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Clear a Laptop ?

Apologies if this has been asked before !
Have a new laptop and want to give my old one to my niece but would need to "clear" the info on it that i have accumulated over the last 2 years !
So how do i clear the info and leave the Operating System stuff in Factory Settings ?
Many thanks
CB
A Bast**d I May Be ! I Was Born One !
Whats Your Excuse ?

Comments

  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 5 December 2010 at 10:15AM
    First of all, do you have the install discs for your operating system?

    Second, an alternative strategy may be to remove the hard disk from this machine, install a blank HDD and install an OS on that. Then you're absolutely guaranteed no personal information will be available to any future owner of the laptop, since you'll keep the disk you've used over the last 2 years. You then either install this disk in a USB caddy to use as a portable drive, or as a secondary drive in any desktop that you own or acquire.
  • raptorman
    raptorman Posts: 1,912 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If you want to completely wipe the hard drive
    so it can't be recovered ever then you can use
    a free tool called DBaN. Just burn it to disc and
    load and follow the instructions.

    http://www.dban.org/

    Hope this helps
    "Gort, klaatu barada nikto"

    Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves

    !ǝʞoɹq sʇı 'dןǝɥ
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