# What is the best way to destroy data on unused parts of my HDD?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-destroy-data-on-unused-parts-of-my-hdd/217605>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 7, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-destroy-data-on-unused-parts-of-my-hdd/217605 "2003-12-07T20:32:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-destroy-data-on-unused-parts-of-my-hdd/217605/1 "2003-12-07T20:32:06Z")

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I’d like to overwrite empty space on my hard drive with zeros, or do whatever it is that one does to permenantly destroy old data on now-empty space there. What is the best (free) program to do that? Can I be assured that in doing so, I’m not going to bugger my computer and have to wipe my drive and reinstall everything?

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**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-destroy-data-on-unused-parts-of-my-hdd/217605/2 "2003-12-07T20:49:19Z")

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Try [Eraser](http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/) (Windows only).