Computer help: Formatting a hard drive
Formatting a hard drive
by tommos27 - 10/1/07 7:43 AMI am (hopefully) selling my laptop and I would like to format my hard drive (for safety and privacy reasons) I am selling the laptop with vista and I was wondering if formatting the hard drive would delete the operating system. The laptop did not originally come with vista but I have the installation disk. I would not mind installing it again but I have already used the product key if it makes a difference.
Please could you help?
Thanks
ps. the laptop will be on eBay if you are interested
Well.
by bob b - 10/1/07 9:30 AM In reply to: Formatting a hard drive by tommos27Good.
Format and reload.
Better.
Run a pass of killdisk/dban format and reload.
Best. (high paranoia level)
Remove the HD and destroy it.
It seems there is no good way to 100% erase a HD.
Your call.
How much?
by BrianZachary - 10/1/07 9:54 AM In reply to: Formatting a hard drive by tommos27There are programs, that if used by someone who knows what they are doing, can bring back anything that has ever been deleted on a hard drive. There are also programs that will destroy anything that has ever been deleted so that nothing can be brought back.
I use a couple file shredder programs to get rid of files instead of just deleting them. Download Accelerator Plus has a file shredder included with it, but will only let you shred files up to 4MB. Kryptos 2 will let you shred any size files.
I have another program called Revo Uninstaller that has a feature that will let you totally destroy anything that has ever been deleted so it can't be brought back, so that might be an option for you before formatting.
Getting to my title, how much are you selling the laptop for? Which operating system did it come with and do you have all the discs for it? I'm just curious because I don't go to eBay and it will go quick since it didn't come with Vista. Especially since Vista is being hated more and more everyday. Let me know.
Just jumping in here Brian. . .
by Coryphaeus - 10/1/07 3:43 PM In reply to: How much? by BrianZacharyIf you want to have contact with a member, fill out your member profile. They can email you from CNet.
Yes and No
by comicfan - 10/1/07 11:30 PM In reply to: How much? by BrianZachary[quote]There are programs, that if used by someone who knows what they are doing, can bring back anything that has ever been deleted on a hard drive. There are also programs that will destroy anything that has ever been deleted so that nothing can be brought back.[/quote]
There are a few things to look at here. Typically, as bob suggested will work fine. The data would have to be important enough for most to even want to get at, it's not just click and boom operation. There are programs that will do a wonderful job, but unless you physically destroy the disk, <even that has exceptions depending> there is a way to get it back. Forensic labs can recover data using micro technology, even some disks that were burned, scratched, hammered or even shattered or course depending what portions are recoverable as to a certain point, no disk would be if properly destroyed. I leave you with this..
Unless you have some government files or work for the secret service, or important enough info that is worth the time and effort, Bob's suggestion will work quite nicely. Else a person's only option for complete erasure would be take it out, use it as a frisbee, then a cup holder, spare tire on a Tonka Truck, throw it in a fire pit, drill holes, hammer it flat, etc...you get the point.
Paul
What about...
by BrianZachary - 10/2/07 3:00 AM In reply to: Yes and No by comicfanWhat about a magnet? Magnets are supposed to erase data from discs so wouldn't that be an option as well? Would that mess up a hard drive so that nothing could be put on it again ever? Just curious.
Magnets
by comicfan - 10/2/07 7:31 AM In reply to: What about... by BrianZacharyHmmm, I don't think a magnet would effect the data directly. On a Floppy, yes since it uses magnetization much like a cassette tape, therefore data is easily erased, but a hard drive would take one hell of a magnet to effect the data if specifically looking to erase it, even a huge speaker magnet wouldn't do it and I doubt any magnets you or I have seen in a common house hold would do. So I would say no.
Paul
Well.
by bob b - 10/2/07 7:48 AM In reply to: What about... by BrianZacharyWhat about a magnet? Magnets are supposed to erase data from discs so wouldn't that be an option as well? Would that mess up a hard drive so that nothing could be put on it again ever? Just curious.
------------
I'm not a HD guru....perhaps what your saying is true.
However the focus of this thread is not about putting more data on a HD.
But rather how to keep the data that is on the HD from being recovered.
It is my understanding (limited reading) there is NO 100% effective way to erase a HD.
Data recovery houses have some very effective tools.
Run a file shredder prog or disk wipe util 100's of times.
Send the HD to a data recovery house along with a blank check.
I suspect you'll be amazed at the amount of data that is recoverable.
I have already used the product key if it makes a difference
by Grif Thomas
- 10/1/07 4:05 PM
In reply to: Formatting a hard drive by tommos27
Yep, it makes a difference.. If the installation disc (Recovery disc) came with the computer and is OEM, then you'll need to use the product key on ONLY this one computer. On the other hand, if the disc is a standard/full XP installation disc and you've already used the XP product key on another computer, then you can't use it on this one as well when preparing it for sale. Unless your version of XP has the option to install on a second personal computer, it won't validate and as such, you'd be selling the computer without a legal OS.
Yes, formatting the computer will eliminate the operating system but to securely wipe the drive, programs such as those mentioned earlier, Dban, Killdisk, etc. are a better alternative.
Hope this helps.
Grif
Are you sure?
by BrianZachary - 10/1/07 9:21 PM In reply to: I have already used the product key if it makes a difference by Grif Thomas
Grif Thomas:
"Yep, it makes a difference.. If the installation disc (Recovery disc) came with the computer and is OEM, then you'll need to use the product key on ONLY this one computer. On the other hand, if the disc is a standard/full XP installation disc and you've already used the XP product key on another computer, then you can't use it on this one as well when preparing it for sale. Unless your version of XP has the option to install on a second personal computer, it won't validate and as such, you'd be selling the computer without a legal OS."
My friend used the recovery disc from one computer he bought to install that operating system onto a different computer and he used the key code that came with the first computer, which went right in and validated. He now has both computers with the same operating system. Does that make the install on the second computer an illegal copy? If you buy a computer, don't you own everything that comes with that computer, since you paid all that money for it? And putting anything from that computer onto another one shouldn't be considered illegal if you own both the computer and whatever you put on it and use it for personal use. It's one thing to make copies and sell them to people, but for your own personal use, if you buy something, you should be able to use as you see fit.
Me too!
by chippyrcr43 - 10/2/07 4:56 AM In reply to: Are you sure? by BrianZacharyI was wondering about the same thing. I wanted to replace my eMachines hard drive with a 320gb HD. But I was not sure as to whether or not I could use my "eMachines System Recovery CD/DVD" to install Windows XP on the new hard dive.
-Tyler
Tyler, That's A Different Issue..
by Grif Thomas - 10/2/07 11:37 AM
In reply to: Me too! by chippyrcr43
Since you are simply replacing the hard drive on the same machine, YES, the System Recovery Disc should correctly and legally install everything on the new hard drive.. Still, it must be on the same machine with the same motherboard, etc.
Hope this helps.
Grif
Alright!
by chippyrcr43 - 10/2/07 3:35 PM In reply to: Tyler, That's A Different Issue.. by Grif Thomas
Ok, thanks alot for your help guys! But I'm just curious, why would changing the motherboard make a difference? What if someone were to get a new motherboad and cpu, but keep their hard drive, would the System Restore Disk still work?
-Tyler
(P.S.) As I said I was just curious ^.^ I am building a new computer and I am going to upgrade from XP HOME SP2. I'm going to try XP Professional or keep working with Ubuntu!
If The Motherboard and CPU Were...
by Grif Thomas - 10/2/07 5:25 PM
In reply to: Alright! by chippyrcr43
...identical to the originals, then the Recovery Disc would "probably" work correctly, assuming that the model numbers were the same as the previous ones.
Basically, Microsoft says if you install a new motherboard or CPU, then you've got a different computer.. At that point, you get to contact Microsoft and discuss it with them.. Sometimes, they can be quite agreeable.
Hope this helps.
Grif
Thans alot
by chippyrcr43 - 10/2/07 6:57 PM In reply to: If The Motherboard and CPU Were... by Grif Thomas
Thanks a lot Grif! I will certainly tell my dad about this. He may want to upgrade more than a new hard drive on his eMachines. Thanks again.
-Tyler
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