Hi all,

I'm selling my pc, and I want to erase everything off it, so it's like it was when new...mebbi I should have just said restore it to it's factory settings :D

Anyhoo, I wondered if anyone would like to share their experiences and maybe give me some tips on the bestest way and fastest way to do it...

It depends on how extreme you want to go to in erasing everything.

The simplest way is to stick in the recovery CD and delete all partitions before a restore.

Some will say you should use a third party program which uses a 'bleaching' facility to erase data which exceeds the tough standards of the US Department of Defense and the National Security Agency.

Some will even say you should remove the hard drive and fit a new one. Then put your old drive in a mixture of bleach and dettol and industrial acid for two years then burn it at 10,000 degrees.

The latest version of Webroot's Window Washer features a tool to erase your drive in preparation for a sale. You can get a free trial here:

http://www.webroot.com/products/windowwasher/

Well i read an interesting article about the things left on pcs sold second hand by members of the public, companys etc!

one had details of a womens affair, others with saucy pictures etc!

if you've got nothing to hide, simply delete all partitions and format.

If u want to be safer, BC wipe or a similar program.

or for maximum safety, as alchresearch says fix a new hdd

Thanks for that Alch,

I don't think I need extreme measures, I just don't wanna scare some poor sod if they find my holiday photo's lol

and I think it's nice if your selling something to have it as back to new as possible.

i'll give that link a look over later, being herded out the door....

If someone REALLY wanted to get your data they could if you sell it with the original hard drive so bear that in mind...

A repartition and any of the utilities mentioned above will make it reasonably clean though...

The M.O.D. have declared that an angle grinder is the only way to render one of their hard drives disposable.. not really a good gimmic for selling it on mind :P

Originally posted by Martin_s
...not really a good gimmic for selling it on mind :P

Oh I don't know, sounds like you've got a funky line in crazy paving... :thumbsup:

Depending on who makes your hard drive, some manufacturers have utilities for partitioning, formatting, & generally setting up hard drives. I know the Maxtor one does a good verifiable wipe, which is generally good enough unless you're more paranoid than me :loopy:

with a duster and some old fashioned elbow grease.:hihi:

You could of course write loads of zeros over it...

Alex

Originally posted by amhudson119
You could have course write loads of zeros over it...

Alex

you'd need to do that quite a few times before the data became irrecoverable - and even then: hard disk is an analog media, same as tape, and residual magnetic patterns can exist like a palimpsest waiting to be read by someone with the tools and expertise.

If it was me I'd just delete it, its not like your some phaedophile trying to hide his stash from the police :P

just get something that will securely delete it if it's really confidential, like incinterator by the people that make system mechanic, Iolo or something?

the only secure way to delete a HD is to blow it up :?

Originally posted by amhudson119
You could have course write loads of zeros over it...

Alex



Better still, would be the following sequence (writing all 0's won't stop some of the recovery tools available):



Write to every sector on the hd (after booting from a DOS boot floppy or equiv) with (you may need to hand code a utility to do this;)):


1st - all 1's
2nd - all 170's
3rd - all 1's
4th - all 85's
5th - all 1's
6th - all 0's
7th - all 254's


Then re-partition with at least double the number of drives that were available originally (ie if hd was partitioned with 3 partitions, repartition with 6 or more), then format them and repeat stages 1 - 7 above for each drive.

Next repartition as a single drive, format it, perform steps 1 - 7 above, before performing a final format of the drive.


Steps 1 - 7 can be replaced with a DOS based shredder & a DOS boot disk.


This will result in a sanitised HD. :D :clap:

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
you'd need to do that quite a few times before the data became irrecoverable - and even then: hard disk is an analog media, same as tape, and residual magnetic patterns can exist like a palimpsest waiting to be read by someone with the tools and expertise.


Damn!


Was typing my reply (above) whilst you were typing yours.


My way would work (the binary patterns being written to each sector are very specific;)).

Originally posted by xafier
the only secure way to delete a HD is to blow it up :?


Did that a long time ago (though it was by accident).


There is another way to securely destroy a HD (and I know this works too as I have tried it (on a cheapo HD that was dieing anyway) and that involves utilising a hammer, screwdriver and pliers.

Step 1 - Dismantle HD (use screwdriver)
Step 2 - Remove disk platters (use screwdriver + pliers combo)
Step 3 - Hit platters repeatedly (use hammer)
Step 4 - Clean up mess

:hihi: :D

a powerful electro-magnet also works pretty well ;)

Originally posted by xafier
a powerful electro-magnet also works pretty well ;)


I very nearly said/typed that myself.


Incidentally, an electric drill has a pretty devastating effect on a HD too......



However, in this case, I'd probably recommend a simple repartition & format.;)

Originally posted by sccsux
Did that a long time ago (though it was by accident).


There is another way to securely destroy a HD (and I know this works too as I have tried it (on a cheapo HD that was dieing anyway) and that involves utilising a hammer, screwdriver and pliers.

Step 1 - Dismantle HD (use screwdriver)
Step 2 - Remove disk platters (use screwdriver + pliers combo)
Step 3 - Hit platters repeatedly (use hammer)
Step 4 - Clean up mess

:hihi: :D
Cool - I might try that; I'm going to dig out an old HDD

Alex :clap:

The best way is to remove the HDD and replace it with a second hand one from ebay or get one from simon at Aladins cave on middlewood road hillsbrough near wednesdays ground (that is if he is still there, I left Sheffield 3 years ago) and install the OS on that, stick your old drive in your new machine as a second drive.

doing this you know that nothing personal or private will be left on the old machine and also that you have all your data on your new machine.

Originally posted by ewloe
The best way is to remove the HDD and replace it with a second hand one from ebay or get one from simon at Aladins cave on middlewood road hillsbrough near wednesdays ground (that is if he is still there, I left Sheffield 3 years ago)



Oh it's still there.

Though for a 10G HD the latest price is /was a couple of weeks ago £49.00!!

Crown do a 40G one @ the same price!

Originally posted by sccsux
Oh it's still there.

Though for a 10G HD the latest price is /was a couple of weeks ago £49.00!!

Crown do a 40G one @ the same price!

you need to shop around a 10gb hdd on ebay ends in a hour is a £9 atm item 5178281414

failing this if you dont want to buy a new drive just swap drives over when you get your new pc.

if you don't want to swap drives I recomend window washer use the bleeching option and run it a few times.

Take a look at ebuyer or zyaan for buying new hdd a lot cheaper than £40 for 40gb in fact you can get 80GB for cheaper

you can format the disk few times that should be enough to guarantee extensive damage on the formatted data

The best way is to remove the HDD and replace it with a second hand one from ebay But when the police come knocking on your door because that HDD's previous owner left something on it, you might struggle to explain it.....
(now why didn't Gary Glitter think of that one? :hihi: )

Did that a long time ago (though it was by accident).


There is another way to securely destroy a HD (and I know this works too as I have tried it (on a cheapo HD that was dieing anyway) and that involves utilising a hammer, screwdriver and pliers.

Step 1 - Dismantle HD (use screwdriver)
Step 2 - Remove disk platters (use screwdriver + pliers combo)
Step 3 - Hit platters repeatedly (use hammer)
Step 4 - Clean up mess

:hihi: :D
i did that whe i worked for the nhs :)

you can format the disk few times that should be enough to guarantee extensive damage on the formatted data
whats with all teh necroing?

you can format the disk few times that should be enough to guarantee extensive damage on the formatted data

Won't be enough.

If you're simply formating a HD, the data will still be recoverable (irrrespective of how many times you repeatedly format it):)

But when the police come knocking on your door because that HDD's previous owner left something on it, you might struggle to explain it.....
(now why didn't Gary Glitter think of that one? :hihi: )

as long as you keep your reciept for the HDD you can easily explain that you never used the HDD yourself and that you bought it 2nd hand just to install in a pc your were selling.

your recipts will be in your inbox, so you have nothing to worry about, the police with have no evidence against you