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#1
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best way to reformat drive?
Looknig for help with reformating harddrive, I have tried using quickrestore
but it doesnt hard reformat, I did this once via compaq support, it took a dos disk and delete and repartitioning, got any advice on those steps? or another option or tool! Mark thanks, anyone here want a G5 apple , i do! |
#2
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"mark" wrote in message
news:hNwub.41612$Dw6.185912@attbi_s02... Looknig for help with reformating harddrive, I have tried using quickrestore but it doesnt hard reformat, I did this once via compaq support, it took a dos disk and delete and repartitioning, got any advice on those steps? or another option or tool! Mark thanks, anyone here want a G5 apple , i do! Lots of ways, but if you're looking for "data erasure" then reformatting isn't the answer, otherwise you can use a Win2K or WinXP CD (or Linux if that's your thing) and reinstall the OS (this typically gives you the option of reformatting the drive). Each of these options also gives you the option of partitioning. For data erasure, use third party software like east-tec eraser. Now some older computers don't boot from the CD drive, so that's where the DOS floppy probably comes into play. HTH! -- gorf |
#3
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"gorf" wrote in message ... "mark" wrote in message news:hNwub.41612$Dw6.185912@attbi_s02... Looknig for help with reformating harddrive, I have tried using quickrestore but it doesnt hard reformat, I did this once via compaq support, it took a dos disk and delete and repartitioning, got any advice on those steps? or another option or tool! Mark thanks, anyone here want a G5 apple , i do! Lots of ways, but if you're looking for "data erasure" then reformatting isn't the answer, otherwise you can use a Win2K or WinXP CD (or Linux if that's your thing) and reinstall the OS (this typically gives you the option of reformatting the drive). Each of these options also gives you the option of partitioning. For data erasure, use third party software like east-tec eraser. Now some older computers don't boot from the CD drive, so that's where the DOS floppy probably comes into play. HTH! -- gorf If formatting to erase sensitive data then best to dismantle and use a hammer on discs. |
#4
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mark wrote:
Looknig for help with reformating harddrive, I have tried using quickrestore but it doesnt hard reformat, I did this once via compaq support, it took a dos disk and delete and repartitioning, got any advice on those steps? or another option or tool! Mark thanks, anyone here want a G5 apple , i do! FORMAT.EXE from a dos boot floppy, or is this a trick question? ric |
#5
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Walter wrote:
gorf wrote: mark wrote: Looknig for help with reformating harddrive, I have tried using quickrestore but it doesnt hard reformat, I did this once via compaq support, it took a dos disk and delete and repartitioning, got any advice on those steps? or another option or tool! Mark thanks, anyone here want a G5 apple , i do! Lots of ways, but if you're looking for "data erasure" then reformatting isn't the answer, otherwise you can use a Win2K or WinXP CD (or Linux if that's your thing) and reinstall the OS (this typically gives you the option of reformatting the drive). Each of these options also gives you the option of partitioning. For data erasure, use third party software like east-tec eraser. Now some older computers don't boot from the CD drive, so that's where the DOS floppy probably comes into play. If formatting to erase sensitive data then best to dismantle and use a hammer on discs. When was the last time you actually tried that procedure?! It'd be damn hard work, I can assure you and by no means guaranteed to eliminate your data, you'd be amazed what data recovery people can do for the right price. A far better solution if you exclude software erasure, would be to wipe it with a VERY strong magnet. That'd screw it up so much it'd be near impossible to get ANYTHING off of it. Steve |
#6
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Go online to the hard drive manufacturer's website and download their
software for doing low level formatting. This will erase everything including HD images. Your hard drive will be just like it came from the factory before any data was stored on it (except for age of course). Most of these software packages also will check your HD for bad sectors, clusters, etc. Happy hunting "Ric Harris" wrote in message ... mark wrote: Looknig for help with reformating harddrive, I have tried using quickrestore but it doesnt hard reformat, I did this once via compaq support, it took a dos disk and delete and repartitioning, got any advice on those steps? or another option or tool! Mark thanks, anyone here want a G5 apple , i do! FORMAT.EXE from a dos boot floppy, or is this a trick question? ric |
#7
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"Stephen Austin" wrote in message
... When was the last time you actually tried that procedure?! It'd be damn hard work, I can assure you and by no means guaranteed to eliminate your data, you'd be amazed what data recovery people can do for the right price. A far better solution if you exclude software erasure, would be to wipe it with a VERY strong magnet. That'd screw it up so much it'd be near impossible to get ANYTHING off of it. Get one of those devices that the hacker from "The Core" had... like a handheld device (looked like a scanner) that projects a magnetic field. The movie also showed him throwing CD's in the microwave, something I had tried many years before because it looks cool, but I'm sure that kills CD's as well (and the microwave? who knows). Anyway, it's easy enough to go to downloads.com and get a shareware software eraser... here at work I just hold onto the drives. -- gorf |
#8
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"gorf" wrote in message ... "Stephen Austin" wrote in message ... When was the last time you actually tried that procedure?! It'd be damn hard work, I can assure you and by no means guaranteed to eliminate your data, you'd be amazed what data recovery people can do for the right price. A far better solution if you exclude software erasure, would be to wipe it with a VERY strong magnet. That'd screw it up so much it'd be near impossible to get ANYTHING off of it. Get one of those devices that the hacker from "The Core" had... like a handheld device (looked like a scanner) that projects a magnetic field. The movie also showed him throwing CD's in the microwave, something I had tried many years before because it looks cool, but I'm sure that kills CD's as well (and the microwave? who knows). Anyway, it's easy enough to go to downloads.com and get a shareware software eraser... here at work I just hold onto the drives. -- gorf Ususally, a thorough defrag session will erase data quite effectively, but it depends on the current % usage of partition and also on file fragment positioning. Repetitive sessions of defragging can help some more, but will lose effectivity as file structure becomes unfragmented and ordered / sorted. What one can do is either play around with defrag settings (first defrag free space, then defrag files only, then a full defrag) and preferences (file oreder / sorting), and defrage again with the altered settings, OR, delete the data (to be rid of), create some bogus data files (make copy of numerous large files like ~1-5MB large, defrage, delete bogus data files, defrag again. Moving data from one place to the other effectively masks whatever data was previously on that location where 1) data ends up eventually 2) data is stored temorally during defrag. This is in case partition has valueable data mixed with data that needs to be rid of. Incase of total erasure of partition (or disk), there is a choice of low-level format or repartitioning + new format. For extra carefullness all steps can be taken (delete data, add bogus data, defrag, delete bogus data, defrag, erase partition(s), repartition, format, add bogus data to fill drive, delete data). You will end up with a drive that the only date recoveralbe is whatever you decide to put on (200 copies of win95 OSR2 help files... for example) be creative ! Erasing using a magnet field is most effective when putting the magnetic medium inbetween a sandwich of 2 magnetic polars, such are quick audio/ dat tapes erasers. I've used one to erase magnetic audio tapes (cassettes) in a sensitive position (we would cycle all tapes after 2 weeks of backup hold time). first pass would leave a residual level of magnetic signal, about 80% attenuation in usable info (analog audio recording), 2 passes were more silent, but our primary concern was resue of tape in a way the old recording would not interfere with the newer. Still this is not as a blank tape, which is unmagnetised, you end up with a single orientation of matenetism, which essentially transforms to no data, but is not 100% silent when played. Using a large magnet emmited magnet field is much less effective, as it spreads geometrically with inverse proportion to R^3. the field between to magnets, oriented N-to-S, is virtually all parallel for large enough plains. And the intensity is both higher and constant - this is important for "silence". Digital data could be more sensitive to magnetic interference, but also more easily recovered if enough information is retained. Maybe the easiest way is to ghost-mirror anything innocent on that drive with deleted data to the full capacity. any data write should be much stronger than residual field of a previously used bit on the drive. |
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