How to Wipe a Computer Hard Drive?
To wipe a computer hard drive means to completely erase all the information. Whenever we want to donate or recycle our old computers, we need to wipe out the hard drive to clear our personal information completely. Normally deleting the data from a computer won’t erase the data.
The delete button or simply formatting the PC does not really delete the files, they can be retrieved again if simply deleted or formated, so to delete it completely we need to follow some steps to wipe out the hard drive.
How to completely wipe a computer hard drive
If you do not wipe your hard drive and your computer is used by anyone else then your photos, files, important documents, videos, passwords, financial information, etc. can be retrieved and misused. So to delete the information completely from the hard drive, follow the steps given below:
Step 1: Back up your hard-drive data
Back -up all of your important files and data to your new computer or anywhere else to make sure that you can get it when you need it. Regularly backing up your data is a healthy habit of keeping your data safe. Hard drives sometimes get crashed, are lost, stolen, or get encrypted unwantedly but keeping a backup will save you from this situation.
Cloud breaks are one of the smartest options, where you can store your backups. They are safe and convenient to use. Here first you create an account, complete the initial steps, and store your data on the cloud. It’s as easy as this. The backed-up data is not stored at any physical location so the chances of getting stolen or lost are less, and are encrypted so are protected from cybercrime.
Step 2: Don’t just delete files from your computer
You would be thinking that moving your files to the trash or recycle bin will delete your data, but no it won’t. Your data is still available, it’s just hidden from view and can be recovered by most of the data recovery programs.
When you empty files from the trash or recycle bin, the name or reference of the file is erased and the file can no longer be seen on the computer which means that the space it took on the laptop or pc is no longer reserved. But the file will exist on the hard drive until the space allotted to that file is given to another. With the help of any Data Recovery Software, it can be recovered whenever wanted. So only deleting is not enough, to erase the data you need to wipe a computer hard drive.
Step 3: Use a program to wipe your computer
Many special software programs can permanently delete your data from the hard drive and those data can not be recovered by any data recovery programs. These programs run a low-level format, which means it overwrites the files with zeros and some incomprehensible files which makes it hard for data recovery programs to recover them.
One example of such a program is DBAN which will completely wipe a computer hard drive. It’s a smart way to wipe your data with such programs. Most of these data destruction programs provide proof of completely erased data.
Step 4: Physically wipe your hard drive
You can take this additional measure if want to be double sure. You can physically wipe your hard drive. For this, you just need to remove your hard drive and bring a rare earth magnet near it. One more thing you can do is, physically dismantle it by using a screwdriver.
Like a neodymium magnet, a rare earth magnet can be used to deform the metal plates of a hard disk after which those hard disks can no longer be used. There is one warning which should be kept in mind before using these magnets i.e. these magnets are powerful and can cause physical harm if used incorrectly.
Step 5: Fresh installation of Operating system
To rewrite the whole hard drive, one more method can be followed which is a clean installation of the original operating system that came with the computer. This step becomes a must-follow step in case you are giving your computer to anyone (say, friend, family, etc) for their easiness and comfort.
Risks of not Wiping Hard Drive
As the new technologies are blurring the lines between the real world and digital world faster and faster it’s smarter to understand how cybercrime works. Although many security products in the market can maintain your security by keeping your files and information safe, if discard your device without wiping your device, you run the risk of losing your data.
Your personal data like your email address, phone numbers, passwords, driving license details, credit card information, social security numbers, etc can be used by cybercriminals in the wrong way. They might sell on the dark web which could be risky for you. You might face some cyber-attacks and other crimes like identity theft, or extortion. They can open accounts on your information, purchase things from your credit card, and take loans on your details and you will have to face all the consequences.
Then can even retrieve some information that you won’t like to expose publicly like some non-disclosure agreements, personal photographs, private chats, etc. These could be even used to blackmail you. So if a hard drive is not completely wiped then it could be dangerous.
Steps to wipe the computer Hard Drive in Windows 10
- Go to the Start menu on the right side then select Settings looks like a gear icon. You can also use the shortcut key of the keyboard Windows key + I to open Settings.
- Click on Update & Security then click on Recovery on the left side pane.
- Now Select Remove Everything>Remove files> Clean the Drive.
- The last step is to click Next then Reset and Continue.
Steps to wipe the computer Hard Drive in Windows 11
- Click on the Start button then Settings and Recovery.
- Now Recovery Settings will open.
- You have to reset this PC so select Reset PC and open the dropdown table.
- From the dropdown, table click on Remove Everything.
- By default, data erasure will be turned “on”. Keep it there for a complete system wipe.
Data Deletion types
As we know, deleting data from the trash or recycle bin does not make your data completely deleted. It can be still recovered by some easy steps, so to maintain your privacy, you need to completely wipe your computer before donating or recycling it.
Here are a few ways by which you can wipe a computer hard drive like a pro and avoid your data from being recovered again:
1. DBAN
DBAN is explained as Darik’s Boot and Nuke, which uses a random number generator that wipes and overwrites everything on the drive several times. All the files which get deleted, are assigned some new numbers which makes it impossible to recover them. It proves to be a very useful tool when you are selling, donating, or recycling your laptop.
2. Destroy the hard drive
This is a sure way to save all your data from being accessed that is destroying the hard drive by dismantling it using a screwdriver or hammer to scratch and mangle the disk. Doing this will make it impossible for anyone to restore it by using any method. The ultimate goal is to make sure that the device cannot be used further. A rare-earth metal can also be used to do this.
How Mighty PC Cleaner Drive Wiper Works
Drive Wiper removes the remaining traces of deleted files, cutting off the possibility of cybercrime capable of recovering these files from your hard drive. To give or sell your PC, you probably want to open the MightyPCCleaner app, through the drop-down box on the drive wiper menu screen, go to ‘Tools,’ Drive Wiper ‘, and then choose ‘Entire Drive (all data will be erased)’. It erases all the data on your hard drive – except the boot drive. A boot drive is something your PC needs to launch the Windows operating system.
Why not try out MightyPCCleaner to clean up your PC hard drive?
So there you have it! Safely wiping a hard drive on a PC that you don’t want to give away or sell will have to be as long and ready as you can think. It also helps to create an app that ensures that any sensitive files on your hard drive are properly deleted. Downloading MightyPCCleaner Free is easy, and you can compare it to MightyPCCleaner Professional. If you like MightyPCCleaner Professional’s voice more, you can actually sign up for a 14-day free trial, which will give you a chance to try out many of its useful features. The test is risk-free and does not require card details.
Last Thought!
As we have seen that only deletion or formatting is not enough to completely delete data from our computer. To completely delete data we will need to wipe a computer hard drive. We can use different methods to wipe our computers. In case we don’t do so, it can prove to be very dangerous to us. If we want to save our data while using security measures, we can opt for cloud storage which is in demand nowadays. To keep ourselves safe from cybercrimes we need to be more careful and follow proper steps to protect our privacy.