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removing personal information

post #1 of 11
3/27/07 at 3:52am
Thread Starter 
hi all

I want to sell my old dell laptop but I'm a little hesitant to sell it becuase it has so much of my personal information inside of it. Is there a way that I can remove all of my name and other pesonal information from the laptop before I sell it? Im not even sure if this can be done but if it can any input would be appreciated.


Thanks,
mike


ps it runs on XP pro
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post #2 of 11
3/27/07 at 3:55am
take out the hard drive get new/used hard drive put in there, no one will have your information with the old drive you have
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post #3 of 11
3/27/07 at 4:04am
Thread Starter 
well I have been doing some research and I have seen some hard disk wiping software that is supposed to delete all the information from the hard drive, but I dont have another copy of XP pro and I wont get full value selling a computer with no OS on it. Is there to wipe everything but the original windows files?

Thanks,
Mike
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post #4 of 11
3/27/07 at 10:54am
I know it would take longer but couldn't you just do it manually?
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post #5 of 11
3/27/07 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeyfitz14
well I have been doing some research and I have seen some hard disk wiping software that is supposed to delete all the information from the hard drive, but I dont have another copy of XP pro and I wont get full value selling a computer with no OS on it. Is there to wipe everything but the original windows files? Thanks, Mike
this is for Sony trade in ? do you happen to have another XP CDpro to do install ? if not I would start going in C:\\my documents, then start from there, then uninstall any application you think it will have your personal information. again, if this is for Sony trade in I am sure they won't sit there and pick out your personal information, unless of course you are on the US goverment hit list ... but if you sell it to a person I would be careful about keep same hard drive with your personal information in there. For the amount of money you spend on the software you can get yourself a used drive, install XP using your old XP key then sell it
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post #6 of 11
3/27/07 at 11:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeyfitz14
Is there to wipe everything but the original windows files?

Delete your personal files and clear your internet history, cookies, favorites, etc. Also any explorer MRUs and recent docs.

Next clear your paging file and any sensitive registry entries. Then use this:

http://www.sofotex.com/Sure-Delete-download_L13677.html
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post #7 of 11
3/27/07 at 11:56pm
You really should reformat the system or, preferably, run a utility that purges all of the data. I am currently dealing with identity theft and it is not something you want to ever go through.
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post #8 of 11
3/28/07 at 12:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigtrouble77
You really should reformat the system or, preferably, run a utility that purges all of the data. I am currently dealing with identity theft and it is not something you want to ever go through.

Reformatting will erase, shred if you will, nothing.

dban or sure delete or eraser is needed to overwrite the drive with zeros several times. Purging is preferable, as you stated.

Sorry to hear about your I.D. theft, BTW.
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post #9 of 11
3/28/07 at 12:28pm
Thread Starter 
I actually am just finishing up with the hassle of having 2 of my credit cards stolen, which is partly why I am being so cautious. The problem is that I no longer have the XP install CD as I lost it in one of the moves back and forth to college. I have removed the majority of the files and programs on the computer but the only thing left is all of the information that I filled in when I first got it, like all the information about who owns the computer and all that jazz. I feel like that it something that I would like to get rid of as well, although im contemplating just buying a new copy of XP, zeroing out the HD, and loading up new XP.

thanks
mike
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post #10 of 11
3/28/07 at 12:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigtrouble77
You really should reformat the system or, preferably, run a utility that purges all of the data. I am currently dealing with identity theft and it is not something you want to ever go through.
explain what happened please? if not too hard
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post #11 of 11
3/28/07 at 8:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeyfitz14
. . . . .although im contemplating just buying a new copy of XP, zeroing out the HD, and loading up new XP.
If you can get your hands on a Dell OEM XP disc, then you can just use that--even one that originally came with a desktop. Then just DL the correct drivers from Dell's website.
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