Erase all data

[old_old_7]

I am going to sell my laptop, don't want to leave any trace in the hard drive,
if I delete all the documents, unuse programs, then cover them by over write several large file(example, movie,5 G), then exit windows and format the hard drive, will all the data be removed without being rediscover?
Or simple format the hard drive will do the job?

[ItemFinder]

DBAN

[Kasakato]

+1 boot and nook. With a DoD wipe, it took 3 days to clear 80GB.

[Jucius Maximus]

DBAN

Excellent option here. Properly erasing things takes time but this is the right tool for the job.

[hagbard]

Three days to wipe a 80gb drive? I just use the quick method, takes five hours for a 100gb drive. But be sure, in about a year someone will come out with a way to unease these in about as much time. Hence, I usually just destroy the drive (they're cheap nowadays anyway) when they're no longer useful or dead. They make nice windchimes.

[Desolatax]

I usually do 1 zero out pass and then a 7-pass random write, then another zero out pass whenever I nuke all the data for a hard drive I want to sell. Takes overnight for a 160GB HDD.

[old_old_7]

Have a quote today, they only give me $150
I rather keep it as a internet radio player
thanks for all the help.