If you view tech forums or comminutes online, you can see lots of users looking for an easy way to clean storage devices, and here is one of them:. I'm going to selling it to someone but want to ensure all personal files are securely erased. What I want to do is cleaning hard drive completely and reinstalling Windows 7 its configurations does not suitable for Windows Everything on the hard disk has been backed up to my external hard drive, I'm hoping one of you here can tell me how to clearing PC step by step?
I know how to install Windows from CD but have no idea how to safely wipe hard disk. Many thanks! Are you one of those who hold the view that deleting a file is similar to erase it? If yes, you should take a fresh look at this issue. We'll explain reasons in an easier manner. Hard drive is a kind of storage devices which is used to store digital data.
Files are stored on the surface of magnetic and rotating platters in hard disk case. Hard disk changes the magnetic property of platter surface to 1 or 0 when reading or writing data. Thus all data on hard drive will be finally stored in the form of basic binary data, for example, when system saves data like photos, music, etc.
When a file is deleted, those ones and zeros of that files stays unaffected, for only a pointer indicating the file is being deleted. Therefore, the recovering deleted files is available before file data gets overwritten or damaged. What about disk formatting? Formatting works in a similar way, as it does not actually wipe data. Formatting disk or partition looks like tearing the contents of a book without disturbing actual chapters of the book. Recovery software is also able to retrieve lost files from formatted disk.
You may wonder how disk wiping works since deletion and formatting does not work on permanently clean hard drive. Apart from physical damage to hard drive, we can completely remove data with disk wiping technology. As we've mentioned above, to completely erase disk, we should remove those binary data, which means overwriting those zeros and ones with new data.
Once binary data of a file is replaced and overwritten by new data, it cannot be recovered any more. Some professional disk eraser software is able to filling up disk with zeros or random information sector by sector, ensuring no data can be recovered from a wiped disk.
Some preparatory work should be done before wiping computer hard drive in order to make sure the disk wiping can be completed without interruption or causing extra issues. Once everything gets ready, you can start erasing computer hard drive or external disks. The rest part of this instruction will show you how to wipe a hard drive, external disk, SD card or flash drive via different ways.
This method wipes computer by using the reset feature in Windows 8. This section takes Windows 10 as example to explain how to wipe computer completely. If your computer is running an older version of Windows, you can try steps in Method 2 to erase hard disk.
Here are steps to wipe a hard drive in Windows Step 1. Click " Start " menu and select " Settings " option. Step 2. Click " Recovery " option on the left navigation options and then click " Get Started " button under " Reset this PC " section.
Step 3. Select " Remove everything " option. This will remove all of your personal files, apps, and settings and start over. Step 4. Select " Remove files and clean the drive " when you are asked to whether to clean the drives too.
The cleaning process may take longer time but it makes sure no one can recover erased files. Step 5. Click " Next " and " Reset " button on following steps to complete the task. The secure way to erase data for good is overwriting data and refill hard disk using zeros or random data, so that nobody can recover wiped data with disk recovery software.
Sounds complex? Actually, nowadays cleaning hard disk is not a complicated work, and you can easily and securely erase disk using disk wipe software. DiskGenius is free software for permanently data wiping.
With this hard disk eraser, you can wipe all data on by filling disk sector by sector, making files unrecoverable. Here are features of disk wiping function:. The following content introduces how to erase data in difference situations, and you can choose which to use in line with actual demands, for instance, you want to clear an SD card or other removable devices, Case 1 is the proper solution; if you want to wipe computer, then go to Case 2.
In fact, this operation cannot delete files forever. Because every file has its structure, including directory and blocks.
When you delete files, you just remove the directory of it. If you want to permanently delete files from hard drive, you need to add new items to your hard drive and overwrite the deleted files.
Some files on the hard drive contain viruses. Viruses are everywhere. And you cannot make sure your hard drive will be safe forever. Thus, once your files on the hard drive are infected with viruses, you need to remove the files in order not to affect the entire hard drive. Usually, after you use the computer for a period of time, you may meet various problems like low disk space problem.
Thus, some users may want to sell the old computer or buy a new computer. However, the old computer contains sensitive information eg: bank account information and users do not want anyone else to know. With this software, you can permanently remove files from hard drive without effort. In fact, any method of destroying the hard drive platter is sufficient, including sanding the platter after being removed or shattering it as shown here.
Never burn a hard drive, put a hard drive in a microwave, or pour acid on a hard drive. If you'd rather not do this yourself, several companies offer the service for a fee. A few services will even fire a round of bullets through your hard drive and send you the video! Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.
Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. By Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher. Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire.
Reviewed by Michael Barton Heine Jr. Tweet Share Email.
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