How to Permanently Delete Files From External Hard Drive? Complete Guide
Overview: You have visited this blog page to know how to permanently delete files from external hard drive. You also may be knowing that external hard drives are basically used for storing & transferring of data if your system storage is full. If you want to permanently delete files, doing normal deletion by pressing delete is not enough. These deleted files can be recovered by advanced recovery tools. This guide will explain why normal deletion isn’t enough and provides verified ways to permanently delete data from your external hard drive.
Want to wipe your hard drive beyond recovery? Check out how to completely wipe an old hard drive?
Why Deleting Files Normally Isn’t Enough?
There are various reasons to permanently delete files from external hard drive. Let’s know these points given below:
- To protect your sensitive data like your photos, documents, bank records from unknown users.
- Having permanent deletion of files ensures that it is not accessible by any unauthorized users.
- Also, used to optimize your storage space and your external hard drive.
- This can be done especially if you want to sell your external drive.
- You want to be sure that all the data which was stored is not there before handing it over to someone else.
To do this, you need to have proper data deletion methods which is described below:
Permanently Delete Files From External Hard Drive – Manual Steps
In this section we have listed two manual methods to permanently delete data from external hard drive. Don’t miss this out and continue reading the blog to get the steps.
#1. Overwrite Deleted Files Using Built-in Tools
First way of doing this is by overwriting the deleted data with the new data.
For Windows:
Here, you have to use the Cipher command.
- Firstly, you need to open the Cmd command prompt (run as administrator).
- Next, type the following command:
cipher /w:D:
The only change is that you have to replace D: with your external drive letter.
- Now, run the command by pressing enter to begin the process to complete.
#2. Format the External Hard Drive (Quick vs Full Format)
Here, we will be using quick format & full format to permanently delete files from external hard drive. As, quick format does not remove your files completely while full format delete all your files permanently. Here are the steps to do this:
For Windows:
- You can begin by connecting your system with an external hard drive.
- Next, follow this path: Open File Explorer > Right-click the drive > Select Format.
- Now, Uncheck Quick Format ( and check full format).
- Click Start and wait for the process to finish.
Permanently Delete Files From External Hard Drive – Trusted Solution
If you are doing any professional or business work in terms of deleting data from your external hard drive. Then, it becomes a crucial thing. So, going with SysTools Hard Drive Wipe Software is one of the trusted tool for permanently erasing data. It uses advanced wiping algorithms to overwrite data to ensure that recovery of data is impossible. Whether you are using it to destroy, or sell your drive, this software ensures that your data is completely wiped.
Key Features of Using this Tool:
- It removes data completely to prevent data remanence.
- Using this wiping tool, you can ensure that no traces are left behind during file conversion.
- It gives you data destruction reports after completion of audit trails.
- Widely supports over 20+ global standards including some major one like NIST, DoD, and ISO.
In a Nutshell
You have understood that normal deletion is not safe to protect your data. So, to permanently delete files from external hard drive and you want your data not to be recovered. Then, use our professional tool to be safe. As it uses different wiping algorithms to provide security and leave no chance of data recovery for outsiders. we have also mentioned some basic methods to do so. Lastly, it’s your data and do not compromise in saving those files by having the proper data deletion methods.
