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General discussion

Program that delete totally files from hard disk

Feb 16, 2005 6:43AM PST

Folks,

I would like to know if you have used a program that can delete all the files permanently from the hard disk, but it has to run from a floppy or run from a dos prompt.

I need this because I used many times other people PC's, so I can't install programs that write the registry every time on every PC.

I already tried sdelete from sysinternals and restoration, but the first one doesn't delete all the files and the second is very slow.

TIA for your advice.

Raul.

Discussion is locked

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Active@ Kill Disk - Hard Drive Eraser
Feb 17, 2005 3:47PM PST

Downloaded the free version wich is probably as good as the Pro as far as accomplishing the goal. But turned out never needed to use it so can't vouch.

Any thing intended to entirely sanitize a HDD regardless the size is probably going to take a while as it would take up to 8 passes to to guarantee non-recoverability.

http://www.killdisk.com/

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killdisk works
Feb 18, 2005 4:13AM PST

I have used this utility to wipe a hard disk clean before junking it. It worked just fine. You need to supply DOS, which is present in Windows 98 as DOS 7. Clear instructions on how to format a flopply and have DOS installed are included. You then boot to flopply with Killdisk on it, and run from a DOS interface.

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(NT) (NT) Thanks glennlee. Good to know.
Feb 18, 2005 6:03AM PST
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Spybot S&D might do it
Feb 21, 2005 1:03AM PST

It has a secure shredder tool in advanced, but I think you have to start the computer first.