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Mom is buying a new computer and wants me to erase *ALL* info from her drive.

What is the method and command to reformat the C/ drive?

Info loss is okay, it's going in the dumpster when we are done. The thing is slow and antiquated.


Thanks

At the command prompt>

format c: \s

That will wipe the entire C: drive and keep system files so you could boot...

To be extra safe, you could rub it with a high powered magnet afterwards.

Another thought would be to go to the manufacturers site and grab their formatting tool. You can usually perform a low-level format (meaning writing all 0's or 1's to the drive). It takes a while longer, but is probably the cleanest way to do it...

Cool. Thanks.

Plan "B" be would be physical removal and reformat by hammer and nail.

Oliver's Army wrote:Cool. Thanks.

Plan "B" be would be physical removal and reformat by hammer and nail.

I like plan "B"

She is getting a new computer and wants to destroy all data from the OLD machine?

You can reformat, but that can ALWAYS be recovered. If you want to rid it of ALL data and be unable to recover anything from it without physically destroying the hardware you can 'killdisk' it.

I always suggest doing that at least twice. Even that is not 100% since a hard drive can actually be recovered after overwriting as many as 7 times.

Of course there probably isn't anyone out there that would put the time and effort into it given the fact that it is just your mother's personal computer...unless she works for the CIA...

If you want to 'killdisk' it let me know...I can toss you a copy of the software.

I work in an industry that has strict regulations on data destruction so if it is good enough for us I am sure it is good for you...

Also...does she plan on installing an OS again and making the old machine usable? Might as well have a backup..

Chris

I doubt it she wants anything to do with reinstalling anything

This is the woman who wanted to toss it a year ago "Because it wouldn't shut off"

Turns out she was *restarting* it over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

I deserve sainthood for dealing with the weekly computer crash phone calls.

I stand by the statement that a person should never use a new technology invented within 40 years of their birth.

Gasoline + Flame

Oliver's Army wrote: I stand by the statement that a person should never use a new technology invented within 40 years of their birth.

Then why are you on the internet?

why not just replace the HD with a new one. they are not that expensive now days...

of course, your level of paranoia may differ...

they can still recover it if you burn, smash, destroy, maim, and torch... havnt you seen CSI??

sevesd93 wrote:

Oliver's Army wrote:Cool. Thanks.

Plan "B" be would be physical removal and reformat by hammer and nail.

I like plan "B"

We do plan "B" at the Data center I work in. Seems barbaric, but I challenge you to get anything of it when it's 'done'.

I have a hard drive that has a nice 30.06 hole through it.

Scary thing is, it actually identifies the drive (and then informs me it can't boot from it....maybe it's the melted platters that are preventing it).


Ollie, my recommendation is the same. Erase HD, find large drill or hammer/nail, rinse, repeat. And if you are really paranoid, drop it in a tub of water and freeze it solid, then smack it on the ground outside. Should shatter the platters nicely...