Wipe clean home computer for selling

Toxteth_OGrady

emc wrote: »

If you want to wipe the computer but keep the operating system so that the computer is still usable and saleable, the simplest method is to use CCleaner from www piriform com.

Start CCleaner.
Click on the Tools icon.
Click Drive Wiper.
Make sure the Wipe option is 'Free Space Only' (it should be anyway).
Select Security to be 'Gutman (35 passes)'.
For Drives, tick the box for C: and any other lettered drive.
Click Wipe.
Make yourself a big cup of coffee.

If you have not deleted any of your personal data/files before you do this it will not achieve anything. Wipe free space only securely removes files that are already flagged as 'deleted' in the MFT.

From http://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleaner/using-ccleaner/wiping-free-disk-space

Method 2 (Manually wipe with Drive Wiper):
Select Tools > Drive Wiper
Choose the type of wipe you require:
Free Space Only will leave your normal files intact

:cool:

TOG

emc

Toxteth_OGrady wrote: »

If you have not deleted any of your personal data/files before you do this it will not achieve anything. Wipe free space only securely removes files that are already flagged as 'deleted' in the MFT.

From http://www.piriform.com/docs/ccleaner/using-ccleaner/wiping-free-disk-space

Method 2 (Manually wipe with Drive Wiper):
Select Tools > Drive Wiper
Choose the type of wipe you require:
Free Space Only will leave your normal files intact

:cool:

TOG

Thanks TOG. Mea culpa. I missed the rather crucial step for the OP to delete all personal folders and files, BEFORE starting CCleaner, etc. It may be as well also to delete the browser and temporary files.

The steps to wipe the computer but keep the operating system so that the computer is still usable and saleable using CCleaner should be:

Delete all personal folders and files.
Start CCleaner.
Click on the Cleaner icon.
Tick as many boxes as allowed on each of the Windows and Applications tabs.
Click Run Cleaner.
Click on the Tools icon.
Click Drive Wiper.
Make sure the Wipe option is 'Free Space Only' (it should be anyway).
Select Security to be 'NSA (7 passes)' or, to be ultra safe, 'Gutmann (35 passes)'.
For Drives, tick the box for C: and any other lettered drive.
Click Wipe.
Make yourself a very big cup of coffee.

closed

restore to factory settings using restore partition, then ccleaner, tick wipe free space

GunJack

googler wrote: »

..and there's plenty of them out there, as evidenced by my sale of a laptop, no drive, no discs, AND with a screen fault, on eBay, with at least 15 bids before eventual sale.....

...and I'm one of them

dodgyeyes

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for all your help and advice - I shouldnt have any problems now should I!!