How to Erase Data from HDD

[Jetfighter808]

So I am returning my PC but I have loads of files on it. I want to erase them (because I am paranoid of identity theft) and don't know what to do. I know C cleaner has a tool but I need one that delete's all my files but not Windows.

 

Thanks

[babadoctor]

So I am returning my PC but I have loads of files on it. I want to erase them (because I am paranoid of identity theft) and don't know what to do. I know C cleaner has a tool but I need one that delete's all my files but not Windows.

 

Thanks

1. Giant neodimyum Magnet

2. Swipe over HDD

3. Nuked

 

or use Dban

http://www.dban.org/

[Jetfighter808]

I said I don't want to delete windows so no Dban or magnet

[databookzero]

Do you have a Windows install cd?

[Jetfighter808]

No. I got the PC from amazon and returning it there so I want to delete all the data so they cant get their hands on it. Problem is I can't delete windows because it won't make them the happiest of bunnies.

[databookzero]

Make a new administrator user account. Then delete your old account. Then follow this: http://windows.appstorm.net/how-to/how-to-wipe-your-data-before-selling-your-pc

 

edit: For even more security go to Tools within CCleaner and click Erase Free Space.

[ManWithBeard1990]

Whilst the install drive / recovery tool that came with your pc can do that, it's not safe practice. You see, wen you erase a drive, the data on there isn't actually gone, the drive just stopped remembering where everything is. If someone were to use a file recovery tool chances are they will find leftovers you might not want them to find. What you really want to do is write a bunch of either zeroes or random data to the drive, so none of the original information is left. Some of these programs that do this even fill the drive with random data several times and then write zeroes, just to be sure even the most advanced forensic data recovery tools will not find anything. There are several such tools out there for you to choose from but my favourite is to perform a destructive badblocks scan from a Linux liveUSB. After doing that you can reinstall Windows.

 

EDIT: Note that zeroing a drive will often take several hours, depending on the size and speed of that drive.

[Captain_WD]

~snip~

 

Hey there Jetfighter808,

 

One way is to transfer everything from your boot partition to the others and perform a full format on them. Another way would be to get your OS key, save it, completely wipe the drive with zeros and then do a fresh install of the OS with the same key. Here's how to get it:

 

Assuming you can boot your computer without any problems, you can easily create a simple VBscript that will read the value out of the registry and then translate it into the format that you need for reinstalling. 

Copy and paste the following into a Notepad window:

 

Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId"))

 

Function ConvertToKey(Key)

Const KeyOffset = 52

i = 28

Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"

Do

Cur = 0

x = 14

Do

Cur = Cur * 256

Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur

Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255

Cur = Cur Mod 24

x = x -1

Loop While x >= 0

i = i -1

KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput

If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then

i = i -1

KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput

End If

Loop While i >= 0

ConvertToKey = KeyOutput

End Function

 

You’ll need to use File -> Save As, change the “Save as type” to “All Files” and then name it productkey.vbs or something similar ending with the vbs extension.

 

Feel free to ask questions

 

Captain_WD.

[Jetfighter808]

I got a program called Eraser and it has an option to delete files in a folder which is what I want. Does it work (FYI: I am using the Gutmann Method Because I am Paranoid)?

 

Thanks