How to completely wipe a hard drive?

[killians45]

okay, by visiting websites I'm assuming you're talking about cookies. A virus distributed via a cookie is almost impossible. Reason being is because cookies are text files. Yes, they could contain the code but it is not executable. You COULD create a executable cookie, but everything IE 3.0 and beyond will not run .exe cookies, so you are safe on that front. Active X controls and java is more likely the culprit. Now one thing the cookies CAN do is be used in tandem with adware. The adware can spot the cookies and/or prev URL listings and send adds to you for porn sights. Or, if you download anything from word files or what not (MUCH different than a text file) they may contain macros. It would be very hard to get a virus just from surfing. You would need something to execute (by first compiling the text file that IS the cookie you downloaded but first you must have downloaded something to execute the text code). There are many ways for a virus to get to you. Plus, dont confuse a virus with adware. Adware technically is NOT a virus, but still would be very hard, if not impossible to get from browsing.