I bought a Lenovo ThinkCentre M910q that still contains settings and data from its previous owner. I'm new to Linux and want to erase the existing contents properly before installing Linux from scratch. What is the safest and simplest procedure, and do I need to do anything beyond the normal installation process?
3 Answers
A normal reinstall is not the same as a guaranteed data-destruction process. If the old owner’s data must be unrecoverable, use the drive’s built-in secure erase function. For an NVMe SSD, an NVMe format or secure-erase operation is preferable; for a hard drive, a full overwrite may be appropriate. Repeatedly writing zeros to an SSD is not always reliable and can add unnecessary wear, so identify the drive type first and follow the manufacturer’s procedure.
If you’re installing Linux as the only operating system, boot from the Linux installer and choose the option to erase the disk and use it for the installation. The installer will remove the existing partitions, create new ones, and format them. That’s normally sufficient for removing the previous user’s files from everyday access.
For a more deliberate wipe, boot a live Linux USB and use GNOME Disks or GParted to delete the existing partitions and create new ones. Be extremely careful to select the internal drive, not the USB stick. You can then start the Linux installation and let it partition the blank drive.
Resetting the BIOS or loading its defaults only changes firmware settings; it does not erase files from the storage drive. It can still be worth doing separately if you want to remove old boot or hardware settings.