Completely erasing hard drive making it unusuable?

fizzix · 11-18-2008, 09:42 AM

I need to wipe my hard drive of all data. So i found this Darik's Boot and Nuke program. http://www.dban.org/ and also this other program, http://www.killdisk.com/. Does anyone know which program would be better? Also, if i wipe my hd of all data, does that make it unusable? Or is it just like having a new hd with nothing on it, but still usuable? Or if you have any program that completely wipes a hd, and still makes it usuable to re-install vista on it, reply it back here, thanks!

hammer1 · 11-18-2008, 10:47 AM

http://www.stevengould.org/index.php...tent&task=view.

The above program, Windows Cleanup will wipe eveything from you HDD and will not damage it, thus reusable. When using CleanUp to Wipe the HDD, click options, Check Thorough and make sure you have a check mark in all the boxes,especially Wipe Files Clean box.

**kodi** · 11-18-2008, 10:52 AM

Both programs you mentioned are excellent for bringing a hard drive to factory condition, also most hard drive manufacturers have a free utility that cleans hard drives

Tumbleweed36 · 11-18-2008, 03:57 PM

For the best of the best, I recommend the Dban or Darik's Boot and Nuke. I don't think there is any single program out there that will do this good of a job in cleaning, although the killdisk is pretty darn close. Killdisk is a little faster and Dban a little more thorough IMHO.

11-18-2008, 09:42 AM	#1 (permalink)
fizzix Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 7 OS: Vista 32bit	Completely erasing hard drive making it unusuable? I need to wipe my hard drive of all data. So i found this Darik's Boot and Nuke program. http://www.dban.org/ and also this other program, http://www.killdisk.com/. Does anyone know which program would be better? Also, if i wipe my hd of all data, does that make it unusable? Or is it just like having a new hd with nothing on it, but still usuable? Or if you have any program that completely wipes a hd, and still makes it usuable to re-install vista on it, reply it back here, thanks!

11-18-2008, 10:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
hammer1 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 71 OS: XP	Re: Completely erasing hard drive making it unusuable? http://www.stevengould.org/index.php...tent&task=view. The above program, Windows Cleanup will wipe eveything from you HDD and will not damage it, thus reusable. When using CleanUp to Wipe the HDD, click options, Check Thorough and make sure you have a check mark in all the boxes,especially Wipe Files Clean box.

11-18-2008, 10:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
kodi Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 7,396 OS: Windows 7-Ultimate 64 Bit My System	Re: Completely erasing hard drive making it unusuable? Both programs you mentioned are excellent for bringing a hard drive to factory condition, also most hard drive manufacturers have a free utility that cleans hard drives __________________ Brian

11-18-2008, 03:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,605 OS: XP Professional	Re: Completely erasing hard drive making it unusuable? For the best of the best, I recommend the Dban or Darik's Boot and Nuke. I don't think there is any single program out there that will do this good of a job in cleaning, although the killdisk is pretty darn close. Killdisk is a little faster and Dban a little more thorough IMHO. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.