Wiping with no traces?

[Slime101]

I need to do a re-install due to many progs going belly up...to avoid problems on re-install whats the best way of "killing" the drive so nothing remains as many progs manage to leave traces somewhere that last even though reformatting?

 

[Slime101]

No program is going to leave traces which would interfere with a clean install if you just format the drive.

I can think of several...MS Office, Discreet 3DS MAX, etc etc. It needs to be properly cleaned...but how? (I know these progs leave traves even after fdisk and format from experience)

 

[Slime101]

No. . .they dont (yes the data is technically still on the disk and recoverable by specialist software, but there is no way it can interfere with windows and new installs of the software).

YES THEY DO!

Install 3ds max....remove it or leave it then reformat and try and re-install and see what it says, it WILL know you have installed before on that hard disk, i would bet my 20K landy on it...the program leaves traces that are not removed with a format or fdisk.

 

[Slime101]

....And this wouldnt have anything to do with the fact that 3DS-max uses a network-based registration system (FlexLM IIRC) which is based on your computer's MAC address? No amounts of low-level formats are going to change that fact Im afraid You'll have to re-register or change your network card (which probably constitutes a breach of your licencing agreement)

/me wonders what the shipping charges on a Land Rover are

Stand alone installation - no remote registration required so how's that work then?

 

[Slime101]

There's either an active connection to the internet that the software's using to check the product code, MAC address, etc.

Not without firewall permission, which it doesnt have!