Does installing a new os clear every single data/file on your hdd?

[TheHogDog]

Trying to clear out my okd computer and want to clean my hdd for security stuff reasons and i couldnt find any uninstall option for my os. I then chose to install a new operating system on the pc. Does that 100% clean evetything off my pc? None of the saved data or files are kept on the hard drive and its not 'system recovery-able'?

 

[USAFRet]

An OS won't 'uninstall itself'. That's like asking a person to cut his own head off.

Reinstall, and delete all partitions.
That will wipe everything.

If you want to be absolutely sure, boot from a DVD that has DBAN on it. Wipe, and then reinstall the OS.

 

[boosted1g]

Yes and No.

Doing a quick format makes all of the bytes available as free space but does not actually change the 1 to a 0.
For the average user they would not be able to see the files on the old partition but for a very knowledgeable individual they could run cerian programs that would find any data that has not been overwritten by the new OS. Lets say you had 80 GB of data previously, you formatted the drive and reinstalled windows and now the drive has only 50 GB used, that means that 30gb of the old data has yet to be overwritten.

There are programs out there that will do 1 or more passes over the hard drive to do a thorough format to wipe away all data.

 

[USAFRet]

For what purpose are you doing this? To sell, or for your continued use?

To sell....DBAN and wipe the whole drive. Then reinstall the OS.
For your continued use, just delete partitions during the OS install.

 

[TheHogDog]

I want to clean my pc fully, not going to sell nor use but incase that i do sell or give away i dont want to be in the risk of people having potential access to any of my previous files nor saved logins etc...

How does dban work? Do i download it and run it. If i only have one drive which is also my os will it uninstall and delete everything including my os?

 

[USAFRet]

DBAN
Download, burn to CD or DVD, boot from that, wipe the drive.

Don't use this with an SSD.

 

[TheHogDog]

So i did that and i clicked on the drive to wipe and it said it cleared without any fatal errors problems and it told me to push the shut down button.

I then started my pc and windows loaded, logged in
and its a black screen.

Does that mean it successfully cleared everything?

Is it necessary to install an os or am i safe to just leave it like this?

 

[USAFRet]

If you want to use the PC, you need to install an OS of some sort. Or run a Linux LiveCD.

 

[TheHogDog]

At this stage where it completes and there is only black screen on start up, there is no way to reverse it whatsoever right?

 

[USAFRet]

At this stage where it completes and there is only black screen on start up, there is no way to reverse it whatsoever right?

If you work for the NSA or FBI, maybe. Otherwise, probably not.

 

[casper1973]

I'm too late with this advice but I will continue for future reference...

Since you had already re-installed Windows you could have used the "Drive Wiper" feature in CCleaner. Set it to only overwrite free space.

Would have saved you another re-install of Windows.