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Muray's avatar
Muray
Brass Contributor
Nov 14, 2024
Solved

How to wipe a hard drive on Windows 10 using command prompt

I'm trying to wipe a hard drive using the command prompt in Windows 10, and I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. I want to make sure that the drive is completely erased, as I plan to either sell...
  • Xudaop's avatar
    Xudaop
    Nov 14, 2024

    I am using Dr.Wiper for erasing hard drive on my PC. After wiping, I checked with a professional data recovery tool and no file is found. That is pretty amazing.

    For secure data wiping, please check this useful guide:

    https://www.ammdiy.com/how-to-permanently-wipe-a-drive

     

Arya66's avatar
Arya66
Iron Contributor
May 07, 2025

A dedicated disk wiping app is more recommended for wiping a drive because it offers advanced data destruction algorithms, thorough overwrite methods, and user-friendly controls that go far beyond what built-in tools like diskpart provide.

While diskpart clean all does zero out the disk, it lacks support for multiple overwrite passes, verification of deletion, and compliance with data erasure standards like DoD 5220.22-M, NIST 800-88, or Gutmann.

Dedicated apps also typically include features such as wiping only free space, scheduled wipes, detailed logs, and fail-safes to prevent accidental system wipes. These tools are essential for secure data disposal, especially when reselling, donating, or retiring a hard drive.

So it is much safer to completely wipe a hard drive on windows 10 without command prompt. A dedicated disk wiping app is more recommended.

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