Wiping HDD prior to fresh XP install...worth it?

[Cproflow]

Hi All,

I am going to do a fresh install of XP this weekend (it has been about a year...thinking it is time), and I was wondering what the take is on using programs like Killdisk or DBAN? This is only a 74 Ghz Raptor, and I don't need to "destroy" any info to keep me a free man ;)

My question -- Is there any inherent advantage to wiping a drive down to zeroes prior to an install? The rationalist in me would think starting from a blank slate (all partitions blown away, no residual data to overwrite, etc) would be a good idea. Does it really matter one way or another?

[Darkside]

Try this first..if you want to save your apps..this guy has been around a while good information for sure.. :D :D ;)WINDOWXP INSTALL (http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897)

[Neutrino]

Try this first..if you want to save your apps..this guy has been around a while good information for sure.. :D :D ;)WINDOWXP INSTALL (http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=189400897)


From the sound of it, I belive he is interested in the exact oposite.


Anyway to answer the original question. I do not belive it will make a diference to write 0s everywhere over a nomal format. However, I think it will be better do to a complete format over a quick one because (and again not 100% sure on this one) during a complete format any bad sectors will be realocated.

[drizzt81]

I don't think it makes any difference. The PC doesn't care what the previous data was, since it'll just overwrite what it did not allocate previously.

[OldMX]

I say go for it, i do it every 6 months and never had an issue that way :D

oldmx

[MJCfromCT]

Nah, it doesn't really matter. Just pop in the XP CD, delete the partition and re-create it. In effect, that'll "wipe" the drive for you and let you start fresh.

Just make sure you back up anything important on that partition first... ;)

[charliemike]

74GHZ RAPTOR!

WHEEEE! :)

Doesn't really make much difference as you have the option to format the drive during install :)

[OldMX]

Nah, it doesn't really matter. Just pop in the XP CD, delete the partition and re-create it. In effect, that'll "wipe" the drive for you and let you start fresh.

Just make sure you back up anything important on that partition first... ;)

If his current installation is rootkited, deleting a partition and recreating wont get rid it.

oldmx

[drizzt81]

If his current installation is rootkited, deleting a partition and recreating wont get rid it.

oldmx
how does that work? From my understanding of rootkits, they overwrite system calls, which means that anything using the current OS to access the FS will use the compromised version of the files. When reinstalling WinXP using the CD (which most likely is clean), the destruction of the partition followed by an install will overwrite the compromised files. Even if not, the simple fact that his new install of WinXP won't know that the files exist, thereby won't access them will prevent the rootkit from influencing his computer.

Now, it is quite possible that I am misunderstanding how RK's work. If, for example, they write themselves into the BIOS instead of the OS (i.e. HDD) then deleting the partition will do nothing. But wiping the disk wouldn't do anything either, since only a BIOS flash would be able to eliminate that RK.

[Gatticus]

I think he is probably mistaken. Deleting the partion(s) and formatting will get rid of any rootkit.

http://www.pcmech.com/show/software/910/
It might sound like shock therapy, but the only proven way to remove a rootkit is by formatting the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system again (from a clean installation media, of course!).