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onion
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« on: May 13, 2009, 11:16:01 AM » |
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Hi Folks,
I really don't know anything about computers, so I need some help. I have to turn over my 2 work computers on Friday, and friends have warned me that I need to "wipe" my hard drives. I've found some freeware on the internet, but, as I mentioned above, I have no idea what I'm doing.
Any recommendations for free software? My work computers are both Microsoft. Will I be doing something irreparable to the computers if I do this? I need some guidance!
Thanks,
Onion
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wegie
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« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2009, 11:27:31 AM » |
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I've used Kill Disk in the past, but there's plenty of other candidates out there. You can erase everything including the operating system if you want, but in most cases all you'll need to do is erase your personal data -- email, documents, browsing history. In general, this means that you nuke all of My Documents and any other directories you've created on the machine plus whichever directory stores your non-work email. |
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neutralname
A person without qualities, except for being a
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« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2009, 11:29:03 AM » |
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Eraser gives you the option of deciding how securely you need to wipe your disk. But you may need to set it running overnight, because it can take hours. http://eraser.heidi.ie/ |
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"My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music." Vladimir Nabokov
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john_proctor
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« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2009, 11:41:26 AM » |
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Why would you need to wipe the drives out?
I don't understand the advice.
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"Look upon me! I'll show you the 'life of the mind.'"
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onion
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« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2009, 11:48:20 AM » |
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Why would you need to wipe the drives out?
I don't understand the advice.
To be honest, neither do I. Why do I need to do this? |
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wegie
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« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2009, 11:49:53 AM » |
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Why would you need to wipe the drives out?
I don't understand the advice.
I dunno about onion, but if I was giving back a computer that I'd used for everything to a department that is a nest of snakes , I'd want to make sure there was absolutely nothing on there that they could see that was not work-related. The good ol' boys don't need to see umpteen drafts of my please come back to me letter to my ex, or my letter to the bank manager pleading for extra money so that I can move house. They don't need to know from my browsing history exactly what I was reading at Good Vibrations (or, for that matter, what I bought, because the web receipt for it is still there). HOD from hell doesn't need to be able to read and steal the draft for my next article. Even if I was giving back a computer to a department that was a nest of cuddly puppies I'd still wipe the areas of the hard drive where I kept my work and any personal data. |
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inthelab
Where beloved molecules abide
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Who knew?
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« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2009, 11:50:33 AM » |
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To rid the computer of all your personal data, including e-mails sent and received, websites visited, passwords, etc. It's a wise thing to do.
Another way to do it is to reformat or reinitialize the hard drive and put the OS back on it, restoring it to the factory condition. You need the disks for the OS it came with.
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inthelab, I love you for that.
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malcha
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« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2009, 03:38:44 PM » |
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Just posting to get this on my update list. I have to return computers in a month or so. Remind me to print this out at the office tomorrow and keep it handy.
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bookishone
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« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2009, 03:41:19 PM » |
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Is it different for Macs?
I have an old Mac that we're thinking of donating, and I definitely want to get our personal info off there.
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« Last Edit: May 13, 2009, 03:42:13 PM by bookish_one »
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science_expat
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« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2009, 03:49:13 PM » |
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How much does it cost to buy a new hard disk?
The one, surefire way, to erase data is to remove the hard disk (which requires a screw driver to open the case and about 30 seconds of effort) and then physically destroy the disk with a hammer.
Standard practice for computers my uni is getting rid of and the action I took with my last personal machine.
Can you buy a replacement hard disk for $20 or so?
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daniel_von_flanagan
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« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2009, 03:51:33 PM » |
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The "geek standard" on this is DBAN (Darik's Boot And Nuke), if your goal is a completely clean HD (no OS or anything else). You download the program in either bootable CD, bootable floppy, or bootable USB form, boot from whatever form you have, and you're good to go. - DvF |
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frankenstein
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« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2009, 03:59:56 PM » |
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Does your school have a half-decent IT department? If so, they would probably be able to help you.
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mystictechgal
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« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2009, 04:01:42 PM » |
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The "geek standard" on this is DBAN (Darik's Boot And Nuke), if your goal is a completely clean HD (no OS or anything else). You download the program in either bootable CD, bootable floppy, or bootable USB form, boot from whatever form you have, and you're good to go. - DvF Yep. Used a simlar program back when I was working as an IT manager and wanted to divest older equipment. Run whatever it is from a bootable floppy and ensure that it meets DoD standards--this one does both. If prompted to say how may overwrite passes you want to do make it a minimum of 3. I generally did a 5-pass overwrite, but I was dealing with some very proprietary information (in addition to whatever personal stuff my users chose to use their machines for). |
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erzuliefreda
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« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2009, 04:50:46 PM » |
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I'd definitely get it wiped, even if I had to pay Geek Squad or a passing geek to help. Especially if you ever posted here on it. Good luck!
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onion
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« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2009, 04:53:32 PM » |
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Thanks all. And please bear with me as I try to figure this out. We don't have a decent IT department. At all. Any opinions on this site/service: http://www.cezeo.com/products/disk-redactor/ |
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