Windows 10: Secure Wipe and install Windows 10

I do not have a SSD. I am doing a full on wipe as I have tried reinstalling the OS with erasing all disk partitions in the Custom option but it seemed to fail. Does this Diskpart erasure method write zeros, if it does, shouldn't it use disk space for storing all of those zeros on the hard drive or do the zeros get erased when Windows is installing? Thanks, I'm going to do some more research about this because I still feel insecure. XD. Thanks EVERYONE so much for smashing that reply button.
MSM

 

Ehh, after doing some research I figured out that Diskpart does not erase Hidden Partitions, it only erases Normal Partitions and Boot Sectors, the same with Parted Magic. Killdisk, I couldn't find anything so back to square one, any other tools?

 

Zeros are just empty space, on HDD it's non magnetized particle and on SSD just open transistor so zeros are not actually written. To overwrite, a real value has to be written, most write just random data so there's no pattern to decipher. There's another thing, low level formatting that that completely changes disk structure so nothing is recognizable any more. Disk has to be partitioned and formatted from scratch after.

 

Check out this article on Technet. DiskPart Command-Line Options . This is the important part:




Hope this helps.

 

Thanks John and Count. John, should I use the command "clean" or should I use "clean all" to wipe the whole HDD, including the Hidden Partitions. By the way, I have a GPT Disk which is 700GB (570GB are not being used on the C*Smile.
Thanks,
MSM

 

"Clean all" will take longer, but since you had a bad infection it may make you feel better that there is no way it is still on that disk.

 

+1 It's what I always use

 

My results my come in a 7:00PM. Sorry for the delay.

 

Ok, so when I enabled F12 boot menu, I edited the BIOS and repeatedly tapped F12 but nothing happened and my PC booted into Windows, then I restarted and tried again and it successfully did it, right now it is cleaning the whole disk. But is my USB now infected as my Windows booted up. I only went to the lock screen where you get logged out. Is my USB infected now which results in another infection after the installation?

 

I doubt it, system didn't even noticed it yet at that stage.

 

Umm, I do not understand, can you explain in more detail please?

 

USB drivers and most others are not loaded until you sign in and process continues.

 

Ok, thanks for the reply, so basically my USB has not been recognized? The process has completed, the commands took around 2-1/2 hours and then I continued with the installation. So, I'll reply in a bit once my Laptops setup.

 

I'm making a new USB just to feel safe and make my PC clean *Smile

 

If you still need to REALLY wipe your whole disk you have to use Secure Erase command of ATA interface. You can find more info here: How To Securely Erase Your SSD Without Destroying It in part Secure Erase Using Parted Magic. Older free version of PartedMagic can be downloaded here: Parted Magic linux 2013_08_10 the last free version archive | techno kanciapa (file pmagic_2013_08_10_reconstructed_v2.iso) and Secure Erase function may be applied either to SSD or to regular HDD but in this case it may take several hours.

Sorry for sending as QuickReply by mistake.