Comments for DBAN - Darik's Boot And Nuke

Comment from Ed on 2009-09-20

2009-09-20T16:05:56Z

I have a 2 year old Dell Laptop (Vista) that I am going to give to a friend. The hard drive has a PC Restore partition which can be used to restore the computer to the factory delivered state. Can I use DBAN to only nuke the main hard drive partition and leave the PC Restore partition alone?

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Comment from Jess on 2009-09-12

2009-09-12T22:55:17Z

ok i had an issue with DBAN you see im useing linux and im giveing my laptop to my bro and he wants xp so i used DBAN and linux still comes up know what im doing wrong here? It seems like it doesnt delete it please help.

My guess is that your system has multiple partitions, and you're not letting DBAN erase the boot partition.

13-Sep-2009

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Comment from James on 2009-09-11

2009-09-11T11:22:29Z

I recently used DBAN on a computer I was disposing of and found it very effective. It's difficult to overstate it's effectiveness, since it can completely and utterly obliterate everything.

But it would also be worth emphasizing that it will if required obliterate only one disk, if you have more than one, or one partition if a disk is partitioned.

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Comment from MARIAN COOPER on 2009-09-08

2009-09-09T02:32:45Z

Hi Leo - thanks for all your advice, help and hints.
I have a computer running Windows XP. I want to delete everything and then re-install Windows. I am told I need to access BIOS to do this. What is BIOS please and how do I re-install XP?

Thanks a lot.
Marian

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Comment from Kenny on 2009-09-08

2009-09-08T18:01:03Z

Leo,

Afer I use the "DBAN" and erase everything off of my HD, how do I go about reformatting it and then reinstalling windows or Linux or whatever? I'm not the smartest kid on the block, but I would like to try and do it with one of my old computers, just so that I'll know that I can do it, if I ever have to. Thank you

95% of the time you simply boot from the Windows or Linux installation media and follow the instructions. (After running DBAN, formatting it not required, as your hard disk is now completely empty.)

09-Sep-2009

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Comment from Mohit Kashyap on 2009-01-06

2009-01-06T16:27:25Z

I used a DBAN cd to delete data from an old laptop, but I did not realize I had my external backup hard drive attached to it. Could the dban process have started with the external hard drive attached? The external hard drive is now not being recognised when connected to another computer. Also I cannot reboot the old laptop I was trying to DBAN, I am wondering what occured?
Will it be possible to retrieve the data off my external hard drive?

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Comment from JOETTE on 2008-12-15

2008-12-16T07:14:56Z

I WANT TO CLEAN EVERYTHING OFF MY HARD DRIVE & REINSTALL MY ORIGINAL PROGRAMS. I WONDER HOW TO DO THIS. IS THIS PROGRAM GOOD FOR THAT?
THANKS,
JO

DBAN only erases data. The normal sequence for reformatting and reinstalling is:

- Back up your data using a good backup program

- erase the hard drive. Technically this is optional, but DBAN is perfect for it

- reformat the hard drive. Also technically optional, and typically part of the next step

- boot from a Windows Installation CD and install Windows

- update Windows.

- install all your applications

- restore any data from your backup that you need

- Leo
16-Dec-2008

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Comment from Don on 2008-12-15

2008-12-15T22:51:55Z

I would like to delete the files on my laptop and give it to a friend, but I want to keep Windows XP loaded. Will DBAN do this for me?

Thanks don

No. DBAN erases everything. Typically when you give away a computer you really want to erase everything includeing Windows, or do so and then reinstall Windows, to remove any traces of personal information.

- Leo
16-Dec-2008

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Comment from WordsMytrh on 2008-12-09

2008-12-10T05:46:28Z

Another fine article, Leo.

Back in May I donated my old circa 1997 Gateway 2000 266 mHz PII w/256 MB of SDRAM and a massive 8 GB hard drive running Win 98SE (flawlessly, I might add) to our local Goodwill charity. I included all the manuals and all the OEM (and subsequent) software on CD (back in 1997, Gateway actually included a very nice book, holding all the OEM software CDs!), all the cabling, and the 19" monitor.

I used Sammi Torvaldsen/Heidi Computers free "Eraser" software (which incorporates the erasing methodology used in DBAN as well as several others) to totally wipe everything on the drive before donating it.

I urge folks to consider donating solid, functional (if older) computing hardware to charities such as Goodwill. You get a small tax write-off and the charity gets to resell the system to someone who can put it to use!

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Comment from Rick on 2008-12-09

2008-12-09T16:50:43Z

Hi Leo, that was a good article about computer theft and how hackers can get about everything personal from a stolen computer hard drive. I was wondering if online banking files can be accessed too or if not, why not?

Thanks a bunch, Rick.

Store your on-line banking password on your computer somewhere? Like, maybe, in your browser's auto-complete or "remember password" feature? Then yep, someone who steals your machine can access your accounts.

- Leo
10-Dec-2008

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A comment on: DBAN - Darik's Boot And Nuke

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