Guest Jim Madsen Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it into the local recycling place. She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't want to do that. She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and dispose of the computer for $50.00. Any suggestions? Jim
Guest Bill in Co. Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Reformatting it will destroy all the data. Jim Madsen wrote: > My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no > one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it > into the local recycling place. > > She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't > want to do that. > > She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > dispose of the computer for $50.00. > > Any suggestions? > > Jim
Guest Don Phillipson Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive "Jim Madsen" <justme@nobody.com> wrote in message news:%23ks9OztiIHA.5280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't > want to do that. 1. In software you already own, (DOS) FDISK will remove the logical drive (C:) and any others you want; FDISK can then create a new logical drive (C:) which should be of type Primary DOS; (DOS) FORMAT will then write the essential FAT information and the drive will be empty. 2. Some expert/specialized software can still read between the lines, i.e. rescue fragments of data still on the drive and not yet overwritten. If you think both (a) her data is uniquely valuable, and (b) her hard drive is likely to get into the hands of someone who knows the data fragments are valuable and who owns software capable of retrieving it . . . you can then buy specialized software which overwrites every byte of the hard drive with null bytes 000000000000000. Most people find method #1 meets their needs. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
Guest Franc Zabkar Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:48:40 -0600, Jim Madsen <justme@nobody.com> put finger to keyboard and composed: >My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no >one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >into the local recycling place. > >She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >want to do that. > >She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >dispose of the computer for $50.00. > >Any suggestions? > >Jim Use a "zero fill" utility, eg ... http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=65a8783c970ce010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD&locale=en-GB - Franc Zabkar -- Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive No, it won't. Not even close. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://www.grystmill.com "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Reformatting it will destroy all the data. > > Jim Madsen wrote: >> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no >> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >> into the local recycling place. >> >> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >> want to do that. >> >> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >> >> Any suggestions? >> >> Jim > >
Guest Bill in Co. Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Come again? (And no, I'm not talking about someone using special snoop programs). If you boot up on a DOS floppy, and do a format c: , what's really left there? Gary S. Terhune wrote: > No, it won't. Not even close. > > -- > Gary S. Terhune > MS-MVP Shell/User > http://www.grystmill.com > > "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message > news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> Reformatting it will destroy all the data. >> >> Jim Madsen wrote: >>> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no >>> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >>> into the local recycling place. >>> >>> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >>> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >>> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >>> want to do that. >>> >>> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >>> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >>> >>> Any suggestions? >>> >>> Jim
Guest Brian A. Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive "Jim Madsen" <justme@nobody.com> wrote in message news:%23ks9OztiIHA.5280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no one wants > it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it into the local > recycling place. > > She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if reformatting > the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I took the HD out and > smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't want to do that. > > She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and dispose of > the computer for $50.00. > > Any suggestions? > > Jim Pull the hard drive from the PC and use it in another PC. Either reformat the drive and install it as a slave or use it as a slave with the data on it. That way no one else without access to the drive can't get info from it. -- Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience } Conflicts start where information lacks. http://basconotw.mvps.org/ Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Not even smashing the thing with a sledge hammer will destroy the data. And I have tools sitting right here in my machine that will recover at least *some* of the contents of the disk even after 20 formats. It will recover ALL of the data after a single format. You want to either use a "zero-fill" utility to write all ones and all zeros, over and over, or you find a geek with a mega magnetic tool to magnetically scramble it but good. $50... Well, I wouldn't do much of anything for less than $50, but you can recycle it yourself (or rather, your daughter can), and do you trust them to actually do the wipe job? You can do it yourself for free. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://www.grystmill.com "Jim Madsen" <justme@nobody.com> wrote in message news:%23ks9OztiIHA.5280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no > one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it into > the local recycling place. > > She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't want > to do that. > > She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > dispose of the computer for $50.00. > > Any suggestions? > > Jim
Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Everything is still left there except the table of contents (FAT). All FORMAT does is write a new FAT. But it's *easy* to recover data after a format, ALL of the data. Hell, with RTT, I can recover significant data from 20 formats back. And why *aren't* you talking about "special snoop programs"? I have a very good one and lots are sold for under $100. Why aren't you worried about someone using one of those? -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://www.grystmill.com "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:%23bMCBKuiIHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Come again? (And no, I'm not talking about someone using special snoop > programs). If you boot up on a DOS floppy, and do a format c: , what's > really left there? > > Gary S. Terhune wrote: >> No, it won't. Not even close. >> >> -- >> Gary S. Terhune >> MS-MVP Shell/User >> http://www.grystmill.com >> >> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message >> news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>> Reformatting it will destroy all the data. >>> >>> Jim Madsen wrote: >>>> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says >>>> no >>>> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >>>> into the local recycling place. >>>> >>>> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >>>> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >>>> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >>>> want to do that. >>>> >>>> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >>>> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >>>> >>>> Any suggestions? >>>> >>>> Jim > >
Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted March 20, 2008 Posted March 20, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Amendment: Pull the drive and put into daughter's new machine. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://www.grystmill.com "Brian A." <gonefish'n@afarawaylake> wrote in message news:%23rLgXKuiIHA.5780@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > "Jim Madsen" <justme@nobody.com> wrote in message > news:%23ks9OztiIHA.5280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no >> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >> into the local recycling place. >> >> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't want >> to do that. >> >> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >> >> Any suggestions? >> >> Jim > > Pull the hard drive from the PC and use it in another PC. Either > reformat the drive and install it as a slave or use it as a slave with the > data on it. That way no one else without access to the drive can't get > info from it. > > -- > > > Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience } > Conflicts start where information lacks. > http://basconotw.mvps.org/ > > Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm > How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375 > >
Guest philo Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive "Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message news:9ur5u3l0qbdnqh4pjnu8s4om84jvgkmm98@4ax.com... > On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:48:40 -0600, Jim Madsen <justme@nobody.com> put > finger to keyboard and composed: > > >My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no > >one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it > >into the local recycling place. > > > >She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > >reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > >took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't > >want to do that. > > > >She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > >dispose of the computer for $50.00. > > > >Any suggestions? > > > >Jim > > Use a "zero fill" utility, eg ... > > http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=65a8783c970ce010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD&locale=en-GB > > - Franc Zabkar This is the best advice yet. If the drive is zero filled...not only is the data gone... it cannot be recovered.
Guest AlmostBob Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Disk Wipe utility - FREE Disk Redactor is a FREE utility that prevents restoration of the old (deleted) files at your disks. All free space at your hard disk will be wiped from old information. This is necessary because the delete function does not clear the space where deleted file is located and just marks the entry in directory (folder) that the file is deleted. Security is very important and this disk wipe utility is FREE Supported: Windows 95, 98, Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista. ___________ http://www.cezeo.com/products/free/?inref=disk-redactor Format the drive then wipe the free space, works. -- -- -- -- -- -- Adaware http://www.lavasoft.de spybot http://www.safer-networking.org AVG free antivirus http://free.grisoft.com/ Etrust/Vet/CA.online Antivirus scan http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx Super Antispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/ Panda online AntiVirus scan http://www.activescan.com Panda online AntiSpyware Scan http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/spyware/test/ Catalog of removal tools (1) http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/utilities/ Catalog of removal tools (2) http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/newsinfo/collateral.aspx?CID=40387 Trouble Shooting guide to Windows http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/ Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts file http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm links provided as a courtesy, read all instructions on the pages before use Grateful thanks to the authors/webmasters _ "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message news:u$MYoPuiIHA.4376@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > Everything is still left there except the table of contents (FAT). All > FORMAT does is write a new FAT. But it's *easy* to recover data after a > format, ALL of the data. Hell, with RTT, I can recover significant data from > 20 formats back. > > And why *aren't* you talking about "special snoop programs"? I have a very > good one and lots are sold for under $100. Why aren't you worried about > someone using one of those? > > -- > Gary S. Terhune > MS-MVP Shell/User > http://www.grystmill.com > > "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message > news:%23bMCBKuiIHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > > Come again? (And no, I'm not talking about someone using special snoop > > programs). If you boot up on a DOS floppy, and do a format c: , what's > > really left there? > > > > Gary S. Terhune wrote: > >> No, it won't. Not even close. > >> > >> -- > >> Gary S. Terhune > >> MS-MVP Shell/User > >> http://www.grystmill.com > >> > >> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message > >> news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > >>> Reformatting it will destroy all the data. > >>> > >>> Jim Madsen wrote: > >>>> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says > >>>> no > >>>> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it > >>>> into the local recycling place. > >>>> > >>>> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > >>>> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > >>>> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't > >>>> want to do that. > >>>> > >>>> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > >>>> dispose of the computer for $50.00. > >>>> > >>>> Any suggestions? > >>>> > >>>> Jim > > > > >
Guest 98 Guy Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive philo wrote: > > Use a "zero fill" utility, eg ... > > This is the best advice yet. No, it isin't. The best advice was already given. Open the computer and remove the hard drive. Throw the rest of the machine away, give it away - whatever. If the contents are important enough to be worried about, then presumably you'd want to copy them to another system. If the contents are NOT important enough to migrate them to another system, then this whole thread is pointless. I have 20 or 30 old hard drives - many of them 10+ years old and under 10 gb in size. Most of them fit into a single shoe-box.
Guest Lee Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive On Mar 20, 6:05 pm, "philo" <ph...@privacy.net> wrote: > "Franc Zabkar" <fzab...@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message > > news:9ur5u3l0qbdnqh4pjnu8s4om84jvgkmm98@4ax.com... > > > > > On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:48:40 -0600, Jim Madsen <jus...@nobody.com> put > > finger to keyboard and composed: > > > >My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no > > >one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it > > >into the local recycling place. > > > >She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > > >reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > > >took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't > > >want to do that. > > > >She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > > >dispose of the computer for $50.00. > > > >Any suggestions? > > > >Jim > > > Use a "zero fill" utility, eg ... > > http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=65a8783c970ce010VgnVC... > > > > > - Franc Zabkar > > This is the best advice yet. > > If the drive is zero filled...not only is the data gone... > it cannot be recovered.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - Best advice yet is correct, but your advice on zero filled data is totally incorrect. Gary's cheap tools can recover this data even if zero filled multiple times. For the average guy, zero filling is about as far as one needs to go. Bart's free Disktool will do this and also overwrite the disk with test patterns over and over just to be double sure the average guy is not going to be able to recover your credit card number for example - but it can still be done by those with the more expensive tools. http://www.nu2.nu/utils/
Guest Jeff Richards Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Reformatting and even FDISK will not delete the data on the drive. If your daughter is concerned about sensitive information remaining on the disk then she needs to physically overwrite the whole of the disk surface. This will make it effectively inaccessible to anyone. See, for instance: http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2105p022id110012.htm The DOS utility is probably the best option, while the two other free options are probably suitable, but if you are a bit technically inclined the low level format is also easy and effective. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "Jim Madsen" <justme@nobody.com> wrote in message news:%23ks9OztiIHA.5280@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no > one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it into > the local recycling place. > > She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't want > to do that. > > She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > dispose of the computer for $50.00. > > Any suggestions? > > Jim
Guest Gary S. Terhune Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive I was talking about the utilities that recover data, AlmostBob. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User http://www.grystmill.com "AlmostBob" <anonymous1@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:Oe2JCjuiIHA.3400@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl... > Disk Wipe utility - FREE > > Disk Redactor is a FREE utility that prevents restoration of the old > (deleted) files at your disks. All free space at your hard disk will be > wiped from old information. This is necessary because the delete function > does not clear the space where deleted file is located and just marks the > entry in directory (folder) that the file is deleted. > > Security is very important and this disk wipe utility is FREE > > Supported: Windows 95, 98, Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, > Windows > Server 2003, Windows Vista. > ___________ > > http://www.cezeo.com/products/free/?inref=disk-redactor > Format the drive then wipe the free space, > works. > > -- > -- -- -- -- -- > Adaware http://www.lavasoft.de > spybot http://www.safer-networking.org > AVG free antivirus http://free.grisoft.com/ > Etrust/Vet/CA.online Antivirus scan > http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx > Super Antispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/ > Panda online AntiVirus scan http://www.activescan.com > Panda online AntiSpyware Scan > http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/spyware/test/ > Catalog of removal tools (1) > http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/utilities/ > Catalog of removal tools (2) > http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/newsinfo/collateral.aspx?CID=40387 > Trouble Shooting guide to Windows http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/ > Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts file > http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm > links provided as a courtesy, read all instructions on the pages before > use > Grateful thanks to the authors/webmasters > _ > "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message > news:u$MYoPuiIHA.4376@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... >> Everything is still left there except the table of contents (FAT). All >> FORMAT does is write a new FAT. But it's *easy* to recover data after a >> format, ALL of the data. Hell, with RTT, I can recover significant data > from >> 20 formats back. >> >> And why *aren't* you talking about "special snoop programs"? I have a >> very >> good one and lots are sold for under $100. Why aren't you worried about >> someone using one of those? >> >> -- >> Gary S. Terhune >> MS-MVP Shell/User >> http://www.grystmill.com >> >> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message >> news:%23bMCBKuiIHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> > Come again? (And no, I'm not talking about someone using special > snoop >> > programs). If you boot up on a DOS floppy, and do a format c: , > what's >> > really left there? >> > >> > Gary S. Terhune wrote: >> >> No, it won't. Not even close. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Gary S. Terhune >> >> MS-MVP Shell/User >> >> http://www.grystmill.com >> >> >> >> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message >> >> news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> >>> Reformatting it will destroy all the data. >> >>> >> >>> Jim Madsen wrote: >> >>>> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She >> >>>> says >> >>>> no >> >>>> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn >> >>>> it >> >>>> into the local recycling place. >> >>>> >> >>>> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >> >>>> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, > I >> >>>> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >> >>>> want to do that. >> >>>> >> >>>> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD > and >> >>>> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >> >>>> >> >>>> Any suggestions? >> >>>> >> >>>> Jim >> > >> > >> > > >
Guest Franc Zabkar Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:21:25 -0700 (PDT), Lee <melee5@my-deja.com> put finger to keyboard and composed: > ... your advice on zero filled data is >totally incorrect. Gary's cheap tools can recover this data even if >zero filled multiple times. How is it possible to recover data without the use of forensic tools? (I'm assuming that Gary doesn't have these.) Surely if a particular sector has been filled with zeroes, even if only once, then any time your OS reads this sector, your drive's uP will retrieve those exact same zeroes. I would think that in order to retrieve any previous data, you would need special access to the servo and to the read/write heads, and to bypass the uP's control of the drive. - Franc Zabkar -- Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Guest Franc Zabkar Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:41:24 -0700, "Gary S. Terhune" <none> put finger to keyboard and composed: >Everything is still left there except the table of contents (FAT). All >FORMAT does is write a new FAT. But it's *easy* to recover data after a >format, ALL of the data. Hell, with RTT, I can recover significant data from >20 formats back. > >And why *aren't* you talking about "special snoop programs"? I have a very >good one and lots are sold for under $100. Why aren't you worried about >someone using one of those? Typing "help format" at the DOS prompt documents the function of several switches, including /U, which is supposed to "destroy all existing data": ==================================================================== /U Specifies an unconditional format of a disk. Unconditional formatting destroys all existing data on a disk and prevents you from later "unformatting" the disk. You should use /U if you have received read and write errors during use of a disk. For information about unformatting a disk, see the UNFORMAT command. ==================================================================== I always use this switch when formatting from the DOS prompt, but I can't remember how it compares to a "Full" format from within the GUI. I suspect a "full" format performs a "quick" format followed by a scan for bad sectors. Note that typing ... format /? .... at the DOS prompt does not display a /U switch, but a hex dump of format.com shows that it is still there. BTW, there is also an Unformat command in the old DOS help docs, but there is no such file in the Windows\Command directory. IIRC, the help docs can be found in the Oldmsdos directory of your Win9x CD. - Franc Zabkar -- Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Guest Bill in Co. Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive I'm talking about the normal FULL format. Are you? NOT a "quick format"! I'm not obsessive about worrying about people using some special recovery programs in such a case. If you've looked at a disk that has been full formatted, I think you'll have a hard time finding much there. Gary S. Terhune wrote: > Everything is still left there except the table of contents (FAT). All > FORMAT does is write a new FAT. But it's *easy* to recover data after a > format, ALL of the data. Hell, with RTT, I can recover significant data > from > 20 formats back. > > And why *aren't* you talking about "special snoop programs"? I have a very > good one and lots are sold for under $100. Why aren't you worried about > someone using one of those? > > -- > Gary S. Terhune > MS-MVP Shell/User > http://www.grystmill.com > > "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message > news:%23bMCBKuiIHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> Come again? (And no, I'm not talking about someone using special snoop >> programs). If you boot up on a DOS floppy, and do a format c: , what's >> really left there? >> >> Gary S. Terhune wrote: >>> No, it won't. Not even close. >>> >>> -- >>> Gary S. Terhune >>> MS-MVP Shell/User >>> http://www.grystmill.com >>> >>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message >>> news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>>> Reformatting it will destroy all the data. >>>> >>>> Jim Madsen wrote: >>>>> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says >>>>> no >>>>> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >>>>> into the local recycling place. >>>>> >>>>> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >>>>> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >>>>> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >>>>> want to do that. >>>>> >>>>> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >>>>> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >>>>> >>>>> Any suggestions? >>>>> >>>>> Jim
Guest Bill in Co. Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive No, I don't think that is true for a regular full format. Gary S. Terhune wrote: > Everything is still left there except the table of contents (FAT). All > FORMAT does is write a new FAT. But it's *easy* to recover data after a > format, ALL of the data. Hell, with RTT, I can recover significant data > from > 20 formats back. > > And why *aren't* you talking about "special snoop programs"? I have a very > good one and lots are sold for under $100. Why aren't you worried about > someone using one of those? > > -- > Gary S. Terhune > MS-MVP Shell/User > http://www.grystmill.com > > "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message > news:%23bMCBKuiIHA.3448@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >> Come again? (And no, I'm not talking about someone using special snoop >> programs). If you boot up on a DOS floppy, and do a format c: , what's >> really left there? >> >> Gary S. Terhune wrote: >>> No, it won't. Not even close. >>> >>> -- >>> Gary S. Terhune >>> MS-MVP Shell/User >>> http://www.grystmill.com >>> >>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message >>> news:ubjMS1tiIHA.4712@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... >>>> Reformatting it will destroy all the data. >>>> >>>> Jim Madsen wrote: >>>>> My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says >>>>> no >>>>> one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it >>>>> into the local recycling place. >>>>> >>>>> She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if >>>>> reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I >>>>> took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't >>>>> want to do that. >>>>> >>>>> She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and >>>>> dispose of the computer for $50.00. >>>>> >>>>> Any suggestions? >>>>> >>>>> Jim
Guest Jim Madsen Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Thanks for all the replies. Sorry about starting some debates. Well, based upon the recommendations, I decided what we're going to do. We will ***** --not tell you our decision. BTW, at work we have that magnetic hard-drive destroyer (see I CAN spell it right!). The first time they used it, it actually yanked the hard drive out of the lady's hands. One lady in our IT department is afraid of it, and refuses to go near it when it is operating. Again, thanks for the advice. Good night Jim Jim Madsen wrote: > My daughter has an old Gateway computer running Windows 98. She says no > one wants it because it is slow and obsolete and she wants to turn it > into the local recycling place. > > She is worried about (personal) data on the hard drive. I wonder if > reformatting the HD will destroy all the data? My old W95 computer, I > took the HD out and smashed it with a sledge hammer, but she doesn't > want to do that. > > She took it to a computer store, and they offered to "hose" the HD and > dispose of the computer for $50.00. > > Any suggestions? > > Jim
Guest rod Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive "Jim Madsen" > BTW, at work we have that magnetic hard-drive destroyer (see I CAN spell > it right!). Boo! You should have left it so, I thought it a marvelous freudian slip.
Guest John John Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Lee wrote: > Best advice yet is correct, but your advice on zero filled data is > totally incorrect. No, his advice is totally correct! I challenge you, or anyone reading these groups, to offer concrete proof that they can recover zero written/wiped files or to give us the names of data recovery firms who can do it. It cannot be done, it has never been done, no one has ever been able to do it and no one has ever been able to offer a shred of evidence that they have successfully recovered files on securely wiped disks. John
Guest Jeff Richards Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Zero filling (or any form of overwriting) is sufficient to prevent recovery by anyone without special hardware. The myth that special hardware is not required might be due to cases where the OS 'optimised' the process to the extent that nothing actually got written to disk, leaving some of the original data intact. Hence my preference for DOS utilities to do the overwriting, and preferably one that manages the drive controller for itself, such as those that the disk drive manufacturers provide.. -- Jeff Richards MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User) "Franc Zabkar" <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in message news:ju76u3h2bgb56434tjisvjgfnt1ntj9ps5@4ax.com... > On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:21:25 -0700 (PDT), Lee <melee5@my-deja.com> put > finger to keyboard and composed: > >> ... your advice on zero filled data is >>totally incorrect. Gary's cheap tools can recover this data even if >>zero filled multiple times. > > How is it possible to recover data without the use of forensic tools? > (I'm assuming that Gary doesn't have these.) Surely if a particular > sector has been filled with zeroes, even if only once, then any time > your OS reads this sector, your drive's uP will retrieve those exact > same zeroes. I would think that in order to retrieve any previous > data, you would need special access to the servo and to the read/write > heads, and to bypass the uP's control of the drive. > > - Franc Zabkar > -- > Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.
Guest Bill in Co. Posted March 21, 2008 Posted March 21, 2008 Re: destorying the hard drive Even as I said, if you do a Full format, I think you'll be hard pressed to recover much, despite what Gary said. But I think Gary was thinking of the Quick Format (and I don't consider that a real format). John John wrote: > Lee wrote: > >> Best advice yet is correct, but your advice on zero filled data is >> totally incorrect. > > No, his advice is totally correct! I challenge you, or anyone reading > these groups, to offer concrete proof that they can recover zero > written/wiped files or to give us the names of data recovery firms who > can do it. > > It cannot be done, it has never been done, no one has ever been able to > do it and no one has ever been able to offer a shred of evidence that > they have successfully recovered files on securely wiped disks. > > John
Recommended Posts