What to do with an old PC

jasmin10

I'm upgrading my PC and get my new one tomorrow. The thing is I don't know what to do with my old one. I am a little reluctant to sell it as I worry about ghost images and people getting off old information even after I delete it all.

It would be a shame to smash it up. Is there a way of wiping it so that I can be rest assured by more than 100% that none of my info will be left behind?

Sam

superscaper

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Blacksheep1979

dban will work or you could use it as a firewall or mail/web server or fileserver etc - loads of uses. Maybe turn it into a media centre?

rizla01

Or you could 'Freecycle' it but remove the old hard drive, first. Very Easy to do.
Then you can install the Old HD as a 2nd HD/back-up for the new machine.

jasmin10

I agree with what you say about keeping the machine and use it for something but to be honest I would rather get shot as I already have another PC . I prefer the idea of wiping it but as I say I'm worried about people being able to get stuff off it that has been left as a ghost.

You say about taking the HD drive out. Is this complicated to do as I don't even know what this bit looks like and even after that I don't anyone would want it with the HDD.

Is the above software good for getting rid of absolutely everything?

kingmonkey

it is virtually impossible to destroy all the data on it. Someone somewhere will be able to recover data using special lab techniques. Proper software deletion should delete the data sufficiently so that someone who knows what he is doing cant undelete it. But the only way to completely delete the data would be to melt the disc.

matty2767

if i was you i would get a copy of media centre via xp or vista and link it to your tv. even without a tv card there are plenty of broadband channels on there for good entertainment.

Browntoa

DBAN is a means of ensuring due diligence in computer recycling, a way of preventing identity theft if you want to sell a computer, and a good way to totally clean a Microsoft Windows installation of viruses and spyware. DBAN prevents or thoroughly hinders all known techniques of hard disk forensic analysis
http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2005/11/wipe_your_hard_.html

Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a free program that will wipe all data off a drive by rewriting new records on every sector of the disk. DBAN does not rely on Windows' anemic erase command. Instead, it writes new data all over the disk. If that is not enough protection for you, DBAN will even fill up the disk with new records multiple times, writing different information each time. The end result is worthwhile if you believe that someone else will be using the computer in the future.
When I say that DBAN "will wipe all data off a drive," I mean exactly that: ALL data. It removes your personal data as well as the Windows operating system and everything else that is on the hard drive. Once DBAN finishes, you will not be able to boot the computer. In order to use the computer again, you will need to have a CD of Windows or Linux to load onto it.

Little_John

My preferance is to remove the hard drive and offer it to anyone without the drive, if they want a drive they buy a new one, I will install windows etc they don't get my drive.

here is my collection of old drives. 6 in the pile 36.7GB scsi 160GB sata 6.4GB ide, 40GB ide and the 2 maxtors are 80GB each. I alos have a 123GB IDE attached to a usb adaptor upstairs and a 2.5GB quantum big foot drive in an old PC under the stairs. My first 2 drives were given away with the PC's a 30mb and a 540mb drive I wasnt so bothered about security of my data back then.

kingmonkey

Are people really out to try and recover data from other peoples old crappy hard drives?

Jdubb

Little_John wrote: »

My preferance is to remove the hard drive and offer it to anyone without the drive, if they want a drive they buy a new one, I will install windows etc they don't get my drive.

Forgive me jumping in Jasmin 10, particularly as I can't offer u any useful info but I have the same problem. Therefore if u and Little John don't mind, are u (LJ) saying open up the base unit and remove what looks like the CD holder, according to yr pic, and that's where the info is, the hard drive? Many tks.