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Look for the best disk wipe software for Windows
Windows comes with a built-in tool called diskpart, which is a powerful utility that allows you to manage disks, partitions, and volumes, and it can be used to securely erase all data from a disk. It can be used as a free disk wipe software on any Windows OS.
Here is how to completely wipe a disk on Windows:
1. Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
2. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter. This will launch the Diskpart tool, which allows you to manipulate disks and partitions.
diskpart
3. To view all the disks on your system, type the following command. This will display a list of all connected disks along with their disk numbers. Note the disk number of the disk you want to erase (e.g., Disk 1).
list disk
4. Input the following command to select the disk you want to erase. Replace 1 with the disk number you identified in the previous step. This will select the disk for further operations.
select disk 1
To erase the disk completely and delete all partitions, type the following command:
clean
The clean command will remove all partitions and data from the selected disk, but it’s important to note that this doesn't securely wipe the data—it just deletes the partitions, making the data recoverable with specialized tools.
Note: If you're erasing an SSD, using the clean all command might not be as effective in securely erasing data as it is with HDDs (Hard Disk Drives). For SSDs, consider using a manufacturer-specific tool for secure erasure.
By using diskpart free disk wipe program with the clean all command, you can erase a disk on Windows via the command line securely. However, for critical security, especially when selling or disposing of the device, using a dedicated disk wiping tool may offer more robust methods.