Would the OS affect your will to buy a laptop?

jgallcash

I'm looking to sell my old laptop on Fleabay after buying a new one. It is a Packard Bell Notebook - Easynote R1910, approximately 3 years old (still got the recipt) I have upgraded the RAM to full 1.5 GB capacity and looked after it. On the whole its a good little machine for home use. I have noticed that these are going for £50 plus for spares and repair so i was hoping for at least that for my fully working version.

Naturally i'm wanting to remove all data from it before I do and after looking i have found that most people reccomend that I use DBAN to nuke the HD.

Although I have a genuine product key for my XP home edition (not OEM) version of windows i have lost the boot CD. None of my mates have a copy for me to borrow so i'm a little stuffed.

People have suggested that i dont bother and just go with Linux as an OS instead of windows. I was wondering if doing this might affect the price that i might get for my laptop as perhaps some people may be scared by any OS that isn't the windows system they are comfortable with.

What do you think? Do you have an opinion on how the OS may affect the price? Should i try to install XP home edition or opt for something else?

Strider590

Not OEM? that's odd.... Unless you went into a store and brought XP home in a retail box, then you must have OEM.

At any rate it's not too difficult get the ISO for XP home via torrent sites.... It's not illegal because you already own the license.

To answer your question, it will affect the price as only those who are buying to sell will want to buy it.

devizes18193

sort of for me it would not as i have windows and linux disc's . However windows on flea bay is silly money in my view .it depends on the buyer .
Its like on here , there are people whom know their stuff and some who do not

sent you a pm on this

stupot101

jgallcash wrote: »

Naturally i'm wanting to remove all data from it before I do and after looking i have found that most people reccomend that I use DBAN to nuke the HD.

Isn't this overkill? Would running Eraser and CCleaner for several passes not do? Assuming you have deleted all the actual files/programs you want rid off, before running Eraser and CCleaner that is. Thinking of upgrading soon myself, and thought this would be sufficient.

jgallcash

about the OEM not OEM.....

My new one clearly states on the product key OEM but my old laptop, the one in question doesn't say it on the windows product key, I am therefore assuming that its not an OEM copy. I'm not sure myself as i bought it from a mate 2.5 years back.

He's useless to be honest and cant remember if it was already installed or if it was a product he bought seperately. If it was an OEM copy would it definately state this on the product key sticker on the base of the laptop? Should i assume that this is an OEM copy?

jgallcash

I mean i'm open to suggestions about how I get rid of any information on the drive. But the reccomendation from others seemed to be go with DBAN.

Any thoughts on if this would be overkill would be appreciated. As would any on the is the version OEM or not OEM.

jgallcash

Sorry, just bumping to see if i can get any info on this

-TangleFoot-

jgallcash wrote: »

Any thoughts on if this would be overkill would be appreciated.

A zero-fill would probably be sufficient, but DBAN can do that too.

Strider590

I think it's highly likely to be OEM, there would be no harm in trying it.
As its a laptop, it would have been sold with an OS. Its normally only custom build PCs that ever have non-OEM or VLK installs.
You will probably have to select to call Microsoft for activation though (normal if your doing a reinstallation).

isofa

stupot101 wrote: »

Isn't this overkill? Would running Eraser and CCleaner for several passes not do? Assuming you have deleted all the actual files/programs you want rid off, before running Eraser and CCleaner that is. Thinking of upgrading soon myself, and thought this would be sufficient.

Definitely not overkill, DBAN comes highly recommended.

Simple and sorts it out itself without having to erase all the files, then erase free space etc - and even using those tools you can't guarantee it's 100% wiped.

If you have personal or sensitive information (business or banking etc) DBAN is the way to go, and even via forensics data can still be recovered!

Marty_J

isofa wrote: »

even via forensics data can still be recovered!

A stray 1 and 0 can be recovered, but last I heard, no one has ever actually been able to recover anything usable.