Windows 7 Deleting only partition also remove virus?

[zaboo9]

Background: I have a computer with 1 partition, it was Windows 7 and has McAfee Endpoint Encryption (EEPC). I used Copywipe 1.14, a disk wipe utility on the Ultimate Boot CD (v 5.27) to delete the only and only partition on the hard drive. I then rebooted and booted off a flash drive my company uses to re-image.

Question: Does removing a partition make it impossible for a virus that was on the Windows PC to transfer to the flash drive?

 

[TriplexDread]

It all depends what the Virus was

Some can shift to different drives and makes backups of themselves.

It may attach itself to emails and duplicate itself that way

It may depending on the Virus also hide within the MBR (master boot record)

There are many sites offering help, I myself am not an expert but a simple search will help you find more information. Like the one below

http://techlogon.com/2012/01/15/how-to-check-for-and-fix-mbr-virus-infection/

As for transferring to flash drive yes it can. Use a closed media like a dvd or cd

 

[zaboo9]

How to COMPLETELY wipe a hard drive (including MBR, Partition Table, etc)

I work for a company where security will sometimes notify us in IT to re-image a user's hard drive due to malware. We re-image using bootable flash drives with our companies custom Windows 7 image (includes applications, McAfee Endpoint Encryption, etc) which I boot to and then let it run and install Windows and other apps all on its own. Backing user data up is not necessary. I know that some viruses can be transferred to flash drives without Windows even booting up.

I want to keep my bootable flash drives malware/virus free. My question is, what is a way to completely wipe every sector of a hard drive (including the MBR, partition table, EVERYTHING) so that there is ZERO chance of any sort of virus/malware remaining ANYWHERE on the hard drive?

If there is something on the Ultimate Boot CD, that would be most preferable as I have that.

 

[muckshifter]

You want to perform something commonly called a "low level format". Actually the term "low level" is a bit of a misnomer.

Go to the section /HDD/Disk Wiping on the Ultimate Boot Disk. There you'll find various "tools" to do the job. I suggest you find out what Hard Drive is installed and use the appropriate manufacturers tool, some are on the UBD, like Samsung, Fujitsu & Maxtor.

Here is a link to Seagate's tools & howto.

Flash drives can be easily infected with "nasties", use a CD/DVD. Reinfections of systems is down to the individual knowing some basic knowledge of how to avoid 'infections' but is not foolproof.




I merged your two threads as they are on the same subject

 

[Abarbarian]

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/free-data-destruction-software.htm

Darik's Boot And Nuke, usually referred to as DBAN, is the best free data destruction software available.
Data Sanitization Methods: DoD 5220.22-M, RCMP TSSIT OPS-II, Gutmann, Random Data, Write Zero
DBAN is freely available in a ready-to-go ISO format so all you need to do is burn it to a CD and boot to it. The DBAN program's menu interface is also very easy to use.
DBAN is an open source project.
DBAN Review & Free Download

 

[cuba]

I think not, you must reinstall the entire operating system on all disks.