Permanently deleting hard drive files...

So I'm contemplating deleting my hard drive entirely then formatting.
Recommend it or not, if so, which program(s) would you recommend.
I have everything pretty much backed up, so that's not an issue.
Thanks

 

What is it exactly that you hope to achieve?

Do you want to permanently erase files because of privacy, or do you want to format and install Windows?

 

Windows won't let you delete everything on your hard drive while in windows. Just format using windows install, it is much easier.

And you can delete basically everything except for stuff needed to run windows but I think there are some things that if you delete it a window will come up saying a file needed by windows was modified and gives you 60 seconds to save your work before it shuts down to repair whatever was changed. You can always select everything except windows folder and press shift + delete just to see what the hell would happen.

 

Just want a complete clean, fresh install of winxp-pro on my hd.
That's it.
Figure with a format only, I'll still have leftover files from the prior setup and I want to start on a clean slate.

 

*bump*

 

Just go to your hard drive manufacturers web site and download the diagnostic tools provided. Most have a utility to write "0"'s to all sectors of the hard drive. thus returning it to an as shipped condition minus the wear. MG's has several in their download section.

 

As you're formatting and installing Windows, you don't need to worry about that.

Assuming there were even any files left after the format (which there aren't), installing Windows would overwrite them anyway.

 

a format will erase all the files on a hard drive.

 

Apparently not, because some stuff is still recoverable.
I want manufacturer type settings on this new install I will be doing.

 

If memory serves correctly, the format command only replaces the first character of a filename with a tilde, leaving the file itself intact and recoverable.The hard drive manufacturers tools write "0"s to all sectors on the hard drive, and supposedly return the hard drive to an as shipped condition. The only utility that I could find in the down load section was Darik's Boot 'n Nuke! I've never used it, so I can't comment on its effectiveness. Hope this helps!

 

Whether or not formatting erases everything is irrelevant in this case.

As I stated earlier, he/she is installing Windows also.

Anything left would be overwritten by that installation.

 

@Insomniac,

I'm not trying to start an argument, only answering the question that was asked! As jak3y has already stated that some files were recoverable using the format command only, I reposted my original advice.

If I'm correct, wouldn't Windows install itself in the first available space? And if so, wouldn't the other sectors still contain the files that were originally there, but marked as available due to the tilde as the first letter of their file name?

 

Having a debate doesn't mean it's an arguement.

As far as recovering files, do you know how difficult that would be?

We are talking a home PC, not homeland security.

Format and install Windows, and then if anyone thinks they can recover the files, I'd love to see them.

 

@Insomniac,

I wasn't trying to have a debate either, as I was only answering jak3y's question. As for being a matter for Homeland Security, I doubt it, but don't know jak3y's profession, so can't be sure!

But, if it is a debate that you want, then let us proceed! Formatting in Windows using FAT32 only changed the first letter of every file name placing a tilde as the first character of the file name, thus signifying to Windows that the space was available for use. Not sure if this changed in NTFS! But if the above is correct, and actions were as described, wouldn't Windows install itself in the first space available on the hard drive? And if so, wouldn't Windows install itself in its original space on the hard drive and leave everything else intact? I await your answer.

 

You can try to talk as much theory as you like, it's meaningless. (not to mention I don't bother reading it. )


It goes back to my original statement, which is still unanswered, "If you think it's so easy to recover files and data after formatting and installling, please tell me how, I'm all ears"?

 

You are correct in that my last post dealt in theory, which you don't read, but it wasn't me that originally said that files were recoverable, it was jak3y. Let us wait for a response from jak3y and see how hard it was. I call a truce until jak3y's response, if that is acceptable!

 

Hi Insomniac / Novice ....!

I completly agree with Insomniac that is really difficult to recover files after format ...

but just an FYI

there are some softwares that can recover data after a format, again on the same principle of what Novice Mentioned.

I was'nt able to find any software in MG

but this one seems like it can do the trick, although i havent used it so cannot comment on the functionality of the software's

http://www.runtime.org/

&

http://diskinternals.com/

Here is a Question for Jak3y
You mentioned that you still get files after a format

Can you please explain the exact method you are using to Format you HDD, ?

Which System do you have ( I Mean Branded or Locally Assembled )

 

since no one explained it in plain English, I will. After a format, the actual data bits remain on the Hard drive. A format will remove all pointers to those files, so your computer will not even know that these files reside on the disk. When other files are overwritten onto the old files, the bits are simply changed to the correct on or off setting. The only worry is if you have sensitive files, such as government or business documents with sensitive info. If your not worried about somebody stealing your Hard drive and recovering any files, then a normal format will provide the same result as writing all zeros to the whole hard drive. It takes a long time to format large hard drives these days.

As Novice stated earlier, there are utilities to turn all the data on a HD to zeros, but that is not necessary if all you want is a clean slate of windows installation. After you have installed Windows, restored your backups, and defragged once, most of the old files will have been overwritten at least partially by other files. Every major Hard drive manufacturer, (such as Western Digital, Maxtor, etc.), have their own utilities that provide the formatting functioning of writing all zeros to the Hard Drive. I used Maxtor's MaxBlast for my HD since that came with my HD.

 

Just get the drive tool from the drive mfg's website, and use that to low-level format the drive. It will also let you know if there's any issues with the drive after it does it's thing. I use the drive tool as standard procedure to a clean install. So many people are reinstalling cuz they are having issues. I want to know the drive is clean and healthy before I do a reinstall. You wouldn't put a new paint job on a car, without looking it over seeing if the engine's gone, or the frame was broken would ya?