Try a software
There are tons of downloadable programs on the internet that can assist you with the sanitation of your hard storage devices. Disk utility programs provide several options such as wiping out individual files, wiping out multiple drives, or even enable you to either preserve remove your OS.
Some of the most popular disk utility programs are Disk Wipe, DBAN, BleachBit, and KillDisk.
There are also several manufacturer-specific disk utility programs for SSDs such as Intel Solid State Toolbox, SanDisk SSD Toolbox, and Samsung Magician Software.
Then there are programs like White Canyon’s Wipe Drive 9 that erase data from SSDs as well as HDDs.
Use the OS installation disk
Insert the installation disk into the CD-ROM tray and reboot your computer. Be prepared to press a certain key when the screen flashes a message that asks you to press a key for entering the Setup mode. Generally, you’ll need to press either the F2, F8, or F11 key. On the next screen, you’ll have several options to boot from – choose to boot from CD/DVD.
Now what you do next may vary based on which OS disk you’re using. But here’s the gist of what you need to do:
- Locate the tab from where you can view your disk partitions.
- When you find it, choose the one from which you want to wipe the off data. (FYI: If you format the disk on which your OS is installed, you’ll need to reinstall the OS)
- Upon choosing the disk, you’ll see options on the screen to format, delete, etc.
- Select the format option, and when prompted, choose to format using the NTFS file system (assuming you’re using Windows).
- If there’s an option for choosing a quick vs normal format, go with the one that fits your purpose. If you want to thoroughly erase the data, choose normal.
… and you’re done!
