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Sat 10 Dec, 2016 09:37 am
Hey guys. I want to wipe my computer clean because I want to get rid of it. I am not donating it or selling it, I am simply getting rid of it. So instead of going to work with a sledgehammer I just want to wipe everything clean so I can throw it away at the recycle station. So I dont need any backup files or new software etc. In a perfect world I would just type Format C: and be done with it, but apparently its not that easy anymore. How can I do this the easiest possible way? Without downloading software that will do it for me etc etc.
@Wucadlak,
I'm thinking serious magnets.
@jespah,
Assuming I had that kind of magnet lying around. Pretty sure its easier to download some program than to acquire a magnet of this....magnitude
@Wucadlak,
Well, the sledgehammer would be even easier, plus the bonus is it's cheaper than therapy.
Can't you just take out the hard drive and smash it without damaging the rest of it?
@jespah,
When you use that sledgehammer, make sure you wear protective glasses.
The OP has set a difficult condition by saying "no downloads". I would download and burn one of the LInux live CDs, (my choice would be Knoppix) boot the computer with it, and use its disk shredding tool to do a secure erase. Formatting won't permanently destroy the data.
https://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-securely-destroy-wipe-data-on-hard-drives-with-shred
Such a disk is very handy and has lots and lots of useful tools.
@Wucadlak,
What operating system does the computer have? Windows has an option that lets you completely rewrite the drive and reinstall the original factory settings.
@InfraBlue,
InfraBlue wrote:Windows has an option that lets you completely rewrite the drive and reinstall the original factory settings.
It doesn't "completely rewrite" the drive. It just marks space as available for reuse. The old data is still there. Many pedophiles, drug dealers, fraudsters etc, are in jail now because they didn't understand this.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. It came down to the hammer in the end. I used a drill and poked several holes straight through the harddrive in addition to hammering it with violent passion.
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