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Pastimes : Computer Learning -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Cheeky Kid who wrote (567)	10/30/1998 7:50:00 PM
From: Spots	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 110648

>>You could always format your hard drive, then re-install the OS. Make sure you have drivers on hand if needed. Nope, reformatting doesn't necessarily do it either (not even full reformat). Writing zeros to the disk does. Full security validation requires writing zeros multiple times, which I admit I've often though was fairly silly, but I guess it depends on how sure you have to be. I haven't kept up with this stuff lately, but earlier answers are correct (to my knowledge). Norton will do it; various disk-wipe utilities will do it. Seems to me that DOS used to do it, though that's very vague in my head (lots of things are vague in my head <g>). I would also check the drive manufacturers web page(s) and/or call their tech support numbers and ask. It is definitely possible to recover data from hard disks if it has not been overwritten, almost no matter what else you do. There are companies which do it for their major revenues, and they are VERY good at it (expensive, but good at it). Writing files till the disk is full isn't a guarantee either, though it would probably be effective except for the most sensitive data. Chances are little would be left, but probably some would, here and there. Conceivably large amounts in certain circumstances. (Example: You delete file; OS claims file for swap space but doesn't write in it. File space is allocated but not deleted. Writing new files will not overwrite. This is ONLY an example; there are many other possibilites.) Spots