I've had a lot of bad things on my hard drive is there a way to wipe it clean so that no undelete program could recover the files? I don't mean one of those programs that deletes files you have on it now the things i want to get rid of where deleted months ago but can still be recovered with a program :(

yes, smash you HD with a hammer

You can allways low level format the sucker

Yes. I believe Norton Utilities includes such a utility. It's amazing how recoverable information from hard disks can be, especially under Windows.

....yes, smash you HD with a hammer... :eek:


what is low level format? I format the thing every month only takes 20min to do and to put everything back thanks to a SCSI removable hard drive that thing moves 1gb fast even after i have formated my computer i can still download a undelete program and get nasty files i had months ago on my hard drive.......when i format i use a quick restore cd, i guess everyone does it that way.

Low level formatting totally removes the partition table from your drive which contains the drives partition structure.

Technically by doing so there is no way to retrieve the information that was stored on the drive prior to low level formatting.

This is also a good way to get rid of master boot record viruses, etc. that just wont go away.

Can someone please tell me how to do this? When i format my computer all i do is put in the quick restore CD and reboot and hit yes a few times and 20 min later everything is back like it was when i first bought it.


I did get a virus once that would not let me boot up i had to do i quick restore and it took 9 tires before it would restore 100% it got stuck at 10% the first time i tried to restore it then 20% the second and so on but every since then when i do a quick restore it dosen't install my audio drivers so i have no sound it did before i got that virus though.

thanks



[Edited by JB on 01-06-2001 at 10:37 PM]

To do a low-level HDD format, when you boot your computer up, you hit 'Delete' to enter the BIOS area, then choose 'HDD Low Level Format' or similar option.

ok but what will be there after that is done? do i use the quick restore cd after that or what im confused?

JB

after it's done the HD is totally unaccessible, you need to boot from a floppy, create partition tables and normally format the HD once again ..

(I still think that hitting it with the hammer is allot easier)

I don't have any idea on how to do that? a hammer sounds like a good idea now.

JB, relax! :)

Is your windows CD bootable? If it is the original, it has to be bootable. If not, just put in a floppy. Goto the control panel --> add remove programs --> and create a boot disk. Once your done creating it. Test it! Restart your computer with the floppy in the drive. It should boot from the floppy. If all goes well. Goto the BIOS and give your hard disk a low level format!

But the original emergency disk that came with you computer maybe ok, but i usually format (if in windows 98 with cd support) then install windows 98 or 95, but you have to ave a win 98 start up. then format will erase all. Then its a new HD again.

what about creating partition tables do i have to do that to?

Is your windows CD bootable?........i don't have a windows cd just the quick restore cd that comes with the computer but i guess windows is in that right?

JB

I would advise you to take your computer to the local computer store or call a friend with a little more experience, you will need to create partitions, you will need more than just the rescue disk... sorry my friend, but this one is a little more complicated than that

Carlos is correct, take is to somewhere like Staples, or a local teenager that knows what they are doing, I am sure you will find help somewhere.

I would use a zero-fill tool to wipe the HD, then restore the data either via the Restore CD or a back-up.

Go to your local speaker store and ask for a speaker with at least a 70-oz magnet. Then pass the magnet over the hard drive. Congratulations. Instant low-level format. Use this trick at parties hosted by people you don't like or when you have sensitive information that you dont' want anyone to read.

I think your looking for a program that I downloaded some time ago. "BC wipe". It wipes all the free space on your drive. Take a look... http://www.jetico.com/

I was recently introduced to a program called 'Evidence Eliminator'.

It claims to provide an easy fix for your originally described problems. Beats the forensic squad...:)

I have actually used it and, eventhough through my own ignorance I a***holed my hard drive, I suspect it will provide a more than adequate solution without the risk of complete annihilation of your system.

Just read the insructions. I didn't and I suffered.

Cheers.

And whathever you don't ... Don't take it to Staples :D .. they will charge you up the wazoo, take it to a mom and pop computer store ;)

From a friend and former employee of the chain (they call it Business Depot in Canada), the technical support agents for BD are more often than not co-op students and have very little training and/or experience. You'd probably be better off wiping it out with a hammer than through these guys.

Magnets. BIG, BIG MAGNETS.

That would do some real cleaning. Permanent cleaning :)

There is allways the 15th floor window dropping method ... works everytime :D

It seems that this kind of problem reveals the true fabric of our guru's at WHT.

Who said violence was the last resort of the incompetent????? :D

I enjoy a bit of a kick myself, so I'll suggest using the good old Aussie screwdriver..:smash:

Actually .. it's too much work to even remove it from the case, just drop the entire box (try aiming it at pedestrians ..)

hehe.. yea.. and if you get caught, just tell them, the window was open ;)

Seriously, if you absolutely must have the data off of the drive forever you should do it this way. Don't try the magnet trick, it only scrambles data around, which is easy enough to get off of the drive for a data center. Also my friend can use ion beam machine and get just about every inch of data left on it. To truly get the data gone i would recommend you carefully open the hard disk. Start by taking an oven cleaning product and pouring it all over the platters. Let it sit for awhile, and rinse it off. Then carefull (as the oven cleaner might be flameable) Take a small torch (pocket torch)and evenly burn everyside of the of the platters. The reason for the heat is that it destroys magnetism. The oven cleaner removes all grease or thin polymer layers that might cover the actual magnetic part of the platters. Using this meathod my friend was not able to recover any data using the ion beam machine. Best wishes.

Okay, here's the REAL solution for the chefs out there:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (or set a 1982 Pony on fire, same thing).
2. Insert hard drive into oven/open flame.
3. Cook for 9-12 minutes or until you hear the sounds of "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" from a parent/wife/relative/the fire department.
4. Remove hard drive from heated area and insert into a snowbank or freezer.
5. Attempt to reinstall hard drive into your machine.

* Disclaimer: this method has not been approved. Please see a psychiatrist before, during, and after this procedure. Stupider people may experience burn marks on their hands because they didn't wear oven mitts when removing the hard drive.

Humm, Spider that sounds delicious ;)

Should I make like those two fat old British cooking ladies and surround the whole thing in ten pounds of lard CRego3D? Or should I just leave it al dentry...al dented...al bundy...CRUNCHY STYLE?

Originally posted by jiminsd
I think your looking for a program that I downloaded some time ago. "BC wipe".

**product available wound in rolls and stuck on the wall of BC's bathroom...

sorry, couldn't resist

Greg Moore

Hmmm, where can I get an ion beam machine?

sounds pretty cool. I want one!

Originally posted by akashik
Originally posted by jiminsd
I think your looking for a program that I downloaded some time ago. "BC wipe".

**product available wound in rolls and stuck on the wall of BC's bathroom...

sorry, couldn't resist

Greg Moore

I am surprised somebody else didn't get that one, but seriously, if you want to make sure that the data on that disk disappears take it to Los Alamos, NM and label it Top Secret.

Originally posted by Marty
Originally posted by akashik
Originally posted by jiminsd
I think your looking for a program that I downloaded some time ago. "BC wipe".

**product available wound in rolls and stuck on the wall of BC's bathroom...

sorry, couldn't resist

Greg Moore

I am surprised somebody else didn't get that one, but seriously, if you want to make sure that the data on that disk disappears take it to Los Alamos, NM and label it Top Secret.

Actually I was wondering how long it would take someone to pick that up... :rolleyes: Not good enough guys! :D

That's what happens when I'm out of town for a day. I need to train an assistant.