Three Ways to Securely Destroy Your Data

If you're planning on selling your computer in a usable state, chances are you'll want to securely erase that three to five years of tax forms, social security numbers, etc from your hard drive. The most secure method (for us civilians, anyways) to destroy that data while keeping the drive usable is to start up a version of the linux-based Darik's Boot 'n' Nuke. WARNING: Using DBAN will erase everything, everything, EVERYTHING, from the hard drive. Data, operating system, everything. You won't be keeping Windows (or Mac, or Linux, or any OS, for that matter) or your data unless you back it up. It will effectively give the hard drive a clean slate. Data recovery is not possible for us mere mortals. You might as well try to get the pre-release testing data from a new drive (they do test those before we buy them, right? :| )

1) DBAN

If the hard drive is of no use to you, you don't plan on letting others have it, and you don't trust the Geek Squad to destroy it for you, here are a couple more, rather more fun, alternatives :D

2) Industrial Shredder

3) DIY Boot 'n' Nuke