How to Completely Wipe an Old Hard Drive? 101 Guide
If you are utilizing or getting rid of an old hard drive, all your private information must be thoroughly destroyed. Simply deleting the files or formatting the drive is not satisfactory, for bits of information can still be retrieved by an anonymous person. Thus, knowing how to erase it securely is going to be a foolproof way to completely wipe an old hard drive. This article will take you through various techniques, built-in tools, and even physical destruction.
Why Is It Important to Completely Wipe an Old Hard Drive?
First of all, it is very important to know why you need to understand the complete erase of old hard drives. Hard drives usually contain sensitive information such as bank records, passwords, and personal papers. If such data is not deleted properly, specialized recovery tools would retrieve these data, and this poses a huge risk if that drive lands in the wrong hands. So, whether, you are selling, donating, or recycling old hard drives, making sure the data is irrecoverable is the utmost priority.
Step 1: Choose the Right Data Wiping Method
Multiple methods can completely wipe an old hard drive, from built-in utilities to third-party tools. Below we will explore all of them in great detail so that you will be able to choose one that suits you best for wiping data before selling.
Method 1: Completely Erase Old Drive Using Built-In Windows Tools
There is an easy way to wipe out a data that Windows has provided with the help of the Windows Disk Management tool and Command Prompt. Here is how to wipe an old hard drive completely using these tools:
Connect Your Hard Drive: If it is an internal drive, connect it via USB adapter or enclosure to another computer. External drives can be plugged in directly to a USB port.
Open Disk Management: On your keyboard, press Windows + X and select Disk Management. Find your drive in the list.
Delete Partitions: Right-click on each of the partitions of the drive, one at a time, and choose Delete Volume. The existing file structure is deleted; however, it’s only partly gone since the data still exists.
Use Command Prompt for Secure Erasure: Open Command Prompt as administrator and type “diskpart.” Enter the accompanying commands: “list disk,” “select disk X” (where X is replaced by your drive number), and “clean all.” The ‘clean all’ command overwrites every sector of the drive with zeroes, thus making data recovery nearly impossible.
With this method, however, it may take you hours depending on the size of the drive.
Method 2: Wipe an Old Hard Drive via Automated Software
For advanced options, third-party tools are faster and more secure solutions. Here, one example is SysTools Complete Data Erasure Software, wherein the users can overwrite their drives with random data patterns.
Below are some of the features:
- Capable of removing any data or classified information spills to eliminate data remanence.
- Ensure that no traces of data are left on the device about file conversion by quickly utilizing the wipe tool.
- Removes application traces caches, logs, temporary, recent file lists, and many more.
- Creates data destruction reports after the audit trail.
- Data Sanitization during computer disposal or repurposing.
- Over 20+ global standards and compliance such as NIST, ISO, and DoD.
- Wipe all data from various storage devices – HDD-SSD-SATA-PATA-NVMe, etc.
- Overwrite data completely using several wipe methods, such as military-grade standards US DoD/US Air Force with three passes, Russian GOST-R-50739-95 with two passes, British HMG IS5 with three passes, and Peter Gutmann with 35 passes.
Method 3: Physical Destruction of Old Hard Drive
If you have no plans to reuse the drive, the best way to guarantee that your data cannot be recovered is by physically destroying it. Disassemble the drive and scratch the platters with a magnet or drill holes through them. Be careful when doing this operation, though; hard drives may contain hazardous materials.
Step 2: Verify the Wiping Process
When the chosen method has been completed, ensure that the drive has been wiped. Most specialized tools will provide verification reports ensuring that recoverable data still exists. If in doubt, try running file recovery software on the disk and see what residual files it can find.
A Few More Tips for Secure Data Disposal
Encrypt First and Wipe: Wiping erasing from the drive all data that could be retrieved afterward. Moreover, if you don’t feel comfortable at all with erasing the data, encrypt it. The advantage of encrypting is that it presents an additional level of security. Even if someone were to attempt data recovery, the fragments would not yield anything useful without the use of the encryption key.
Dispose Responsibly: After learning how to wipe an old hard drive, do the right thing with it afterward: recycle it responsibly. Most electronics recyclers will accept old drives and responsibly destroy them.
Final Takeaway
Knowing how to completely erase an old hard drive is very important as protection of identity. Whether using built-in tools, third-party software, or physically destroying the drive, it’s also important to choose the method that fits the security requirements. Following the above steps should help you dispose of or recycle your old hard drive without worrying about data being left behind. Keep in mind that, in this regard, a little time spent securing your drive today can save you plenty of trouble tomorrow.
