64 bit hard drive eraser

[Cofe]

I have used a dos program to low level format computer hard drives for years. But now the 64 bit operating system, raises a fit with that program...So I am looking for a good low level format program that will totally wipe out and rewrite a hard drive and work with windows 7 64 bit. I have downloaded a couple programs, but they seem really slow. Anyone have recommendations?

 

[CharlieB]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

PGP used to have a pretty good 'wipe and rewrite' security feature, and was free.

Norton Utilities has a wipe and over-write feature, and has a 30 day free trial. I like a few features well enough that I bought it.

I'm still running XP Sp3 on both desktops and Vista on the laptop. So I don't know much of Win 7.

I still liked 98, it was simple enough and I'd had it tweaked to work well. Too soon I'll be forced to upgrade from XP and then I'll be leaning hard into that learning curve again.

 

[Cofe]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

PGP used to have a pretty good 'wipe and rewrite' security feature, and was free.

Norton Utilities has a wipe and over-write feature, and has a 30 day free trial. I like a few features well enough that I bought it.

I'm still running XP Sp3 on both desktops and Vista on the laptop. So I don't know much of Win 7.

I still liked 98, it was simple enough and I'd had it tweaked to work well. Too soon I'll be forced to upgrade from XP and then I'll be leaning hard into that learning curve again.

Thanks CharlieB If I had my choice, I would run XP pro....but...my new laptop came with win7 64bit, and It gives me headaches. Good news though, I found out how to run my old dos command prompts within win7. Here is how...

It's in Start > All Programs > Accessories .
If you will run commands that require Administrator privileges, right-click Command Prompt and click Run as administrator .

Now my old low level format works. Now to make win7 work like I'd like it to work...

 

[The_Kid]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

If you want to open a command prompt even faster, just click Start and type cmd in the search area then hit enter.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

I was reluctant to change from XP to Win7 as well. Win7 is so much better than XP once you get used to it.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

Win 8 is supposed to be released next month.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

Filling your drive with new content is also an effective way to basically destroy your old contents. I have heard that simply doing a full format with sector check is a way to erase yiur drive thoroughly too because it writes a byte to every sector on your drive, which replaces whatever is there.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

If you're looking for a program that erases all traces of any programs you've deleted on your HD you can't beat this. http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

It has the DoD 7 pass suggestion, single pass, first and last kb, 32 wipe, all kinds of options. It also imbeds itself in your right click menu to directly erase a program.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

a sledge hammer effectively erases all data. at least it makes any data unreadable..... however if your simply looking for a wipe, many good suggestions above

 

[dolluper]

Re: 64 bit hard drive eraser

GO to your hard drive manufactors site and download their free drive wipe.....do it 2 times then reformat then it will be 3 times