How to Wipe Hard Drive in Windows 10 - 3 Safe Methods?

Updated by

Sherly 

Written by

Cici 

Updated on April 22, 2024

If you wish to dispose of your old or outdated hard drive, it's essential to sanitize the data to prevent leaks. Windows enables you to format and delete hard drive partitions; however, the deleted data can still be recovered using data recovery software.

To make the data on your hard drive truly disappear, you need to wipe the hard drive completely. When you want to dispose of your computer or get rid of a damaged drive, you can safeguard your privacy by thoroughly erasing the hard drive.

Do you know how to completely wipe a hard drive? You can erase data by either physically damaging the drive or using software within Windows. This article will introduce three methods to help you thoroughly wipe your hard drive.

How to Completely Wipe a Hard Drive

In this part, I will detail three methods to completely wipe a hard drive:

1. Wipe Hard Drive Thoroughly with Tools – Partition Master

It is a professional third-party data wipe software to erase your hard drive. You can use it to thoroughly wipe the hard drive without damaging it.

2. Wipe Hard Drive with Windows Settings Completely

This is a way to reset the computer. You can remove everything on your computer and restore it to its original factory settings.

3. Wiping Hard Drive Completely with Physical Damage

If you don't plan on reusing or recycling your hard drive, you can use this method to completely wipe the hard drive. This will render the hard drive unusable.

If you plan to wipe your hard drive for reuse, you can opt for Method 1: tools Partition Master. This method ensures the integrity of your hard drive. Now, let's explore how each of the three methods functions.

Method 1: Completely Wipe Hard Drive Using Tools – Partition Master

The Partition Master tool will assist you in overwriting your hard drive multiple times to permanently erase all disk data. It is a robust disk management utility with powerful wiping capabilities. It features a user-friendly interface and is straightforward to use. Even if you lack computer expertise, you can safely wipe your hard disk without causing any damage.

A hard drive wiped by Partition Master can be used again or given away. Let's see how to do it.

We've set two options for you to wipe data. Choose the one you need.

Option 1. Wipe Partition

Translate the following text into English: - Right-click the partition from which you want to erase data, and select "Wipe". - In the new window, set the duration for which you want to wipe your partition, then click "OK". - Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button in the bottom right corner, review the changes, and then click "Apply".

Option 2. Wipe Disk

1. Select the HDD/SSD, and right-click to choose "Wipe Disk." 2. Set the number of times to overwrite the data (you can set up to 10). Then click "OK." 3. Click "Execute 1 Task(s)" and then click "Apply."

tools Partition Master is the best all-in-one disk management tool. Apart from wiping hard disks, it also functions to:

• Wipe SSD on Windows 11 and older systems.
• As a powerful disk partition tool, you can also use this software to resize, merge, create, and delete partitions.
• Furthermore, you can also utilize it to convert MBR to GPT without data loss.

If you have any disk-related problems, you can ask tools Partition Master for help.

Aside from using Partition Master, you can also utilize the Diskpart command on Windows 10 to wipe all data. Follow the link below for a step-by-step guide.

Method 2: Completely Wipe Hard Drive Using Windows Settings

This method uses the reset function in Windows to wipe the computer. You can factory reset Windows 10 and erase everything on the PC through the Windows setup. It will remove all programs and data and reinstall Windows.

Here are the steps to completely erase the hard drive using Windows 10:

Step 1. Click on the Windows start menu and select "Settings."

Select **Settings**.

Step 2. Choose "Update & Security."

Select **Update & Security**.

Step 3. Click "Recovery" on the left side.

Step 4. Under "Reset this PC," select "Get Started."

Click on "Next" to proceed.

Step 5. Click on "Remove everything." This will delete all programs and data.

Remove everything

Step 6. Choose the "Remove files and clean the drive" option to erase the drive's contents completely.

Step 7. Select "Next" and "Reset" to finish the task.

Reset this PC

This process will take longer and be more complicated than using tools like Partition Master. If you're not very computer literate, to avoid mistakes, I recommend you use Method 1.

Method 3: Completely Wipe Hard Drive Using Physical Damage

Physically destroying a hard drive ensures it's completely wiped out. Common ways to do this involve dismantling, shredding, burning, or crushing. Once you go this route, the hard drive won't work anymore because it'll be damaged. Pick this method if you're not planning on reusing the drive.

Step 1. Try using a screwdriver to remove the screws from the hard drive case and take off the casing.

Step 2. Remove the platters and heads and choose a method to destroy the hard drive.

Physical Damage

Conclusion

This article outlines three methods to thoroughly erase a hard drive. You can utilize the tool Partition Master to guarantee that your data is completely wiped and the hard drive can be reused. Furthermore, Partition Master can also remove data by formatting or deleting partitions, as well as resize partitions to optimize the utilization of the hard drive.

You can also wipe the hard drive by resetting the PC. Physically destroying a hard drive works for drives you will not use again. Whichever method you choose, always remember to back up your important files in advance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Completely Wiping Hard Drive

Here are a few questions regarding completely erasing a hard drive. If you're interested, please continue reading.

< strong > 1. Is it possible to completely erase a hard drive? < / strong >

Yes, you can fully wipe a hard drive. Deleting a hard drive partition or formatting it does not thoroughly erase the drive, as the deleted files can be potentially recovered with data recovery software. To completely wipe a hard drive and remove all data, you can either reset the computer or utilize tools like Partition Master.

**2. Does factory resetting wipe the hard drive?**

Yes, a factory reset will wipe the hard drive. It will restore the computer to its original condition, and all files will be erased. There's no way to recover them.

3. Should I wipe my hard drive before selling it?

If you intend to sell the used hard drive, you need to thoroughly erase all data from it. Simply formatting and deleting partitions will not adequately secure your information. Instead, you can utilize tools like Partition Master to safely wipe the hard drive before selling.