How to wipe a hard drive

The importance of wiping your hard drive before disposing of a computer cannot be ignored. Identity theft is, unfortunately, rife at the moment. And, irrespective of whether you are selling on your computer or throwing it in the bin, the sensitive information held in your electronic waste can end up in the wrong hands if you do not completely erase all of your information via a professional electronic waste disposal and recycling facility. With the recent implementation of the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive in the EU it is even more important to wipe your data as your old computer equipment is much more likely to be recycled or re-used.

There are a lot of people that mistakenly believe they have wiped their hard drive when they have not. When you delete files, you are not actually removing them from your hard drive. In fact, you are simply erasing the entry in the index file, and thus the documents themselves remain. So, how do you wipe a hard drive and remove everything completely? Read on to discover more.

There are several different options you have to dispose of e-waste effectively and securely and in compliance with the WEEE recycling regulations. The first is to use software in order to wipe your computer hard drive. To do this, you need to begin the process by backing up anything you want to keep. After all, once everything is erased, there will be no going back. After you have done this, have a look on the Internet for a free data destruction program. You need to make your selection with care. Read reviews to ensure that the software in question has a good reputation and that people have been satisfied with the results. If you find an abundance of negative reviews, you know to look elsewhere; otherwise you risk your data not actually being removed.

All programs will have their own instructions regarding installation, so you will need to follow these. If you are using a bootable program, make sure you get the ISO image on a USB drive or a DVD or CD disc. You can then wipe the hard drive according to the steps of the program in question.

Unfortunately, for a lot of people, this process does not provide them with the peace of mind they are looking for. Of course, in most cases, the hard drive will be completely erased. However, a lot of experts advise going down the route of destroying your hard drive instead. This is particularly advisable if your computer is broken or you are planning on throwing it away.

Nevertheless, one thing to note is that you should never destroy your hard drive yourself. This can be very dangerous because of the harmful components that are found within a hard drive. This is why it is advisable to use the services of a professional company that can give you the assistance you require. Not only will they have safe techniques in place for destroying the hard drive, but they will also dispose of your hard drive and computer in a safe manner if you want to get rid of it. This is exceptionally important when you consider how damaging e-waste is.

To conclude, it is imperative to wipe your hard drive if you are selling or getting rid of a computer. To ensure you do this effectively, follow one of the two methods that have been mentioned in this post. If you can afford it, a professional service is always best.

The author has written and published articles on a wide range of topics including Small Business Advice, Tax and Accounting, Interior Design, House Renovation and Project Management.