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wipe hard drive

969 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  sobeit 
#1 ·
I want to know if my old computer is safe to drop it off at the recycling center. It is a Dell, probably 6 or more years old. I tried to wipe the hard drive and re-install Windows XP in the hopes of speeding it up. I ended up just replacing it with a new computer. Now I want to get rid of the old one but I want to be sure that all personal information has indeed been wiped out. Windows xp appears when I turn on the computer, but it looks different than it did before and I'm not able to access the internet. I checked the "properties" of the C drive and it shows that there is 25.53GB of free space - the used space is 2.38GB. I'm assuming that Windows XP would need that amount of space (this would be the Windows XP that came with the computer - probably none of the service packs). Am I correct? Does this mean that all other files have been wiped off?
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
If the system will still POST, a zero writing application such as above is probably easiest. If not, a hammer or cordless drill will destroy the drive and make it unreadable.
 
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