selling computer

fwor

Guardsman wrote: »

To get data off a formatted HD requires specialist equipment

Getting data off a formatted HDD does ~not~ require specialist equipment. The vast majority of the data will still be there after a format, and it's not hard to get at, just with software.

However, the two methods that I described earlier will be effective - with DBAN it's near enough certain, while writing zeros to every location is not, but ~would~ require very specialist hardware to recover any data.

oldhand

hartcjhart wrote: »

Hi techie guys, I am thinking of selling my computer and upgrading,
however my concern is that I do a lot of financial transactions and want to know how to safely remove all traces of bank/CC details that are stored/used

any ideas

Yes I visit THOSE sites too...........;);););)

SteveJW

Just make sure that the hardrive hasn't a second partition (possibly hidden) that the OP hasn't backed up his data to. Son recently purchased a second hand laptop, it had a fresh install of windows, he installed a different version of windows, so machine had at least two installs / formats. He found the previous owners personal details, music and pictures in the second partition

googler

SteveJW wrote: »

Just make sure that the hardrive hasn't a second partition (possibly hidden) that the OP hasn't backed up his data to. Son recently purchased a second hand laptop, it had a fresh install of windows, he installed a different version of windows, so machine had at least two installs / formats. He found the previous owners personal details, music and pictures in the second partition

... which wouldn't have happened if the previous owner had followed #7....