I'm preparing my computer to be donated. If I reformat/reinstall OS, is that sufficient, as far as completely removing data? Do I need to use some type of hard drive "cleaner"? If so, which do I do first? I'm assuming I would wipe/clean the drive, then reinstall the OS.
Cleaner/ultility program is your best bet, and yes you use that first. In all likely hood you are fine with just a format, BUT if you want peace of mind get a ultility or disk wiping program.
Here's a file shredder that's free and does a good job. You can shred your disk, then format and install the new OS and feel pretty confident that your data is safe.
Formatting is not the same as wiping by a long shot. Formatting will leave data intact and easily retrievable if someone wanted to. Wiping isn't perfect and takes a while to do, but makes it harder for someone to recover data from it.
Hard drives are cheap these days, buy a $30 hard drive and use that, keep the old one and physically open the old one up and destroy the platters.
You're right. Formatting and wiping are not the same. Unless you are going to do a three pass DoD wipe it doesn't matter. Besides, the average person shouldn't worry that much.
Your right, a new HD is cheap. If you're that paranoid then just do what you said, open it up and destroy it.
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