wiping out harddrive

ok, mamma geek here, wanting to know how to wipe out hard drive from old computer so that i will feel comfortable giving the thing away, or throwing it away in the trash and knowing that it would take alot to bring up impertanent information that was put on there throughout the years.

computer is windows 95 upgraded to win98, got it in 1997 or 98 and at that time it was a 64K / 400megahertz ??? that's all i remember about it. not even sure if that's right! sorry if that sounds dumb !

at one time i had to re-format it after a crash.... believed to be a virus that wiped out everything! anyway....hoping someone can help. i used to have the 'formula' to do what i am asking but can't seem to find it.

thank you anyone who can direct me on what to do!

mamma 'g'

 

Or you can use DBAN (Derik's Boot and Nuke):

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4596

 

Pop this on a floppy and shred the thing
http://www.download.com/Active-Kill-Disk-Hard-Drive-Eraser/3000-2092_4-10188745.html?tag=lst-0-1

 

You welcome. Though, I figured that BigBazza would have immediately posted that link before I did. Seems he posts it alot.

 

halo.....if i use killdisk, i would download a version for a floppy and then put that in the computer i want to wipe out? (because that one doesn't have the internet and i am not sure if i can use a cd or not).

ok, so which one is better for an old clunker like mine.....win98?

i would hate to use one and it not work thoroughly/properly and then not have a chance to re-do it with another program.

hope all this makes sense!

thanks!

 

Windows 98 is the only viable option for your computer. Windows 95 will give you compatability problems with too much software. Having said that, Microsoft no longer support Windows 98, so you get archive security updates, not any new ones, and that can make windows 98 very much hackable. There is the option to pay Bill Gates money for those updates though. Upgrading Windows may require new drivers because of compatability issues, and with an oldie like yours, will require hunting some out on the internet. As Windows 98 is no longer made, finding a copy could be interesting, i suggest Ebay as a first port of call.

All versions of windows boot from the CD, and give you step by step instruction on the screen, even to a shredded disk. During installation Windows 98 will ask you for drivers. Hit cancel to every request, and install them aftwerwards.

Good luck.

 

If you are looking for software to completely wipe your hard drive, I would recommend using Stompsoft drivewasher. It does everything from a low level format all the way up to the Gutmann method (35 pass). Plus, it wrote zeros a whole faster than Western Digital's DLG program.

»www.stompsoft.com/drivewasher.html

 

If you are looking for software to completely wipe your hard drive, I would recommend using Stompsoft drivewasher. It does everything from a low level format all the way up to the Gutmann method (35 pass). Plus, it wrote zeros a whole faster than Western Digital's DLG program.

Link

 

So basically I use one of these programs ppl have suggested.

One dumb question though. Do I get a set of instructions on how to get the process started? I am only good at doing stuff on the computer with instructions, I cannot think ahead and know what I would be doing next, because, I don't know how computers 'really' work. Sad, I know! Any technical advice is welcome here!

 

you can say that again oclanboy lol