Formatting

[Earl]

Hi NG,

I have a 2,5" 20GB HD from my laptop that I would like to sell at ebay.
Question: 1) After I took out the HD from the laptop, did I lose all the
information that was on it because it no longer had a power source?
2) If my old information is still on it; how do I erase it without having to
build it into my laptop and do a format?

Would appreciate any help I could get.

Thanks Earl

 

[Guest]

1) No you didn't - as soon as you apply power it will all
come back (e.g. when you turn the machine off -
thankfully the information is not lost !)

2) You can't - you must re-install it and then format
drive etc.

The alternative is a very large magnet applied for around
7 hours !!!

 

[Rifleman]

The alternative is a very large magnet applied for around
7 hours !!!

ROTFLMAO!

 

[Guest]

No you did not lose anything on the drive. And if you don't like the large magnet method you could try writing zeros to the drive. Some manufacturers have programs that will in effect write a 0 to every bit on the hard drive. I have done this with a Maxtor drive and others that were also supported by Maxtor. You will however have to put the drive back into your laptop.

----- Earl wrote: ----

Hi NG

I have a 2,5" 20GB HD from my laptop that I would like to sell at ebay
Question: 1) After I took out the HD from the laptop, did I lose all th
information that was on it because it no longer had a power source
2) If my old information is still on it; how do I erase it without having t
build it into my laptop and do a format

Would appreciate any help I could get

Thanks Ear

 

[Alex Nichol]

I have a 2,5" 20GB HD from my laptop that I would like to sell at ebay.
Question: 1) After I took out the HD from the laptop, did I lose all the
information that was on it because it no longer had a power source?

No. That is the point of disks - they retain information with no power

2) If my old information is still on it; how do I erase it without having to
build it into my laptop and do a format?

You have to put it in *some* machine if you are to erase it other than
by destroying it with a hammer