Computer guys needed here...

edbert
edbert Posts: 1,041
edited January 2009 in The Clubhouse
Alright, so we bought a used Macbook and no longer have a need for the old laptop that we currently have. Is there a way to wipe the hard drive without having to load an OS on there? Trying to do Xubuntu Live isn't an option because I have already tried. This was my brother in laws old computer and I know it had some personal stuff on it that I just want to make sure is no longer accessible. I already downloaded Eraser for my own computer and another project I am working on, I just haven't run across anything yet that would suggest that I can do something like that.

Thanks for the help.
I know just enough to be dangerous, but don't tell my wife, she thinks I'm a genius. :D

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Post edited by edbert on

Comments

  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,715
    edited January 2009
    If you plan to sell it, it would probably be beneficial to have an OS loaded, right?

    Seems like the best way is to put in the Windows install disk, do a full re-format, and just load the basic OS and drivers. That doesn't take too much time. Its the loading of Apps and customizing everything that takes forever.

    I mean, you could do the 'eraser' thing, but it seems like that is overkill unless you are dealing with 'classified' documents. The average person who is likely to use that laptop will not be looking to recover data from a reformatted drive.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • tcrossma
    tcrossma Posts: 1,301
    edited January 2009
    I would just pop in a DOS disc and do an FDISK and format. Unless we're talking critical and very sensitive data that someone is going to want to go through the trouble to recover, there's probably not much need for anything more than that. Or if you don't have a DOS disc (which you could download), just launch the Windows CD and delete and reformat the partition -- you can turn the computer off when it's finished with the reformat and not continue with the rest of the install.
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  • bobman1235
    bobman1235 Posts: 10,822
    edited January 2009
    Remove hard drive. Bash with axe. Repeat until satisfied.
    If you will it, dude, it is no dream.
  • shadowofnight
    shadowofnight Posts: 2,735
    edited January 2009
    Hard drives are unbelievably CHEAP nowadays ( So is ram ) ...pull it and destroy if your data is that critical...throw in a new drive and you are done.
    The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club
  • edbert
    edbert Posts: 1,041
    edited January 2009
    I actually have Eraser Las. Color me stupid, but I can just hook up the laptop hard drive into my desktop? I thought they had different connections, but I guess I never really looked.

    Bill, we are actually donating it to a local charity that recent lost a lot of its computers in a fire. I will end up putting just the basic OS back on it and probably OpenOffice as well as any updates for either, I just want to have the whole hard drive wiped prior to even doing that just to make sure any old info is gone.
    I know just enough to be dangerous, but don't tell my wife, she thinks I'm a genius. :D

    Pioneer VSX-816
    Monitor 40's - fronts, bi-amped
    Monitor 30's - surrounds
    CS1 - center
    PSW10 - I'll let you guess
    Blue Jeans Cable - speaker cable
    Daewoo 27 incher - one step up from a console
    Sony Progressive scan DVD
    XBOX

    SOPA since 2008
    Here's my stuff.
  • edbert
    edbert Posts: 1,041
    edited January 2009
    It's not that it is that crucial, but if I could do it easily then I was going to.


    FYI - I am not spending any money on this thing. For one, I don't have it, and two, it's not worth it.
    I know just enough to be dangerous, but don't tell my wife, she thinks I'm a genius. :D

    Pioneer VSX-816
    Monitor 40's - fronts, bi-amped
    Monitor 30's - surrounds
    CS1 - center
    PSW10 - I'll let you guess
    Blue Jeans Cable - speaker cable
    Daewoo 27 incher - one step up from a console
    Sony Progressive scan DVD
    XBOX

    SOPA since 2008
    Here's my stuff.
  • edbert
    edbert Posts: 1,041
    edited January 2009
    It is an IDE. I am pretty sure though that I have an IDE to PATA cable that came with my motherboard. Wouldn't that work? FYI - this laptop was built in 2000 and other than a battery that won't charge it works perfectly.
    I know just enough to be dangerous, but don't tell my wife, she thinks I'm a genius. :D

    Pioneer VSX-816
    Monitor 40's - fronts, bi-amped
    Monitor 30's - surrounds
    CS1 - center
    PSW10 - I'll let you guess
    Blue Jeans Cable - speaker cable
    Daewoo 27 incher - one step up from a console
    Sony Progressive scan DVD
    XBOX

    SOPA since 2008
    Here's my stuff.
  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited January 2009
    I use a program called autoclave. Load it on a floppy disk, boots off of a linux kernel, and lets you wipe it with however many passes you want. 32 passes is excessive, IMO... if I'm really concerned about the data, I'll do 3...

    And no need to hook the drive up to another machine.
    Ludicrous gibs!
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,715
    edited January 2009
    edbert wrote: »
    Bill, we are actually donating it to a local charity that recent lost a lot of its computers in a fire. I will end up putting just the basic OS back on it and probably OpenOffice as well as any updates for either, I just want to have the whole hard drive wiped prior to even doing that just to make sure any old info is gone.

    That doesn't sound like the sort of user that would go through the effort of trying to recover personal data from the reformatted disk. If you're really concerned, I'd do what nadams suggests, then format and reload the OS.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • edbert
    edbert Posts: 1,041
    edited January 2009
    Thanks nadams, that sounds like the way to go. I may be being overly cautious, but it is just a little time of which most of it will be just the computer running. Thanks for the info guys.
    I know just enough to be dangerous, but don't tell my wife, she thinks I'm a genius. :D

    Pioneer VSX-816
    Monitor 40's - fronts, bi-amped
    Monitor 30's - surrounds
    CS1 - center
    PSW10 - I'll let you guess
    Blue Jeans Cable - speaker cable
    Daewoo 27 incher - one step up from a console
    Sony Progressive scan DVD
    XBOX

    SOPA since 2008
    Here's my stuff.
  • John30_30
    John30_30 Posts: 1,024
    edited January 2009
    nadams wrote: »
    I use a program called autoclave. Load it on a floppy disk, boots off of a linux kernel, and lets you wipe it with however many passes you want. 32 passes is excessive, IMO... if I'm really concerned about the data, I'll do 3...

    And no need to hook the drive up to another machine.

    I used a small floppy-based program called WipeDrive to do 3 passes, then it writes gibberish data on it for a DoD contractor. Then I tried to get anything back from it using Encase, just as a controlled test. Nada.
    32 is ridiculous.

    The contractor was Boeing. That's how they do it.
  • petrym
    petrym Posts: 1,912
    edited January 2009
    Ultimate Boot CD, navigate through Hard Disk Tools and find Darik's Boot and Nuke and do a medium wipe. Worky good, last long time. :D