Clean a PC before selling?

If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before selling
it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that without a format
and complete re-install of the OS?

jim wrote:
> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before selling
> it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that without a format
> and complete re-install of the OS?
>
>

You can't. Even with a format, data recovery software can retrieve
files. The only way to make sure there is nothing left of your activity
is to wipe the hard drive (Darik's Boot and Nuke is free; Acronis Disk
Cleanser is good but not free) or smash it with a sledge hammer.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

On Jan 3, 10:03*am, "jim" <j...@home.net> wrote:
> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before selling
> it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that without a format
> and complete re-install of the OS?

The latter is the best way. I suppose you could use CCleaner or a
similar product to erase a lot of your Internet, download, search etc.
history.

jim wrote:
> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before selling
> it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that without a format
> and complete re-install of the OS?
>
>

Knowing very well what you are doing and using something like eraser to
clean out all free space (that would assume you already deleted anything
you don't want anyone else to see, like user profiles).

Nuking the disk and reinstalling is always safer.

PS crossposting is not appreciated.

Not possible without a format and reinstall..........the key word in your
question is ALL!!

peter

"jim" <> wrote in message
news:JH7fj.60941$.. .
> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before
> selling it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that
> without a format and complete re-install of the OS?
>

There's No other way do it.
"jim" <> wrote in message
news:JH7fj.60941$.. .
> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before
> selling it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that
> without a format and complete re-install of the OS?
>

"Malke" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> jim wrote:
>> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before
>> selling it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that
>> without a format and complete re-install of the OS?
>
> You can't. Even with a format, data recovery software can retrieve files.
> The only way to make sure there is nothing left of your activity is to
> wipe the hard drive (Darik's Boot and Nuke is free; Acronis Disk Cleanser
> is good but not free) or smash it with a sledge hammer.
>
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Thanks for the info - http://dban.sourceforge.net/ for those that want it
too.

jim

there is only one way

however, this is a complicated
process and best left to those
who have studied and practiced
the method. many of us old timers
and experts understand the methods
and will never share this experience
on the open newsgroups.

further it is unclear what the
true nature of your question is.

eradicating traces on the computer
is one side, there is however the
other end, whereas business's maintain
data that is forever linked to your ip
address and your billing accounts.

in addition, you simply can't
reinstall windows and simply give
the machine away.

windows has only one license per
computer and it is enforced without
compassion by Microsoft's activation
technology.

so you would need to decide to
sell or give away your copy of windows
then buy yourself a new license "or"
keep your windows and the
license you have.

my suggestion is to simply add
your old harddrive to your new
system as a slave drive. it will
be in your possession and will
come in handy.

then for the old machine either
sell it without a harddrive or
replace it with a blank one, one
which has never been used.

if you are going to donate it
then you should buy a cheap
harddrive to include in your
donation and tax deduction.
--

db ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·..><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>¸.
><)))º>·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><)))º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><)))º>


..


"jim" <> wrote in message
news:JH7fj.60941$.. .
> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before selling it
> or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that without a format and
> complete re-install of the OS?
>

On Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:03:55 -0500, jim wrote:

> If you wanted to clean ALL traces of your activity from a PC before selling
> it or giving it away, what would be the best way to do that without a format
> and complete re-install of the OS?

I really don't see that as being practical. I can tell you what I'd do -
boot a Linux Live CD then use 'shred' on all the partitions - then
reinstall the OS, or better yet, install it and a Linux dual boot.

db ´¯`·.. ><)))º>` .. . <databaseben.public.newsgroup.microsoft.com>
wrote in news::

> there is only one way
>
> however, this is a complicated
> process and best left to those
> who have studied and practiced
> the method. many of us old timers
> and experts understand the methods
> and will never share this experience
> on the open newsgroups.

Not complicated DB...maybe to you. Just use any number of utilities you
can d/l to do free space shredding with the OS still installed, or use
the HD mfg's utility disk to do a low-level 0 or 1 fill, however many
times you want.

> further it is unclear what the
> true nature of your question is.

The only thing unclear here is your typical answers all written in
riddles.


> eradicating traces on the computer
> is one side, there is however the
> other end, whereas business's maintain
> data that is forever linked to your ip
> address and your billing accounts.

What does that have to do with the question ?

>
> in addition, you simply can't
> reinstall windows and simply give
> the machine away.
>
> windows has only one license per
> computer and it is enforced without
> compassion by Microsoft's activation
> technology.

Maybe it was an OEM install already tied to the hardware, in which case
that copy of Windows is of no use unless it is on the same hardware.