clear off laptop to sell

timmmers

Donnie wrote: »

Don't bother with all of that overkill. A format and reinstall will be enough. There must be some quite paranoid people around; thinking that people are trying to harvest old information from bought laptops.

I, for one, simply don't have such 'sensitive' info on my computer and my banking info is not 'stored' on my computer.

If you really do have 'sensitive' material on the HDD, then use DBAN as indicated in TangleFoot's post.

It's seems too many reside in the theoretical world and not the real world.

Agreed, also you will get a choice who you sell it to...try and avoid any Ex CIA or MI5 employees and you should be fine

There are much easier ways to get personal bank details than buying laptops to get them online if you are really crooked after all.

t

sharkie

maka wrote: »

dont have the windows disc??

Many years ago you could download a trail version that works for 30 days . Not sure if you stilcan now 7 is out?

linux is another alterative, Personally I'd try the windows route first even if it was 2003 server

timmmers

I would download the same windows version on a torrent...then use my genuine key. It's no different from borrowing one.

t

pendulum

Chippychap wrote: »

I think that removing the HDD before selling is the ONLY safe way.

I think this is a ludicrous myth. A full wipe of the HD by respected secure deletion software (the name of at least one has already been mentioned) that does 7 passes or more will be more than safe. If wiping your disk in this way isn't good enough to ease your fears then you are quite simply paranoid.

Chippychap

Hi Pendulum,

Luckily Gary Glitter followed your advice.

Donnie

Chippychap wrote: »

Hi Pendulum,

Luckily Gary Glitter followed your advice.

Neither funny nor accurate.

pendulum

Chippychap wrote: »

Luckily Gary Glitter followed your advice.

This comment has really !!!!ed me off.
Firstly he did not "follow my advice", I would NEVER give advice to a !!!!!phile, and there is no link at all with what I suggested and what he did. He just walked in to a computer repair shop with illegal content on his computer just sitting there waiting to be discovered according to this link. He did not use any secure deletion software at all and he has nothing to do with this discussion or with anything I have said.

-TangleFoot-

timmmers wrote: »

I would download the same windows version on a torrent...

How would you ensure that the downloaded copy hasn't been tampered with?

m_13

When are you training in digital forensics it's suggested that you buy machines from eBay to practice recovering data from. Most people don't bother to wipe hard disks or memory cards or even USB sticks before selling them. Unfortunately lots of people can't remember what's on their hard disks as I can testify when I recovered some data and found a picture of my sister in a Demi Moore pose whilst pregnant and my brother-in-law in the bath without sufficient bubbles. I don't think my eyes have recovered!

So long as you are confident that there is absolutely nothing on the machine you would want someone to see and the machine is working perfectly (and you aren't concerned that the buyer is going to create a website of you with photographs of you sitting on the sofa in your pants) then go ahead and format it! Personally I'd go for DBAN; costs nothing but time.

Donnie

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

How would you ensure that the downloaded copy hasn't been tampered with?

He's selling it, not using it.