HDD Question

[Rusty.]

I have a 500Gig HDD out of an old computer that has been sitting around for a while.  I haven't a clue what it has on it nor do I want to know.  Can I put it in my computer as a 3rd drive and format it safely? Do I need to worry if it has a virus on it?  I read some things online about the topic but I trust the folks on Linus forums over other forums.  Thanks in advance..

 

Rusty

[W-L]

I have a 500Gig HDD out of an old computer that has been sitting around for a while.  I haven't a clue what it has on it nor do I want to know.  Can I put it in my computer as a 3rd drive and format it safely? Do I need to worry if it has a virus on it?  I read some things online about the topic but I trust the folks on Linus forums over other forums.  Thanks in advance..

 

Rusty

 

You should have no problems installing it in your computer and going into the disk management and formatting it from there since the drive is inaccessible until you go into disk management you should be pretty safe from viruses. 

[shujin]

there is some virus that can transmit but it's really really really really not likely. So you can go for it without worrying to much 

[Rusty.]

Great! Thanks!

[Captain_WD]

I have a 500Gig HDD out of an old computer that has been sitting around for a while.  I haven't a clue what it has on it nor do I want to know.  Can I put it in my computer as a 3rd drive and format it safely? Do I need to worry if it has a virus on it?  I read some things online about the topic but I trust the folks on Linus forums over other forums.  Thanks in advance..

 

Rusty

 

 

Hey Rusty.

 

Asthe guys suggested, you can freely format the drive once you plug it in. I also doubt that any malware would infect your system by just plugging it the drive and formatting it. If you want to be on the safe side, I would suggest updating your OS and antivirus software to the latest version, plugging the drive externally (SATA to USB cable, external enclosure, docking station, etc.) or internally and perform a "writing zeros" operation. Techically formatting a drive does not erase the data, just the partition table. Writing zeros actually puts a zero on every bit on the drive and thus wipe it clean, erasing everything from it. 

Other than that, you should be just fine.

 

Captain_WD.