How do I wipe out my computer memory?

January 13th, 2008 | by computermemory |
computer memory
bfm asked:


I want to donate my old computer but I have somethings on there that I don’t really want others to see. Can I ruin the hard drive by running a magnet over it? I have heard that you can’t delete things permently from a hard drive. That a professional can find it.

CEDRIC
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  1. 14 Responses to “How do I wipe out my computer memory?”

  2. By colera667 on Jan 16, 2008 | Reply

    format the hard drive and dont install an operating system on it.

  3. By thunder2sys on Jan 17, 2008 | Reply

    It can be found even if its wipe clean. Your best bet is to donate the machine and take out the hard drive if you are that paranoid about it. Not sure they will want to have a machine with no hard drive, but beggers can’t be choosers.

  4. By cisco632 on Jan 19, 2008 | Reply

    Just reinstall the OS in a destructive manner, or you could just take the harddrive out.

  5. By digileet on Jan 22, 2008 | Reply

    Must be a really scary computer. Tsk tsk tsk. Dont do p0rn. The real thing is the best thing.

    Anyway, you could just take the silly hard disk off if you are really that paranoid.

  6. By Ram on Jan 24, 2008 | Reply

    No the magnet thing wont really work.

    The best way is to get a boot disk (just oogle boot disk, many utilities can make one).

    put the boot disk into your comp and when you “C:\>” or whatever comes up
    type in “A:”
    Then type in “format c:”

    It’ll ask you if you’re sure.
    After it finishes your HD should be squeaky clean :)
    Another way is:

    Erase your sensitive information. then write junk to the hard drive till its full.
    Delete the junk.
    The old sensitive information has been over-written!u

  7. By What ??? on Jan 26, 2008 | Reply

    That is correct, a person with the right software can retrieve any info from a DELETED hard drive. If ur worried enough about someone getting ur info off HD that u want to destroy it why not just pull it out and beat on it with a hammer and throw it in the trash ?

  8. By macruadhi on Jan 30, 2008 | Reply

    If you ruin the harddrive you may as well throw it away. However you can run a low level format by going to the c:\ prompt and typing “format/mbr” with out the quotes. That will erase everything, including the ability to boot the computer.

    And you probably don’t have a magnet powerful enough to do much damage to the harddrive. It would take an oscillating magnetic field to erase it.

  9. By Torsten B on Jan 30, 2008 | Reply

    Get the free CCleaner software - download and install it - the CCleaner does the job for you.

    Download it from (in German, English and other languages)
    Description: CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it’s fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!

    Greetings from Germany! :-))

  10. By Ales M on Jan 30, 2008 | Reply

    If you want to completely erase the entire hard drive (aka “memory” for the non-computer savy; my fiancee doesn’t know the difference between the RAM (memory) and Hard drive either, and just refers to both as the same thing… lol)

    Darik’s Boot and Nuke

    now… if you only want to keep the Operating system (e.g. Windows xp) and just erase the empty/free space or delete specific files:

    both are the best in each class, and have all levels of wiping available (even NSA, military grade wiping, so nothing can ever be found–with the downside, it will take a very long time to wipe using the strongest method) … fastest if you don’t plan on keeping the HD (destroying it), would, yes, be to throw it in the microwave for a few minutes…. LOL

  11. By Greyhawk on Jan 31, 2008 | Reply

    There is a program called Darik’s Boot and Nuke (or DBAN) which will securely delete all files on a drive. It’s free and very effective. See URL below.

  12. By arbie_pogi on Feb 1, 2008 | Reply

    dont use magnet in deleting it, it will also destroy your hard drive too. use shereder, system mechanic 5 offer 30 days full trial. it have data shereder.

  13. By cr-bren on Feb 2, 2008 | Reply

    I have never used it,Wipe drive software…at B.B.,O.Dp.ect.,30-40$. Or you can use the re-install CD that came with your computer,But it may still leave things ( On your hard drive. )Every body ,I have looked at it in the stores,Wipe Drive,Your hard drive is enclosed,sealed in a steel housing,The magnet idea is good,but will not work.

  14. By Fix My PC Mike on Feb 4, 2008 | Reply

    Yes, DBAN is your best bet if you want to be safe. There are a few world-class forensics experts who might still be able to recover something, but for all intents and purposes that’ll do it. The only way to be absolutely certain is to physically destroy the drive (not in a microwave, though! Sledge hammer is effective and can be fun). You can buy an inexpensive hard drive to replace it and then you know you’re safe.

  15. By papeche on Feb 6, 2008 | Reply

    magnetizing a hard drive will ruin it.

    get a program that can “write to zeroes”

    that will make in unerasable.

    something like partition magic,
    or goto the manufactures website, and get its partition software
    they can usually do that.

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