[xMist]

I'm planning on installing a new hard disk. It's from an old computer that died a few years ago. I pretty much know how to do this, but I have a question: is there a way to do this so that any malware that potentially resides on the drive won't spread to my current (and perfectly functioning drive)? Thanks.

BTW, I'll be using the instructions from:

http://www.pcmech.co...w/harddrive/43/

and

http://www.helpwithp...-hard-drive.htm

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Are you going to use it just for extra space, or are there files on the disk you need to get off of it?

If it's just for space, the best way to ensure the drive doesn't have and malicious junk on it is to wipe it clean by writing zeros (low-level format) using the manufactures disk. Visit the disk manufacture's site and search for disk utility downloads.

Edited by makai, 27 December 2005 - 02:33 AM.

[makai]

Are you going to use it just for extra space, or are there files on the disk you need to get off of it?

If it's just for space, the best way to ensure the drive doesn't have and malicious junk on it is to wipe it clean by writing zeros (low-level format) using the manufactures disk. Visit the disk manufacture's site and search for disk utility downloads.

Edited by makai, 27 December 2005 - 02:33 AM.

[warriorscot]

Yeah, or use dban disk wiper then reformat it in windows. make sure it is a slave, what you could do if you need files is to get your AV to scan the whole drive (if its a few years old the drive cant be that big wso it shouldnt take long). Then get the files you want and load them all into one folder then you can scan that again to double check then wipe the drive and reformat stick the stuff you took off it that you wanted to keep back on it, and you have a nice clean HDD with all the files you wanted.

Although if its not essential to have the files its safer to just DBAN it and reformat, be careful if you do use dban its dangerous (anything that wipes whole hard drives is dangerous) you dont want to erase the contentss of the master on the computer.

[xMist]

I'm just using it for space - I don't need anything off it. In fact, I'd like everything off it without giving anything on it the chance to infect my computer.

One problem: if I use DBAN, it looks like I'd have to remove my current hard drive first because the DBAN website said it'll wipe any hard drive that it finds. That would be pretty bad.

[warriorscot]

You can just remove the cable from the master if you want to be sure. you boot dban from a floppy anyway so if it isnt connected its safe and you just stick the cable back in.

[xMist]

Oh, duh. Thanks. I'll give it a shot (fingers crossed.)

How long do you think DBAN would take on a 20GB? Also, how do I set it up with a drive letter and partition?

EDIT: Could I just shut down, plug the 20GB in, restart into MS-DOS, and format it? Would that be safe and secure from any malware that's on the disk? And what command would I use to format (I'd have no idea what drive letter was assigned to it.)

Edited by xMist, 27 December 2005 - 01:24 PM.

[Kemasa]

Yes, you could just plug in the 20Gb (taking out the other disk) and boot into dos and format it.

While it is best to wipe the disk, it is really not needed. If you wipe the partition table and then recreate the partition and create the filesystem (typically called formatting here) then while the data is still on the disk, it will not be used nor magically become an executable file. You do need to wipe the partition table and boot block, which is harder to do with Windoze.

Another option is to download Knoppix or DSL OS, create a CD then repartition the disk with it (fdisk /dev/hdb, for the second disk). This is a good tool to have even if you run windoze.

[xMist]

I did it.

Here's how:

-Turned off computer
-Took out both drive bay slots
-Put 20GB in the first one, left the 80GB in its current one
-Attached power cord to 20GB and attached master end of IDE cable to the same 20GB
-Powered on and quickly stuck in my CD of DBAN
-DBAN'd the 20GB
-Powered off
-Screwed in the 80GB hard drive in its slot into the case
-Removed Master end of IDE cable from the 20GB, put it into the 80GB, put the slave end into the 20GB, and attached power cables to both
-Powered on, booted to Windows
-My Computer, double clicked on new E:\
-Asked to format, said yes, said NTFS
-Done!

Thanks for your help everybody.

[makai]

Congratulations! Now wasn't that easy?!!

[FuM]

very easy now help me with my flash drive problem lol

[xMist]

Yeah it was pretty easy. Thanks again.

What's your flash drive problem??