Erase Everything from a Hard Drive

Security

Erase Everything from a Hard Drive

Warning

DBAN will completely erase everything from all hard drives in a computer. Nothing previously on a hard drive can be recovered after using DBAN.

Before running DBAN, save a copy of all files you want to keep.

If you have more than one hard drive in the computer, disconnect any hard drives you don't want to erase.

Do not leave DBAN where children may find it.

Selling or Disposing of a Computer

If information on a hard drive is just deleted, there are programs which can be used to recover much of that information.

If information is deleted from a computer before selling or disposing of it. People who know how to use these recovery programs may get the computer and recover much of that information.

If you sell or dispose of a computer which has had private information on it, use DBAN to erase everything from the hard drive first. If you sell it as a working computer, you can reinstall the operating system after running DBAN.

Removing Malware

Malware can usually be removed by reinstalling the operating system. On rare occasions, this does not remove malware. To be sure it is removed, use DBAN to erase everything from the hard drive before reinstalling the operating system.

Problems During Installation

Formatting prevents something already on a hard drive causing problems during installation. On rare occasions, problems can still occur because formatting does not remove everything. If an operating system won't install properly, this is one possible reason. This can be overcome by using DBAN to erase everything from the hard drive before installation.

Hard Drive Unusable

On rare occasions, hard drives become unusable because of something on the hard drive, usually in the master boot record. This may occur as a result of a virus or malfunction. DBAN can be used to erase everything from the hard drive, and it will become usable again, after it has been partitioned and formatted.

If a hard drive has an electrical or mechanical fault, this will not fix it.

Using DBAN

Before running DBAN, save a copy of all files you want to keep.

To run DBAN, put the CD in the drive, turn the computer off, and restart.

When it gets to "boot:" type "autonuke" and press enter (there are other options).

DBAN is loaded into RAM, so when it starts running you can remove the CD.

DBAN takes some time to completely erase the contents of a hard drive. It displays the estimated time remaining.

DBAN Website

For more information and downloads, see the DBAN website at http://www.dban.org/

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