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Q: Ive heard that there are a number of free programs that will allow you to erase your hard drive (actually overwrite it) so that you can either donate your old computer or give it to a relative to use. I have both a laptop and high-end desk top that Id like to do this with, but cant seem to find anything that is intuitive and functional. Do you have any suggestions? The desktop is a HP Pavilion Elite e9280t and the laptop is a HP Pavilion dv7-1450us. Both are operating on Windows OS 10, although the performance of the laptop is quite spotty at best. ~Bill Wood, Parker

Tech+ Yes, there are many free programs to erase a hard drive. I havent used one because I have hung on to drives for decades. However, the free software that continues to be highly recommended by many tech sites is Dariks Boot and Nuke (atdban.org). DBAN clearly states it doesnt guarantee data removal, plus it cant erase the newer SSDs (it suggests the $14.20Blancco Drive Eraser for that task). But for the price of free, its something to consider.

As readers know, I prefer to steer people along the process of researching what technology is best for them. Read reviews from multiple sites and always be a little suspicious. One site I tap is CNETs Download.com, which offers editor and consumer reviews for products. The highest-rated software under a search for disk wipe was different versions of Wise Disk Cleaner, also found at wisecleaner.com.

Ive touched on this before, back in March 2015. There are companies that offer a secure hard-drive destruction service for various fees. Local charities like Goodwill Industries of Denver and Blue Star Recyclers also take donations of old PCs and wipe the drives to U.S. Department of Defense standards before refurbishing them. Neither is sharing which software they are using, but Goodwill tells me that its not available to consumers.

There are also businesses, like Denvers Eboxlab(Ive written about them in the past) that destroy the hard drive for you for a fee or recover data from it.

Of course, if youre getting rid of the hard drive for good and it had financial or other personal information youd prefer never leak out to strangers, take a hammer and destroy the hard drive. That is the only way to ensure your data doesnt escape.Both Goodwill and Blue Star also shred hard drives.

See past Tech+ answers or ask your own tech question at dpo.st/mailbag. If youre e-mailing your question, please add Mailbag to the subject line.

More:
When recycling a computer, wipe the hard drive with tools that do more than just delete sensitive files - The Denver Post