Comments on: Wipe Your Hard-Drive Clean and Start Over http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/tech/wipe-your-hard-drive-clean-and-start-over/ Tips, Tricks and Tutorials for Personal Computing and Internet Surfing Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:22:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: reeljerc http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/tech/wipe-your-hard-drive-clean-and-start-over/comment-page-1/#comment-82 reeljerc Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:41:27 +0000 http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/?p=83#comment-82 Hey Carey, If you do a clean install of Windows, without formatting the drive, it replaces all the System files and directories but it retains the original user data in "Documents and Settings". The old files aren't accessible through normal menu browsing (Start menu, My Documents, etc), but can easily be found by opening the "C:/Documents and Settings" folder. Even when Windows formats the drive it only "zeros" out the first layer, in essence tricking the operating system into believing that the drive is clean. With the proper data recovering software, and there's at least one I've used that's free and really good, personal data could possibly and has been retrieved. Darik's Boot-n-Nuke zero's out the entire drive and makes three passes at it so unless the CIA is looking, all the previous data is sufficiently overwritten. That may possibly have changed with Windows 7, but I won't know till I try it. Hey Carey,
If you do a clean install of Windows, without formatting the drive, it replaces all the System files and directories but it retains the original user data in “Documents and Settings”. The old files aren’t accessible through normal menu browsing (Start menu, My Documents, etc), but can easily be found by opening the “C:/Documents and Settings” folder.
Even when Windows formats the drive it only “zeros” out the first layer, in essence tricking the operating system into believing that the drive is clean. With the proper data recovering software, and there’s at least one I’ve used that’s free and really good, personal data could possibly and has been retrieved. Darik’s Boot-n-Nuke zero’s out the entire drive and makes three passes at it so unless the CIA is looking, all the previous data is sufficiently overwritten.
That may possibly have changed with Windows 7, but I won’t know till I try it.

]]> By: Carey Fleetwood http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/tech/wipe-your-hard-drive-clean-and-start-over/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Carey Fleetwood Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:18:02 +0000 http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/?p=83#comment-81 I know enough about computers to know what this article is explaining but i'm sure there is a simpler way than this. I have a 150GB external HDD so back-up storage is not a problem. I don't have anything on my computer that is worth keeping to be honest. Doesn't Windows have an option to completely wipe everything including Windows? Then I can just reinstall it again by booting it from my Windows CD! Is this possible or am I talking shit? =) I know enough about computers to know what this article is explaining but i’m sure there is a simpler way than this. I have a 150GB external HDD so back-up storage is not a problem. I don’t have anything on my computer that is worth keeping to be honest. Doesn’t Windows have an option to completely wipe everything including Windows? Then I can just reinstall it again by booting it from my Windows CD! Is this possible or am I talking shit? =)

]]> By: reeljerc http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/tech/wipe-your-hard-drive-clean-and-start-over/comment-page-1/#comment-55 reeljerc Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:35:08 +0000 http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/?p=83#comment-55 Soulman45- If you google xp pro cheap, something like that, you may be able to find a FULL INSTALL copy of XP pro for anywhere from $70-$140. The first thing you could try is re-installing XP over the current OS. It's not recommended, but sometimes that's all you need. Or try the following: All the software mentioned above is free. All you need is a CD and/or DVD burner, CD's and/or DVD's, time and patience. To summarize, you burn Darik's Boot-n-Nuke onto a CD, if you have a copy of XP (in your case) on disk already, you're set. (follow instructions above) Unfortunately, full install disks hardly ever come with computers these days. Microsoft forces you to buy the OS again. One method to find an OS for free is to use the controversial P2P technology. I won't officially recommend that, because it is considered piracy by some, but it is quite popular. Free software like Azureus (or Vuze) has the capability to download large files through torrent technology. Coupled with P2P sites like isohunt.com, you have the capability to download the XP operating system. Typically the XP software you download will come as an .iso file. ISO's are simply copies of the CD or DVD. You can use a program like ISO RECORDER (link above) to burn the ISO file onto a disk and you're good to to. Put the DBAN CD in the drive - restart the computer, and a few hours later the drive is clean. Put the XP disc in the drive, restart the computer and a few hours later, xp is installed. Whichever way you go, good luck. Soulman45-
If you google xp pro cheap, something like that, you may be able to find a FULL INSTALL copy of XP pro for anywhere from $70-$140. The first thing you could try is re-installing XP over the current OS. It’s not recommended, but sometimes that’s all you need. Or try the following:

All the software mentioned above is free. All you need is a CD and/or DVD burner, CD’s and/or DVD’s, time and patience. To summarize, you burn Darik’s Boot-n-Nuke onto a CD, if you have a copy of XP (in your case) on disk already, you’re set. (follow instructions above)
Unfortunately, full install disks hardly ever come with computers these days. Microsoft forces you to buy the OS again. One method to find an OS for free is to use the controversial P2P technology. I won’t officially recommend that, because it is considered piracy by some, but it is quite popular. Free software like Azureus (or Vuze) has the capability to download large files through torrent technology. Coupled with P2P sites like isohunt.com, you have the capability to download the XP operating system. Typically the XP software you download will come as an .iso file. ISO’s are simply copies of the CD or DVD. You can use a program like ISO RECORDER (link above) to burn the ISO file onto a disk and you’re good to to. Put the DBAN CD in the drive – restart the computer, and a few hours later the drive is clean. Put the XP disc in the drive, restart the computer and a few hours later, xp is installed.

Whichever way you go, good luck.

]]> By: Soulman45 http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/tech/wipe-your-hard-drive-clean-and-start-over/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Soulman45 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:22:09 +0000 http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/?p=83#comment-54 I am 67years old is there something I can buy to do the job,i got this computer t a yard sell I know nothing about it but it have xp pro.My funds is short but I need help. I am 67years old is there something I can buy to do the job,i got this computer t a yard sell I know nothing about it but it have xp pro.My funds is short but I need help.

]]> By: Best Must-Have FREE Software | flatheadenterprises http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/tech/wipe-your-hard-drive-clean-and-start-over/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Best Must-Have FREE Software | flatheadenterprises Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:01:14 +0000 http://www.flatheadenterprises.com/?p=83#comment-13 [...] mentioned in an earlier post, files are not actually deleted from your computer, they’re moved to a different location and [...] [...] mentioned in an earlier post, files are not actually deleted from your computer, they’re moved to a different location and [...]

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