Clean-Out Personal Data from Works Laptop

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Grumpy_Old_Duffer
Grumpy_Old_Duffer Posts: 689 Forumite
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in Techie Stuff
I work from home & am supplied a Laptop by my company for work. I do use it during the day/evening for my own use (i.e. Web Browsing, Online Banking, Web Based Email etc. etc) and I want to know how I make sure all personal information is removed (i.e. from Temporary Directories; Cache etc. etc.), as I have to hand the Laptop back in a week or so as the company is supplying a new one.
It has taken about 4,500,000,000 (4.5 billion) years for the Earth to form as it is now .........
and it'll only take about another 100 years for mankind to really **** it up!!!!

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  • albertross_2
    albertross_2 Posts: 8,932 Forumite
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    Try all three of these, in this order..

    https://www.ccleaner.com

    http://www.deletehistoryfree.com/ (thks to maforduk)

    http://www.stevengould.org/software/cleanup/

    http://www.theabsolute.net/sware/#Clndisk

    If you want to wipe the HD completely, you could use this freeware:

    http://www.cbltech.com/data-shredder.html?id=3
    Ever get the feeling you are wasting your time? :rolleyes:
  • leesmithg
    leesmithg Posts: 524 Forumite
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    Grumpy_Old_Duffer wrote:
    I work from home & am supplied a Laptop by my company for work. I do use it during the day/evening for my own use (i.e. Web Browsing, Online Banking, Web Based Email etc. etc) and I want to know how I make sure all personal information is removed (i.e. from Temporary Directories; Cache etc. etc.), as I have to hand the Laptop back in a week or so as the company is supplying a new one.


    Download a trial of window washer from here

    Set you cleaning to NSA standard and make sure you select add bleach.

    Once you have done a complete run reboot and then open it again and run the 'wash clean space' overnight (as it takes time) to wipe anything left over.

    Reboot when done and uninstall it.

    Hand back laptop.
  • Grumpy_Old_Duffer
    Grumpy_Old_Duffer Posts: 689 Forumite
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    Guys,

    Will these process's wipe ALL data? I don't want to wipe off Business files just my own personal information.
    It has taken about 4,500,000,000 (4.5 billion) years for the Earth to form as it is now .........
    and it'll only take about another 100 years for mankind to really **** it up!!!!
  • albertross_2
    albertross_2 Posts: 8,932 Forumite
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    In my post the first section wipes history, temp data only, so is perfectly safe to use..


    The last one, (cbl data) one does wipe all data, so don't use that one, unless your IT department can rebuild it easily.
    Ever get the feeling you are wasting your time? :rolleyes:
  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Posts: 49,311 Forumite
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    yes, they will do what you need, just delete any personal files that you want to remove and run the programs, what these do( mainly the last one) is delete all traces so that they cannot be recovers afterwards..

    it will do no damage to anything else :) and it will all still work afterwards
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  • leesmithg
    leesmithg Posts: 524 Forumite
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    Grumpy_Old_Duffer wrote:
    Guys,

    Will these process's wipe ALL data? I don't want to wipe off Business files just my own personal information.

    It cleans free space.

    Does not wipe stuff you don't wish it to wipe.

    It' wipes browser history, cache, surfing etc.

    When it cleans your cache, history etc it writes data across these files, as even though you may delete things, they technically don't get deleted they get hidden, thats why there are data recovery software apps around.

    With this in mind if stuff you have deleted you wish never to be recovered thats why you use such apps to write across the files with random key strings so they become unusable.

    However there is also methods of electronically removing items but the one I use isn't available as a trial.
  • Quincy_3
    Quincy_3 Posts: 2,204 Forumite
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    leesmithg wrote:
    Download a trial of window washer from here

    Set you cleaning to NSA standard and make sure you select add bleach.

    Once you have done a complete run reboot and then open it again and run the 'wash clean space' overnight (as it takes time) to wipe anything left over.

    Reboot when done and uninstall it.

    Hand back laptop.


    You might aswell get https://www.ccleaner.com Ive got Washer its ok but you have to pay for it and well unless the Gov want to look at the HDD there isnt much point in getting Washer.
  • leesmithg
    leesmithg Posts: 524 Forumite
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    Quincy wrote:
    You might aswell get https://www.ccleaner.com Ive got Washer its ok but you have to pay for it and well unless the Gov want to look at the HDD there isnt much point in getting Washer.

    Hence you download a free trial.

    Washer is good, very good actually, far better than adaware crap cleaner.

    Guy wants to delete all his lesbo pr0n as we all do before his guvnor gets the ump.
  • Quincy_3
    Quincy_3 Posts: 2,204 Forumite
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    leesmithg wrote:
    Hence you download a free trial.

    Washer is good, very good actually, far better than adaware crap cleaner.

    Guy wants to delete all his lesbo pr0n as we all do before his guvnor gets the ump.

    Maybe he would be better off giving me the laptop to have a look at :D
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