Can you format an HD but not the OS?
- Thread starter rawfa
- Start date
you have to zero it out so that it actually writes over all the information on the hard drive. did you already delete everything? if you're using a mac you can use disk utility to secure erase the disk. not sure on a pc but you can check out killdisk (can't vouch for it though).
GenJerDan
Veteran
Windows?
Without doing a DOD wipe on it, it'll just have to be "good enough".
Log in as administrator and remove all user accounts and uninstall all non-OS software.
Defrag the hard drive. A few times.
Increase the page file to take up all the space you can and let it run like that for a while. Do thing that will cause paging...huge web downloads and such.
Put the page file back down to where it belongs.
That should pretty much scramble anything left lurking on the drive.
A lot simple to just wipe the drive and reinstall the OS.
Without doing a DOD wipe on it, it'll just have to be "good enough".
Log in as administrator and remove all user accounts and uninstall all non-OS software.
Defrag the hard drive. A few times.
Increase the page file to take up all the space you can and let it run like that for a while. Do thing that will cause paging...huge web downloads and such.
Put the page file back down to where it belongs.
That should pretty much scramble anything left lurking on the drive.
A lot simple to just wipe the drive and reinstall the OS.