Erasing info on PC

santer_2

Could you ask a friend to make the dban disc, or ask the repair shop to make one?

googler

jakem wrote: »

I think you may well be correct Niv, I really appreciate santers post with the info, but am afraid its way over my head,

If I was shown what to do I know I could do it, but I wouldnt like to take the chance, again thankyou all for your help and patience ...jakem sobs....

There's visual guides on how to do this all over the internet - eHow, PCWorld, all manner of websites will tell you how to change a hard drive. There'll be video guides on YouTube.

There's magazines and books galore that will help you to do this.

There's libraries that will have the books, so you don't need to buy them.

!!!!!!, get some gumption, step up to the plate and LEARN, rather than backing away from it like it's some insurmountable challenge. You're not climbing Everest, swimming the Pacific, or finding a cure for cancer. You're removing one piece of electronic equipment from its current location, putting a similar (blank) one in its place, and installing some software on it.

YOU CAN DO THIS. It's easy.

jakem_2

Ooooh Googler, thats fighting talk where I come from, sorry wrong thing to say as its heading my way tonight if it kicks off again, but yes, your right, I need to learn and have a go at it, am just bloody scared tbh, as I am a mere female and cannot get on with any technical, but you have spurned me on to do something.:T

googler

jakem wrote: »

Ooooh Googler, thats fighting talk where I come from, sorry wrong thing to say as its heading my way tonight if it kicks off again, but yes, your right, I need to learn and have a go at it, am just bloody scared tbh, as I am a mere female and cannot get on with any technical, but you have spurned me on to do something.:T

It's not difficult. Folks here will help you every step of the way. In addition to what I said above, there's evening classes or other learning possibilities to build your knowledge, but these cost - the interweb is free, and it's all out there. You can do it. You just need to want to do it.

Dave_C_2

Paranoia is ruling a bit here.

The easiest way is to:

1. Save anything valuable to CD/DVD
2. Log on to your pc as administrator
3. Set-up a brand new new administrator account
4. Reboot and log on under the new administrator account
5. Delete all other accounts. This will delete everything in your My Documents folder and all of your browser settings including passwords.
6. Job done

Yes a computer expert is capable of retrieving your data, it just depends how paranoid you are. Are other people really interested in photos of you in Ibiza?

Optional step 5a download Ccleaner and use tools>drive wiper>freespace only on your C: drive to get rid of any last remnants.

Cue folks who disagree...

Dave

closed

Restore to factory settings using dell factory restore option. (takes around 10 minutes)

wipe free space with ccleaner.

googler

Dave_C wrote: »

The easiest way is to:

1. Save anything valuable to CD/DVD

If the OP is shying away from merely moving a drive and installing an OS, isn't there the possibility that they may wipe the drive and discover two weeks later what they should have kept?

As I said, if the OP KEEPS the current drive(s), he/she keeps his/her data intact, and doesn't need to be concerned with identifying when and where they put their bank details or whatever in which folder.

Sublime_2

j.sprago wrote: »

sorry mate didn't see your post

Probably because it was a mobile link, so wasn't highlighted although it was the next post after the original.

Dave_C_2

googler wrote: »

If the OP is shying away from merely moving a drive and installing an OS, isn't there the possibility that they may wipe the drive and discover two weeks later what they should have kept?

As I said, if the OP KEEPS the current drive(s), he/she keeps his/her data intact, and doesn't need to be concerned with identifying when and where they put their bank details or whatever in which folder.

The original post was:

I have a Dell desktop PC and the Dell hybrid which I want to sell as want a Laptop (will start another thread) but I need to know the easiest and in simple terms to erase all my info that has been stored, as when I come to sell it I dont want any of my personal info/details on it.

My method is the easiest as it doesn't involve removing, buying and replacing disk drives or re-installing the operating system.

Dave

closed

It won't delete all personal data though