Erasing all computer data

Z

zstevens

New Member
I'm a computer novice and need to erase ALL the data on my desktop PC which uses Windows XP for it's operating system. What is the easiest and most cost effective way to do this myself? When doing this is it necessary to reinstall Windows XP?

If yes, is there another solution besides buying a Windows XP disc to reinstall Windows XP? Thank you for any and all help.
 
I'm a firm believer in destroying the hard drive. This way there is absolutely no way anyone could recover your data. But, if you want the computer to still be usable, the best way would be to look into a low level format utility/zero-write. I guess that's essentially what Bodaggit posted. There are also plenty of others if you google a little.
 
Thanks for the info gents. Using the Boot and Nuke program will erase ALL files on my computer correct? If you were me how would you go about reinstalling Windows, what is the cheapeast, easiest way my friends?

Thanks for your help :)
 
use a zero write utility. 1-pass for standard, 7-pass for NSA standard, or 35-pass for Guttman. theoretically the Guttman pass is the most secure, but i've never heard of anyone even recovering data from the single pass erase.

obviously the more passes you do, the longer it will take... so on a big harddrive, expect a 35-pass to take quite a few hours.
 
The_Other_One said:
I'm a firm believer in destroying the hard drive. This way there is absolutely no way anyone could recover your data. But, if you want the computer to still be usable, the best way would be to look into a low level format utility/zero-write. I guess that's essentially what Bodaggit posted. There are also plenty of others if you google a little.
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dban is more than just a format, it will let you run either a dod wipe(7 passes i believe) or a guttmann (35 passes). 35 Passes the drive is basically empty and all information is 99.9999% unreadable.
 
The reason I need to remove all the files from my computer is that there is a hidden keylogger on my PC, will this definately solve the problem. Does the Guttman Pass delete ALL files?
 
Zstevens there is a better way to remove a keylogger then wiping your hdd. I am a firm believer in fix it if you can. I bet malwarebytes may be able to find the program and neutralize it. Do not reinstall windows unless necessary and for this i believe you should run a good antivirus don't go for wiping unless there is nothing else you can do
 
The_Other_One said:
I'm a firm believer in destroying the hard drive. This way there is absolutely no way anyone could recover your data. But, if you want the computer to still be usable, the best way would be to look into a low level format utility/zero-write. I guess that's essentially what Bodaggit posted. There are also plenty of others if you google a little.
Click to expand...

Depends how well you destroy it. Unless you melt it down, grind it up and dump it in random rivers, the data can be recovered. (For a pretty penny)
But then you've just dumped toxic materials and valuable metals into the environment, and now you're out an HDD.

When you could just zero-out.
1 pass will stop a great majority from recovering. (Unless you're a threat to national security or up against a serious pro or something)
7 pass will get you > $25,000 in laboratory fees to recover just a few bits. (If even that much is recoverable)
35 pass will stop anything in its tracks, 6 times over
 
tyttebøvs said:
At what destroy-level do you think is more secure than overwriting it?
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im pretty sure he means he brute force destruction, which is throwing your hard drive at your drive way, or drilling holes in it, but obviously you dont need this. if you can, the easiest way would be to do a system restore or recovery.
 
ganzey said:
im pretty sure he means he brute force destruction, which is throwing your hard drive at your drive way, or drilling holes in it, but obviously you dont need this. if you can, the easiest way would be to do a system restore or recovery.
Click to expand...

As the previously poster said, overwriting is more secure than this way of destroying it, because overwriting does it at a much lower level.
 
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