Disk cleanup software can efficiently wipe a hard drive, ensuring all data is overwritten and secure. However, complete physical destruction is the only way to ensure data cannot be recovered. Multiple wipes may be necessary when selling or donating a computer. Government standards recommend six overwrites for average security.
In case you need or want to overwrite and delete every single byte from a computer hard drive, Disk Cleanup may be your best bet. The term disk wiping refers to the act of cleaning a computer’s hard drive. The term also refers to a class of computer software products designed to do this task more easily and efficiently. With some variants of disk cleanup software, a multi-hour task can be completed in minutes. The process is not only easier than reformatting a hard drive; it is also considered by many to be more secure, as it ensures that all data, including individually licensed software and files that may contain passwords or other personal information, is overwritten.
It’s important to remember that no hard drive is ever “wiped” completely. With sufficient resources, money, and time, it is possible to recover information that has been “erased” from a drive. The only certain way to ensure that data on a hard drive cannot be recovered is through complete physical destruction of the drive.
Unlike the business of reformatting a drive, which can still leave behind personal files such as financial and medical information or credit card numbers, a disk wipe helps ensure that no traceable or accessible files remain. For some individuals, a simple reformatting of a hard drive may be sufficient and safe enough. If a hard drive has been partitioned into separate drives, some users may wish to perform an additional reformatting to avoid the risk of data or files being left behind. A second or even third disk wipe can be especially important if a computer is sold, donated, or thrown out, to reduce the likelihood that personal data will be accessible to future owners.
In addition to purchasing disk wiping software, there are also various shareware and freeware programs or applications for many operating systems that perform similar disk wiping functions. Some of these applications may take longer than others, but may be more effective after just one use. The reliability factor can vary from program to program, depending on how the program rewrites or formats the hard drive using binary code structures.
While it is not possible to completely and irreversibly erase digital information from a hard drive, a government standard mandates that a hard drive must be overwritten a total of six times to provide an average level of security for the documents and cryptic data stored within. This process, while perhaps far more complex and comprehensive than most disk cleanup programs, can be useful in certain situations. As concern about computer hacking becomes more widespread, similar practices have been enforced by various government agencies, some companies, and even some individuals.
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