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wiping a hard drive on a laptop
me ^ | 4-15-11 | wobbly bob

Posted on 04/15/2011 9:56:34 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB

I have a friend willing to GIVE me a free laptop but wants assurances it will be thouroughly wiped 1st.

since I have no deniro , is there an easy , free , portable way I can take something to his locale to do this there and in person so he can see that it's done?

(not a computer guru so a step by step printable guide would be best)

thanks in advance to all . my previous FRiends have been quite helpful in computer matters.

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TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: drive; laptop; vanity; wipe
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To: WOBBLY BOB

I bought a new laptop at WallyWorld for $300. It had a 160gig HD in it. I wanted more so I bought a 500 gig on Ebay with a larger cache and a faster spin speed,( 7200rpm vs 5400) for $49. You remove 1 or 2 screws and remove drive and hand it to him and say thanks. Ask him for the restoral disks if he has them for the drivers or if you don’t own an operating system disk. If he is willing to give it away, I can almost assure you that the disk will be smaller than what most people use today. The whole deal would cost $50. Not bad.


41 posted on 04/15/2011 10:36:22 AM PDT by chuckles
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To: Arthalion

DBAN is an excellent wipe product.


42 posted on 04/15/2011 10:38:24 AM PDT by commish (Freedom tastes sweetest to those who have fought to preserve it.)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

if it is a couple of years old it’s probably SATA 3

go to http://www.pricewatch.com/hard_removable_drives/

bought this from this guy a few weeks ago for $49.99 and his price went up a couple of bucks since

http://3btech.net/hipeseata3002.html


43 posted on 04/15/2011 10:38:39 AM PDT by Ouderkirk (Democrats...the party of Slavery, Segregation, Sodomy, and Sedition)
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To: WOBBLY BOB
If I want to make sure it's really erased, I use an arc welder.
44 posted on 04/15/2011 10:42:09 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: WOBBLY BOB

http://www.linux.com/archive/feature/135944


45 posted on 04/15/2011 10:42:48 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open ( <o> ---)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

Darik’s Boot And Nuke works every time full instructions at the website.

http://www.dban.org/download


46 posted on 04/15/2011 10:45:07 AM PDT by Lees Swrd ("Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe and preserve order in the world as well")
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To: WOBBLY BOB

Sorry I just noticed this video it will take you thru this step by step!

http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=videos/using-dban-to-wipe-a-drive


47 posted on 04/15/2011 10:49:58 AM PDT by Lees Swrd ("Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe and preserve order in the world as well")
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To: WOBBLY BOB

A different suggestion:

1. Investigate Linux, search terms for popular distributions:

Ubuntu

Mint

2. Download (for free) onto a CD (not DVD); CDs are cheaper; the operating system itself is free per a public license. The various distributions have many programs that are also free and mimic what you are used to on Windows.

3. Run the operating drive as a test from the CD/DVD player. It is a free version. See if you like it. You don’t have to install it but you can if you wish.

4. Give the donor back his hard drive, the ultimate security action.

5. Install a new hard drive of your own and format.

6. If you want a cheap, cheap version of a solid state hard drive (electronic, NOT a rotational disk) let me know and I will give instructions for a simple, cheap solid state drive.

You would be surprised how well it all works and how cheaply it can be accomplished. But it takes a few hours, but not more than that.

Good Luck.


48 posted on 04/15/2011 10:52:38 AM PDT by bajabaja (Too ugly to be scanned at the airports.)
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To: tacticalogic
If I want to make sure it's really erased, I use an arc welder.

I find a tight grouping of .270 works as well.

Photobucket
49 posted on 04/15/2011 10:53:45 AM PDT by Renderofveils (My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music. - Nabokov)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

50 posted on 04/15/2011 10:54:26 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy (Radioactive plume to hit USA. President Obama and family fly to Brazil)
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To: Renderofveils
I find a tight grouping of .270 works as well.

I don't like leaving litter at the range, and I'm too lazy to go hunt for the pieces.

51 posted on 04/15/2011 11:02:48 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: WOBBLY BOB

Most laptops come with recovery cds or have a recovery option during bootup that allow you to return the laptop to its factory restored state.

Does your friend have those cd’s? If so, you can have all of his stuff off of it and have a laptop that runs exactly the way it did when he purchased it within about 30 minutes for no additional cost.


52 posted on 04/15/2011 11:11:58 AM PDT by mmichaels1970
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To: mmichaels1970

I will ask. thanks


53 posted on 04/15/2011 11:17:58 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB ( "I don't want the majority if we don't stand for something"- Jim Demint)
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To: mmichaels1970

I will ask. thanks


54 posted on 04/15/2011 11:17:58 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB ( "I don't want the majority if we don't stand for something"- Jim Demint)
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Comment #55 Removed by Moderator

To: WOBBLY BOB
...since I have no deniro...

Here, you can have this one.


56 posted on 04/15/2011 11:33:23 AM PDT by JRios1968 (Of course Laz would hit it!)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

Remington Wingmaster.

Hire a nephew or a drunken neighbor (for more fun) to chuck ‘em into the sky when you yell PULL.


57 posted on 04/15/2011 11:44:16 AM PDT by Made In The USA (This post may be recorded for quality purposes.)
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To: WOBBLY BOB; Greysard
Post #12, DBAN is a very good option. It will wipe it beyond the ability of NSA to recover, if you have the time.

Another option is Knoppix. Boot it up on the CD, open a terminal, and run the "wipe" command on the main drive. It'll wipe it enough that most people won't even try to recover any data.

Barring those two options, I'd suggest taking a Windows disc to the computer and your friend, and re-installing Windows on top of what you have. The install program should take care of everything for you.

58 posted on 04/15/2011 11:50:19 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

There is of course reformatting, and there is destroying.

I have an old microwave in my basement I use to fry any media before it goes in the trash. Including hard drives. Sure it sparks but the old microwave hasn’t busted yet.

For enclosed drives, its
1) magnet
2) microwave
3) hatchet

If that is not enough I guess I am screwed.

And BTW frying CDs or DVDs is sorta fun.


59 posted on 04/15/2011 11:51:05 AM PDT by freedomlover (Make sure you're in love - before you move in the heavy stuff)
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To: WOBBLY BOB

Make sure the laptop has a cd drive and it works. Some laptops may not have a built in cd drive, you will need an external USB drive. And to do any kind of wipe or format you will have to boot from a seperate drive.


60 posted on 04/15/2011 12:05:38 PM PDT by FreedomGuru (One Big Awful Marxist America)
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