I'm looking for advice on how to completely wipe my hard drive before switching to Linux from Windows. I want to ensure no remnants of Windows are left behind. Is a full format enough, or should I go further and write random data over the entire 1TB internal drive? I still need access to my files from both operating systems until I finish cleaning up my other computer, especially since I'm new to Linux after using DOS and Windows for decades. Also, I've been told I can't format the internal SSD with Windows due to system files being there. Can I run an app from a USB flash drive to accomplish this? Is this the right place to ask for help?
5 Answers
Let the Linux installer do the heavy lifting! It will ask if you want to keep Windows or use the whole disk for Linux. Choose the latter and you're set.
You really don't need to go that far! All the tools for partitioning are included with the Linux installation media. Just follow the prompts during the install.
If you want to completely wipe the internal SSD and remove Windows, the Linux installer will help you format it as ext4 or any other Linux file system. But about the 1TB HDD, you mentioned needing files to be accessible; that's a bit tricky since you can't have them gone and still readable!
When you install Linux, just choose the "erase and install" option. It'll take care of removing Windows for you. If you want to be extra thorough, you can boot from a live USB with gparted to format the drive beforehand.
If you just want a usable drive, formatting it during the Linux installation is typically enough. Any leftover Windows files won't pose a threat. If you're really worried about those old files haunting your drive, you could use something like ShredOS from a USB to wipe it completely, but that might be overkill and not really necessary.
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