As i've just bought a laptop, my P.C is being sold. I would like to erase all the hard drive for the new owner. What's the best way to do this please ?

Try this - Disk Wipe Utility to Erase, Delete, Wipe, Overwrite disk, drive, data, files

I did this when I handed back my works laptop and set it to 35 passes, then checked with several restore apps. Very impressed!

I'd say KillDisk but that sounds more thorough than the free version of it. Unless you paid for that one?

Steve

Me, no. 30 day trial

linux boot CD such as knoppix and run `wipe /dev/hda` should do the trick

the only sure way to delete the data is to buy a new hard drive. you will never be able to completely erase the data otherwise the police wouldnt catch a lot of paedophiles.

But something with a 35 pass wipe will definatley get rid of the data from your average joe computer user. Either that or a Gutmann Method Wipe which iirc is a 55 pass wipe that the US DOD uses for all data below secret.

The only product i know off that is commercially available that does this is a program called evidence eliminator.

Darik's Boot and Nuke

A data transfer cable will do the trick Jon. Failing that, save all your docs to a cd or dvd.

A data transfer cable will do the trick Jon. Failing that, save all your docs to a cd or dvd.

Good for moving the files, but not so good for permanently erasing them!

Chris

Ultimate boot cd has several Hdd low-level format utilities... they write zeros to every track, hence overwriting what was on there... just deleting stuff doesnt actually remove the data until it gets physically over-written.

Although ideally you want to write random data repeated rather than zeros to make the data less retrievable.

Although ideally you want to write random data repeated rather than zeros to make the data less retrievable.

Indeed. Especially after assisting a family member restore data from a corrupted drive prior to format and reinstall.

The amount of really old stuff (long since deleted) that was recovered was shocking. And surprised the hell out of the teenage son as I restored his net browsing history, deleted after browser is closed, for about 6 months!

Still several nice sites added to my favs for when the mrs is out

corrupted drive

ooops

I wouldn't touch evidence eliminator with a barge pole as it's advertised on ALL the dodgy popup, spam or pron sites....... Kinda tells you something that!

Cyberscrub is the one I use, we've recently got it at work too so it must be half ok to have passed that test!

The only way to be 100% sure is a simple procedure that involves a large club hammer :smash:

If you're genuinely concerned, buy a new HDD & retain the old one. Then take a torx screwdriver set to it & remove the platters. They make lovely shiny coasters