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afterdawn.com > forums > pc hardware > other pc hardware > best way to securely format an external usb hard drive?
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Best way to securely format an external USB hard drive?
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merandom
Member
_ 		12. January 2009 @ 19:08 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
I have an external USB hard drive that I have to take back to the store. Problem is there's a lot of my personal data on there that I would REALLY prefer nobody else be able to recover. What's the best way to securely format this external USB hard drive before I return it to the store?

Thanks!
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pcrepair
Senior Member
_ 		15. January 2009 @ 11:41 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
connect up to your computer and delete the partition
then formst it
this will make it appear empty
but I and most professionals will still be able to get all the data
if you are returning it the 6 inch nail through the disks is out
try a low level format
one good way that actually works is clone a new drive of the same size onto it that does destroy the data for all but the most determined cia agent
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i7 3770 12GB ram terrabyte sata drive 1 750Gb sata drive 285GTX graphics Sony dvdwriter same NZXT Nemesis case
Still playing Black Hawk Down why did I upgrade?
BigDK
Senior Member

3 product reviews
_ 		16. January 2009 @ 16:22 _ Link to this message    Send private message to this user   
Try this, it should be more than enough to protect it, unless they get very concerned and think data has to be retrieved by big brother.

Its free as well.

http://www.heidi.ie/node/6

Uses the Guttmann (Default), Pseudorandom Data and US DoD 5220-22.M methods.

If you have anything thats super sensitive, then its true either a nail or hammer are your only options.

I've tested this software on drives I've used for PC's I've sold on, and restorer 2000 (my recovery tool) can't get anything back, but MI5 etc... would manage if they wanted to.


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