Hard Disk Search Software

[chrisqqgx4]

I'm about to donate a PC to my friend's kids, but first I'd like to check it's clean. I've formatted the disk and reinstalled Windows XP.

I'd like to check the disk to make sure it's clean. I've tried a few tools downloaded from cnet.com but none were useful. Most had a terrible interface or would take days to search or couldn't search particular areas. I just want to make sure things like my online banking password / hotmail password aren't still there (I treat my PC like it was a public machine and also cleared caches).

Any suggestions?

 

[Rat]

I'd say that something like Eraser is what you need. It may not hide your massive collection of child pornography from the FBI, but it will make any information there safe from kids with undelete tools, which I'm hoping is all you need. Otherwise, throw the HDD away, and replace it with a £20 one that'll do the job fine.

When we dispose of HDDs at work, we tend to take the cover off, then plug it back into the machine (molex only) and hold a screwdriver on the surface while it spins up. Yes, it's massive overkill, but it makes a really cool sound, and some pretty patterns.

Cheers,
Rat.

 

[chrisqqgx4]

Cheers Rat, looks great. Paranoid me would still like a tool to make sure Eraser (I will erase your past to protect your future) works, but lazy me will be happy enough.

I knew subscribing to Bruce Schneier's security newsletter would make me paranoid...

 

[Soapy Sam]

The bestest and fastest method of ensuring data goes nowhere is definitely to swap the drive. Then prise the little devil apart. The disc itself makes a grand little pocket mirror or UFO photographic fake object. The magnets are seriously kewl and will enhance your gas mileage and cure fallen arches while preventing CaCO3 build up in your water pipes.

However, I merely rename all my porn files
" What I Did in the Holidays (0013457) . jpg " etc.
Nobody has looked at one yet.

 

[cesium]

If you wiped the machine and reinstaled XP (you did do the format/reinstall, right?), then there should be nothing on the hard drive.