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| Thread ID: 147417 | 2018-12-11 00:02:00 | How to delete data on an external hard drive | lostsoul62 (16011) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1456387 | 2018-12-11 00:02:00 | I have Drive Erase and it won't erase data on an external hard drive so does anyone know how I can erase or zero my external hard drive? | lostsoul62 (16011) | ||
| 1456388 | 2018-12-11 00:26:00 | Just reformat it, and if you are worried about the data untick the quick format and make it do the full long format. Honestly that's good enough for most reasons, who is going to steal your drive and forensically recover the data that used to be on it? If you want a secure erase tool someone else will need to help though, I'm just not worried enough about my data to bother with that stuff. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1456389 | 2018-12-11 00:51:00 | We both know that formatting does not delete the data and everyone is different and that is why I posted the question | lostsoul62 (16011) | ||
| 1456390 | 2018-12-11 01:14:00 | We both know that formatting does not delete the data and everyone is different and that is why I posted the question Best way: electric drill or download one of the many many secure erase programs I think CCleaner had that option ? WD HD tester has that option (Windlg) . If really that important, physically destroy the HD . |
1101 (13337) | ||
| 1456391 | 2018-12-11 01:16:00 | Ccleaner has a tool for securely wiping files or drives, you could try that. Formatting might not truly wipe the data, but you can always fill it up with dummy files and then format it again if you are paranoid about it. Yes we are all different, for example I'm not at all worried about the extremely remote possiblilty of someone finding a drive that used to be mine and going to the trouble of searching for deleted files and recovering them, and if they did I am not really worried about what they might find. If these things worry you that much you could always destroy the drive. |
dugimodo (138) | ||
| 1456392 | 2018-12-11 01:37:00 | You are right that the best way to wipe out your date is with an electric drill which I have done many times, however I'm giving this Hard Drive to my roommate. I'm an old man and anal about certain things that really don't matter. I know that Ccleaner will do the job, but will the free download Delete my data on my WD Passport Hard Drive? | lostsoul62 (16011) | ||
| 1456393 | 2018-12-11 03:38:00 | but will the free download Delete my data on my WD Passport Hard Drive? we all just assume these HD secure wipe tools work. I doubt anyone here spent the many hours involved in just seeing if data could be recovered after secure wipes Either accept there is some minimal risk, or destroy the drive :-) Honestly , just format & overwrite with alot of data (copy install Cd's to the HD) . Its not a simple task to recover data after that . If there is any data that no one must ever be able to get at, destroy the HD . used USB HD's are of little value , better to destroy if thats going to give you peace of mind. |
1101 (13337) | ||
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