some questions about DBAN before I use it

R

Robbie

Member
Hi

I've been reading through the threads here about using DBAn and then reinstalling the OS afterwards but just to check that I have got everything correct can I just run through what I think may happen and check if it is what will happen!

1. Create NukeBoot disk
2. restart computer - at which point my computer will boot straight to floppy (this is the current BIOS setting)
3. nuke hard drive! My hard drive (80GB) has two partitions, one the normal NTFS partition and the other a pre-installed recovery partition (but see below)
4. after doing secure wipes of the entire hard drive restart computer?
5. go to BIOS and change start up option to boot from CD-ROM and restart with OS disk in tray
6. OS is re-installed automatically?

Just to complicate things a little my Windows XP OS was pre-installed, the type of computer that comes without a Windows disk as standard but rather has a FAT32 (?) recovery partition with all the drivers, OS etc to do a choice of non-destructive system recovery, "system recovery - no format" or "system recovery - quick format" the latter being the one that formats the partition and reinstalls the OS and restores the computer back to factory settings, erasing everything that was there before. It's the latter I want to do but I want to completely and securely wipe the HD first to remove sensitive data as I'm selling the computer.

As I said the method of re-installing the OS is usually to use the recovery partition. However, a few months back I was having problems with the computer and the recovery partition failed (my error - I wiped the files on that partition!). I contacted the manufacturer and they sent me (for a small fee) the Operating System Reinstallation DVD which I used to completely reinstall WXP. I changed the BIOS to boot from CD-ROM, inserted the DVD and this launched a system restore program from the disk. This then reformatted the hard drive then installed both the Recovery Partition (FAT32) and the normal C: partition (NTFS).

Has anyone ever used this type of disk to reinstall the OS after using DBAN? I'm a bit timid of running DBAN simply because I'm worried that I might not be able to then reinstall the OS via this DVD. I'm part financing buying my new computer from selling my current one and I want to have a workable computer after doing all this! I read some posts where people had been unable to boot / reinstall the OS after wiping the HD.

In addition, after wiping with DBAN do I need to do anything other than change the BIOS to boot from the CD-ROM and insert the DVD in order to reinstall? Some people mentioned having boot problems at this stage?

Any help, pointers or advice anyone can give would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
I changed the BIOS to boot from CD-ROM, inserted the DVD and this launched a system restore program from the disk. This then reformatted the hard drive then installed both the Recovery Partition (FAT32) and the normal C: partition (NTFS).
Click to expand...
If the recovery DVD is bootable, then it will likely install Microsoft Windows XP after DBAN runs.


Has anyone ever used this type of disk to reinstall the OS after using DBAN?
Click to expand...
If you provide manufacturer and model information about your computer, then somebody might be able to provide insight.

In addition, after wiping with DBAN do I need to do anything other than change the BIOS to boot from the CD-ROM and insert the DVD in order to reinstall? Some people mentioned having boot problems at this stage?
Click to expand...
If your computer can boot from the DVD before running DBAN, then it will boot from the DVD after running DBAN.

Any help, pointers or advice anyone can give would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Extract your WPA product key before wiping the operating system and keep a written copy. The installation program might ask for it. Use a program like this to get your WPA key:

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml
 
Thanks for the reply!

Everything went smoothly. The DBAN program is excellent and easy to use (I wasn't 100% certain which was the best wipe option to use so I chose the PRNG option and did 8 rounds, which took about 4.5 hours. For future reference, which is the best option / amount of rounds to choose?).

Afterwards I booted with the OS Reinstallation DVD and it immediately recognised there was no OS installed on the hard drive nor a recovery partition. It then formatted the HD to create both a Recovery Partition and a user partition (in NTFS) and then reinstalled the OS to the user partition.

The computer is now as good as new and I'm relieved it all went smoothly!

Thanks
 
Sorry to bother you again dajhorn, can I just check something else before I do sell my computer.

After running the DBAN program is it necessary to save the log file? After the message appeared to save the log file, I inserted a blank floppy and kept pressing ENTER (or something similar) and the log file that was written was a sequential number up from the previous file I had just saved (ie I pressed ENTER a file was saved then I pressed ENTER again, saved log file, pressed ENTER again etc). In the end I assumed the log file only needed to be saved once, so I removed the floppy I had inserted to save the log file to and then just switched off my computer. Was it OK to just switch off the computer like this?

Does this mean the program still ran OK? There was a message that said something like DBAN completed (I've forgotten now, I didn't really take much notice at the time, but kept pressing ENTER to keep saving a log file). I don't have the log files anymore as I deleted them from the floppy. To be honest, I wasn't really sure what the log files were for (and I couldn't read them using notepad).

Thanks again for your help.
 
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