I have an external USB hard drive that I have to take back to the store. Problem is there's a lot of my personal data on there that I would REALLY prefer nobody else be able to recover. What's the best way to securely format this external USB hard drive before I return it to the store? Thanks!
connect up to your computer and delete the partition then formst it this will make it appear empty but I and most professionals will still be able to get all the data if you are returning it the 6 inch nail through the disks is out try a low level format one good way that actually works is clone a new drive of the same size onto it that does destroy the data for all but the most determined cia agent
Try this, it should be more than enough to protect it, unless they get very concerned and think data has to be retrieved by big brother. Its free as well. http://www.heidi.ie/node/6 Uses the Guttmann (Default), Pseudorandom Data and US DoD 5220-22.M methods. If you have anything thats super sensitive, then its true either a nail or hammer are your only options. I've tested this software on drives I've used for PC's I've sold on, and restorer 2000 (my recovery tool) can't get anything back, but MI5 etc... would manage if they wanted to.
