Rephrasing your question, Do you need to extract or copy information or are you trying to ensure all information is gone? If you want to completely erase the drive, install it as a slave drive, fdisk and format it then go here
http://www.jetico.com/download.htm
and download the bc wipe trial version 2.37 (smaller download) and run it from your master drive using DOD 7 pass wiping. After that only the very best will be able to get anything off the drive and it will only be bits and pieces.
Good Luck.
PS: The second best method is a sledge hammer but, it makes them impossible to sell!!!
Edit: they changed the DoD terminology, no longer 7 pass, below is from the website,
The BCWipe utility is a shell extender for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP, intended to secure delete your files. It supports correspondent U.S. Department of Defense recommendations (DoD 5200.28-STD). The BCWipe utility provides several ways to shred file's contents from the disk:
a. Delete with wiping. Using 'Delete with wiping' command you can delete and wipe your files and folders using pop-up context menus in Windows Shell (Explorer program).
b. Wipe free disk space. If you have previously deleted sensitive files using a standard operating system command, you may wipe free space on the disk where these files were stored - all previously deleted files' contents will be erased.
c. Swap file wiping. BCWipe utility automatically wipes Windows Swap file contents when you run 'Wipe free disk space' command.
d. Recycle Bin wiping. You can wipe contents of Windows Recycle Bin by pointing on the Bin icon by mouse and running the 'Wipe Recycle Bin' command from context pop-up menu
e. Windows ME specific: allows to wipe contents of special folders, created by Windows ME 'System Restore' function.