I recently dealt with a malware infection on my computer and have switched all my passwords using a different device. Now, I have a USB with the Windows Installation Media ready, but I've been reading that it's crucial to wipe my drives first before proceeding. Is it sufficient to just format all my drives, or do I need additional software to ensure they're completely clean? What's the recommended approach to do this?
3 Answers
Formatting your drives will usually suffice; the malware shouldn't run from there. To be extra cautious, consider erasing and recreating partitions to eliminate any hidden bootable files. However, if you plan to sell the drives, it's better to use secure erase methods to prevent any chance of data recovery.
If you have hard drives (HDD), it's perfectly fine to wipe them. For SSDs, the approach is a bit different—you should use specific software to do a quick delete because they manage data differently. Look for drive sanitization or erase tools in your BIOS; that’s often the best starting point.
Using something like DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) is a solid option for securely wiping your drives. We used it frequently to prepare old HDDs for re-use in budget PCs for people in need.
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