[Retired Tech]

When you reformat, you could use boot and nuke which will remove all partitions and any data

Then use the default not quick format during XP set up

To completely erase all data on the drive(s)

Click this to download Boot and Nuke

Click this for a guide to using Boot and Nuke

Use the autonuke option, which could take 8 hours or so to format a 200 GB Hard Drive, then when you run Windows set up, use the default, not quick format option, and check it is creating a RAW1 partition on C, if the drive letter is different, restart the PC and it should default to C

The purists will say that it is impossible to make data non recoverable on a useable hard drive, that said, if you shred files, recovering them will take more work than most people will want to put in

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So download Boot and Nuke and then run it. It deletes the operating system and ALL partitions/files/folders/data so nothing is on the computer.

Then put in my disc to reinstall windows and reinstall windows.

That means I have a totally complely free computer, of no data. =]

I hope I've got that right.

[Jay_Shrimper]

So download Boot and Nuke and then run it. It deletes the operating system and ALL partitions/files/folders/data so nothing is on the computer.

Then put in my disc to reinstall windows and reinstall windows.

That means I have a totally complely free computer, of no data. =]

I hope I've got that right.

[Retired Tech]

Yes

This is about the gutmann method

http://en.wikipedia..../Gutmann_method

The guide for boot and nuke explains its methods

If you move to shredding, file recovery will only be possible with specialist equipment

Boot and Nuke will format the drive comprehensively

[Jay_Shrimper]

Excellent. I'm going to do that now.

I'm going to wipe my hardrive of everything, by autonuke and then reinstalling windows.

Thankyou for everything Keith. I'll try and reply once I'm back from doing all this.

You probably won't see this thread for ages cos it'll get burried, so I'll drop you a PM telling you how it went instead.

Thanks again.
I hope it works.

[Retired Tech]

It will work, enjoy

Check you have everthing you need to re-install