Permanent deletion of files

Hi all.
I want to sell my laptop and want to securely delete all files except the os (vista).
What is the best way to go about this?
I've seen a couple of freeware progs on here (although one said it was free but asked me to pay when I came to use it?)
I have downloaded erasure though that looks a bit technical.
Also, once you have used these things how can you check that stuff is unrecoverable??
Cheers.

 

Killdisk is a top rate tool but be warned once you use it to erase files they are gone forever so be carfull what you ask it to do.

http://majorgeeks.com/Active_KillDisk_d4791.html

 

The best thing I've ever used is Eraser (http://eraser.heidi.ie/download.php).

The easiest thing to do with Eraser, once installed, is to delete everything you want to delete using normal methods (i.e. send to Recycle Bin), empty the Recycle Bin, and then open Eraser, and run a task overwriting all unused disk space on your drive with at least one pass (you can set this in Options - Erasing).

Use file recovery software to verify the contents are really gone (such as Recuva, or another freeware recovery program) if you don't trust it.

 

Thanks all for the replies.
mcsmc, that's the one I downloaded in the end and I am in the process of doing what you suggested.
I shall then use the recovery prog to check.
Cheers.

 

Me again.
One other thing.
I've got lots to delete, bit of a pain.
Would this work??
Delete all accounts including files, then use the account that would be available at start up and then run eraser over all unused disc space??

 

If you have a lot to delete (and several user accounts), make a NEW user account (make it with administrative privileges), and delete all of the previous accounts, which will delete all of the Documents, Pictures, etc. folders period.

However, information NOT in those accounts, saved to other parts of the hard drive, won't be deleted by doing that, so if you have files saved elsewhere, make sure you delete them as well (if you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, make sure you check C:\Users\Public as well).

Then, run Eraser's erase unused disk space.

 

Hmmmm.
Formated the D drive, not the os drive, then tried to run eraser on that drive.
It tells me to try again using a administrator account.
I am using a admin account.
Any clue??
Cheers

 

I thought it may have been that I had formated the drive but i have just tried it on the c drive and it does the same.
It isn't recognising me as a administrator???

 

You have to right click the Eraser shortcut and click "Run as Administrator" when opening the program.

 

Thanks for that mcsmc.

 

No problem, sorry I forgot that (important) step when explaining it to you before!

 

Hi KV.
I had no idea ccleaner did this type of thing.
The author of Eraser says that on a modern hdd even one pass is enough.
I have got eraser to do the job now, I think, but I will take a look at ccleaner out of interest.
Cheers

 

Personally? I never have, never will, sell a hard drive. Any I don't use anymore, failing or not, I take apart and completely bend up the platters (or break, if they're laptop drives). If I were to resell a computer, I'd buy a new HDD for it first, because no amount of overwriting the data will ever make it COMPLETELY irrecoverable.

I guess I'm just not a trusting person.

I use Eraser on the HDDs I currently use.

 

best way would be http://www.dban.org and reinstall the os.

Do you have the disks that came with the laptop?

And yes the permeate way is to replace the HD.

 

Also with eraser is you can create a "nuke disk" that would erase everything including your os that you would have to reinstall with a disk.

 

Hmmm, it appears you are all correct.
I tried eraser with a 7 pass on my pc on a few avi files.
Used 'Recuva' a FREE app from the ccleaner people, and there were some of the files still intact.
If a free app can find them then a 'professional' app could probably find the plans for building a pyramid!!
This is a mates laptop, he never made a backup disc so no way of recovery.
Oh well.

 

I gave you the tool to do the job in post 2#
All you do is burn it to a CD and boot your PC with the CD in the drive, it will give you all the options you will need,
It is the most powerful tool for wiping drives,

http://majorgeeks.com/Active_KillDisk_d4791.html

 

Bill.
I was under the impression that KillDisk wipes all, including the OS??
Like I said in my last post, he didn't make a backup disk (OOps)

It also says
'Limitations: Supports One Pass Zeros method only. A full featured, registered version is available for $29.95.'
I take it you need the full version to do a proper job?

 

It does the same thing as Eraser, or apparently, CCleaner, does. It overwrites data. Eraser (and apparently CCleaner) is free, and will do multiple passes without passing your wallet in the process.

The fact is, as was already pointed out, using the hard drive's magnetics won't properly make data completely irrecoverable. A much stronger magnetic force is required (alternating current was mentioned).

I always check the cluster tip option on Eraser, which helps, but again, no software is foolproof when it comes to this.

Data recovery on hard drives is based on the "prints" left by data. The longer data is on a drive, the more susceptible it is to being recovered. If you overwrite data on a drive and then leave it that way as long as the original data was on there, the original data is a lot less likely to be recoverable.

Think of it like paper and pencil. If you write on paper with a pencil, and then erase it, you can still make it out most of the time. If you write in the same spot after erasing, you can STILL make out the original writing. Not all of it, but at least portions. It's kind of the same thing.