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    DBAN & the Dell (Inspiron e1705/9400) Recovery Partition?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by deadstone2706, Jun 1, 2008.

  1. deadstone2706

    deadstone2706 Notebook Geek

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    Hi,

    Before I sell my 2 years old laptop on eBay or wherever, I'd like to completely wipe all my passwords and id's...

    But of course I want to be able to use the Recovery Partition to re-install the factory version of the OS, Office, and software (along with all the bloatware I got)

    So, if I use DBAN (Boot and Nuke) is there an option to keep the recovery partition so I can use it after? If so, how can I tell which of my two or three partitions to Nuke?

    Or would I be better using something like WebRoot Window Washer just to shred the free space after doing the recovery?

    thanks for any suggestions or input.

    Philip
     
    deadstone2706, Jun 1, 2008
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  2. Gregory

    Gregory disassemble?

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    My experience with DBAN has been that it detects the physical drive as a whole, and doesn't give any regard to partitions.

    Using a program after a reinstall to wipe just the free space is an option. That way you can be sure it doesn't mess with the MFT. However, a crafty person could still recover the files at the beginning of the drive that weren't securely deleted.

    There is a program called JKDefrag which has a "wash" option to delete unused space as well as the ability to physically move all the files to the end of the hard disc (with exception of the MFT). If you were to do a clean reinstall, run the "wash", then move the files to the end of the disc, then do another wash, you should be fairly secure. Make sure you move the files back to the beginning of the disc afterwords.

    The file names left in the unwashed MFT would still be retrievable to a crafty person, however, the data it refers to would be deleted.
     
    Gregory, Jun 1, 2008
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  3. deadstone2706

    deadstone2706 Notebook Geek

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    Thanks, I guess I'll do the recovery, then try Windows Washer (I already own it) to shred all the free space, then defrag...or maybe defrag first?

    That should do it...
     
    deadstone2706, Jun 1, 2008
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  4. Gregory

    Gregory disassemble?

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    Defrag first. That should allow the washer to run faster. JKDefrag is free, and Windows defrag doesn't include the option to move all the files to the end of the disc. So I suggest you get JKdefrag for that purpose. That way you can be sure that you wipe both the beginning and end of the disc. Everything except the MFT will be securely deleted.
     
    Gregory, Jun 1, 2008
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  5. deadstone2706

    deadstone2706 Notebook Geek

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    ok thanks, I'll look at JKDefrag
     
    deadstone2706, Jun 1, 2008
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  6. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    How about making the recovery discs, then using dban, then restoring using the recovery discs?
     
    orev, Jun 2, 2008
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