- Aug 28, 2016
- 1
- 0
- 1,510
I want to erase the hard drive completely. It has Windows 7 on it and I want to erase it so it is like a clean new hard drive.
Will this method erase the OS that is installed on the hard drive?
- Thread starter granddmaarizona
- Start date
Solution
"I want to erase the hard drive completely." Yes, "completely" meas everything, including all the OS, is erased. You would have a drive with NOTHING on it, just like a brand new one. But, of course, it would have some usage hours.
gervino
Honorable
- Nov 6, 2013
- 104
- 0
- 10,710
Well you can quick format it, tell the computer that the harddrive is 'empty' and it will just say the disk is empty and write over the old data. If you want to destroy all the data that no one can ever recover it, try doing full hdd formatting (like writing random 1's and 0's). This process can take a few hours but it will make sure the data is completely gone.
Software like 'killdisk' does that. If you just want a empty hdd for your own use, I say use quick format and go use the disk!
Software like 'killdisk' does that. If you just want a empty hdd for your own use, I say use quick format and go use the disk!
Chicano
Judicious
- Aug 29, 2011
- 5,071
- 29
- 35,490
To erase it completely so it's like a new HDD, you need to run a Low Level Format Tool... that will remove everything including the partition table and write it full of ones and zeros., or zeros.. and to use it you will have to format or initiate it like you do to a new one. Disk wiper/scrubber software can do the same and maybe do it a bit better but they can take much longer to complete. I have used the Low Level Format Tool because it gets the job done quicker... and only on small HDDs. The free version can only do 180GB per hour... but disk wipers can take longer. So pick your tool depending on your HDD size and the time you are willing to wait. I'd suggest doing the research on time it takes on the tool you want to try before downloading. Of course if time is not a problem, get the top rated tool.
http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/
http://www.lowlevelformat.info/
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/Hard-Disk-Scrubber.shtml
http://www.diskwipe.org/
http://helpdeskgeek.com/free-tools-review/5-free-programs-to-completely-wipe-a-hard-drive/
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