How to Wipe a Hard Drive for Reuse
By Elvis Michael
A hard drive serves as a standard storage solution for computers and multiple electronic devices. It is capable of storing terabytes of data, making it a convenient method to back up your personal files. However, if you need to permanently wipe a hard drive for reuse, it is best to perform a disk partitioning and formatting, which allows you to store more content.
Right-click "My Computer" and click "Manage" to launch the Computer Management applet.
Click "Disk Management" on the left pane. Right-click the hard drive in question and choose "New Partition" from the context menu.
Select a "Primary Partition" or an "Extended Partition" from the menu. A primary partition allows your hard drive to become bootable, which allows you to effectively install an operating system. Otherwise, select "Extended Partition" if the hard drive will only be used for multimedia or private data.
Assign a desired drive letter from the choices available. Choose the "NTFS" file system, which allows for security settings such as folder permissions on your hard drive.
Assign an optional volume label to the hard drive. Choose the "Quick Format" option if you do not believe your storage unit to be damaged. Otherwise, deselect this option to have your system inspect the hard drive for errors while formatting.
Click "Finish" to effectively wipe out your hard drive. Allow several minutes depending on the settings you choose and the amount of data available.
Writer Bio
Elvis Michael has been writing professionally since 2007, contributing technology articles to various online outlets. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in information technology at Northeastern University.