what I see others have offered:

There are sometimes 2 extra partitions on a Dell. I just had one here
that had a drive X plus a hidden, unlabeled partition. Both were FAT
formatted. One parition held diags and a database, the other the
programs for all the accesses needed to do a rebuild.
To see and add a drive letter to the hidden partition, use Disk
Management. It will let you assign it a drive letter so it can be seen
normally.

I also note that a friend gave you a computer to fix up and you are not
going to follow her wishes? I hope she's not a good friend because IMO
that amounts to lying to her. Since you've no idea what some other
"friend" may have set up for her, you need to do as she as asked, since
you're her friend.
But something that might make that OK for you to do is, Dell has all
those applications and programs right on their site and as long as it
was bought from Dell or an authorized seller, all you need is the Tag
number off the machine's label to access each and every piece of
software on the machine and download it. That way you know it hasn't
been mucked with and that no malware had made its way to either of those
partitions. Drive X is right there in the open for malware to work
with, even if it is FAT.

My 2 ¢ anyway.

 

[db]

aint that the truth.

sometimes its best to
let people pay for
assistance and then
they have someone else
to rag on.
--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Daave]

In addition to what I see others have offered:

There are sometimes 2 extra partitions on a Dell. I just had one here
that had a drive X plus a hidden, unlabeled partition. Both were FAT
formatted. One parition held diags and a database, the other the
programs for all the accesses needed to do a rebuild.
To see and add a drive letter to the hidden partition, use Disk
Management. It will let you assign it a drive letter so it can be
seen normally.

There are two partitions. The main partition is the one I want to erase.
It is 111.75GB NTFS, and it contains everything: OS, programs, and all
the data. The other partition is the Dell Diagnostics partition; it is
39MB FAT.

I also note that a friend gave you a computer to fix up and you are
not going to follow her wishes? I hope she's not a good friend
because IMO that amounts to lying to her. Since you've no idea what
some other "friend" may have set up for her, you need to do as she as
asked, since you're her friend.

What in the world are you talking about? The volunteer wanted to make
sure I wipe C:, which is *exactly* what I'm doing. I realize in my first
post I used the phrase "hard drive," but surely you understand me. The
Dell Diagnostics partition doesn't need to be wiped. She doesn't have
any data whatsoever on this tiny partition! She just wants to make sure
her data is wiped. And all of it is on C:.

But something that might make that OK for you to do is, Dell has all
those applications and programs right on their site and as long as it
was bought from Dell or an authorized seller, all you need is the Tag
number off the machine's label to access each and every piece of
software on the machine and download it. That way you know it hasn't
been mucked with and that no malware had made its way to either of
those partitions. Drive X is right there in the open for malware to
work with, even if it is FAT.

There's some food for thought.

 

[Daave]

One of our volunteers recently donated a Dell Dimension 8250 desktop
PC to our nonprofit organization.

Its Windows license is for XP Home, and we do have a Dell
Reinstallation CD for XP Home (SP1a). This PC has two partitions:
one partition contains everything (Windows, programs, and data) and
there is also a Dell diagnostics partition.

Normally, I use the XP CD to delete the old partition and create and
format a new one. However, this volunteer specifically asked me to
securely wipe her hard drive first. I am aware there are a number of
programs that do this (DBAN is one, I believe). However, I'd rather
not reinvent the wheel. Is there anybody experienced in this?
Specifically, what I would like to do is wipe *only* the main
partition. That is, I would like to keep the Dell diagnostics
partition intact. I am concerned that most of these programs wipe
the entire hard drive.

More info:

I booted off the DBAN CD I created.

In Interactive Mode, there were three entries under "Disks and
Partitions":

[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,-) ST3120023A
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,1) Partition
[ ] (IDE 0,0,0,-,2) Partition

How do I know which of the two partitions is the Dell Diagnostics
one? That's the one I want to keep!

I can think of two methods right off hand. 1) open the boot.ini file
in notepad and see what the boot partition is -- it is likely to be 1
but this will confirm it. 2) go into disk management and see what it
says about the partitions on the drive.

I had already tried Disk Management, which wasn't of any assistance, but
the boot.ini file indicated that C: was on Partition #2. Thanks for the
idea!