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Wipe main HDD quickly?

Memories4K
By Memories4K
in Storage Devices
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If you are retaining use of it, a format can be done in seconds that does not actually "erase" all of the data, but it would look no different to you.  Only difference is that an expert could conceivable still recover the data.

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So, i'll be re-using a HDD that currently has Windows 10, upgraded from Windows 8.1, loaded up along with a bunch of other crap.

 

What's the quickest way to wipe everything without using DBAN for 8 hours (DBAN was a bit unreliable last time) and without using a system restore? (I would like to do a completely fresh installation of MSX)

"If you ain't first, you're last"

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If you are retaining use of it, a format can be done in seconds that does not actually "erase" all of the data, but it would look no different to you.  Only difference is that an expert could conceivable still recover the data.

Solve your own audio issues  |  First Steps with RPi 3  |  Humidity & Condensation  |  Sleep & Hibernation  |  Overclocking RAM  |  Making Backups  |  Displays  |  4K / 8K / 16K / etc.  |  Do I need 80+ Platinum?

If you can read this you're using the wrong theme.  You can change it at the bottom.

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Moved to Storage Solutions.

"It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brain falls out." - Carl Sagan.

"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you" - Edward I. Koch

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If you are retaining use of it, a format can be done in seconds that does not actually "erase" all of the data, but it would look no different to you.  Only difference is that an expert could conceivable still recover the data.

Yes, i would still be using it so i don't need to securely erase everything.

 

So long as i wouldn't find anything related to Windows 8.1 (I don't know if it's OCD or what, but any old data showing up in the new installation would feel like a blemish) you're saying the MSX's internal formatting would suffice?

"If you ain't first, you're last"

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Yes, i would still be using it so i don't need to securely erase everything.

 

So long as i wouldn't find anything related to Windows 8.1 (I don't know if it's OCD or what, but any old data showing up in the new installation would feel like a blemish) you're saying the MSX's internal formatting would suffice?

It deletes and recreates the partition more or less.  The knowledge of every file is completely lost (except for the use of recovery software).  ie, the 1s and 0s that still make up your data would be physically on the drive, but you will never see files left over from the old install after a true format, even a seconds-long one.

Solve your own audio issues  |  First Steps with RPi 3  |  Humidity & Condensation  |  Sleep & Hibernation  |  Overclocking RAM  |  Making Backups  |  Displays  |  4K / 8K / 16K / etc.  |  Do I need 80+ Platinum?

If you can read this you're using the wrong theme.  You can change it at the bottom.

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It deletes and recreates the partition more or less.  The knowledge of every file is completely lost (except for the use of recovery software).  ie, the 1s and 0s that still make up your data would be physically on the drive, but you will never see files left over from the old install after a true format, even a seconds-long one.

Thanks fam, I can rest easy now

"If you ain't first, you're last"

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