guide to cleaning before selling PC?

knightstyle

We are selling a little Dell Insperon Mini laptop and I have read that we should run cc cleaner before it goes but will that remove everything including the preinstalled stuff? When I look there seems to be a lot of things and I don't know what should be left and what cc cleaner should remove.

FizzS

Just format the drive and reinstall the operating system?

If you want to be nice you could also reinstall all the necessary drivers, but whoever's buying it ought to be able to sort that themselves if you don't.

You could also read this for more help: How do I clean a computer's hard drive before I sell it?

radu_

If security is an issue and you are bothered about the buyer potentially accessing info from your hard drive I would copy and delete large files a number of times:

1. delete all your files
2. fill your hard drive with large files(such as movies)
3. delete them
4. repeat steps 2 and 3 for a few times

Your old info should now be safe.
I hope this helped.

rmg1

Return the laptop to factory settings (see Google for exact steps). If you're feeling kind, install all the updates.
Install CCleaner and use the option to wipe free space.
Should be enough.

poppellerant

This question gets asked frequently.

CCleaner won't remove anything as such, only remove history and overwrite unused diskspace at best. As FizzS said, you should format the drive and if you're feeling generous reinstall the operating system.

Myself I'd run DBAN then let the new owners decide what they want to install.

arrallas

poppellerant wrote: »

This question gets asked frequently.

CCleaner won't remove anything as such, only remove history and overwrite unused diskspace at best. As FizzS said, you should format the drive and if you're feeling generous reinstall the operating system.

Myself I'd run DBAN then let the new owners decide what they want to install.

I would run DBAN too - if you just format the drive and reinstall Windows, you can still easily recover files with free programs such as Recuva.

rmg1

arrallas wrote: »

I would run DBAN too - if you just format the drive and reinstall Windows, you can still easily recover files with free programs such as Recuva.

Apparently not if you wipe free space withCcleaner.

closed

poppellerant wrote: »

CCleaner won't remove anything as such, only remove history and overwrite unused diskspace at best.

After a factory restore or windows reinstall, a ccleaner with wipe free space option ticked removes any chance of a new user retrieving any user files with recuva or anything else, and leaves a fully working machine. Easier than dban, and leaves a machine with more value.

knightstyle

Thanks for the answers I know this gets asked frequently BUT I and many others cannot find the answer.
Everyone says do a factory restore first but the inspiron minis do not have that option, this is confirmed by Dell, then format the drive, how do I do that?
I have run CCleaner, windows and apps but the computer still remembers lots of stuff, facebook, ebay names etc.
So I ask again what should I do, is there a guide?

closed

XP? ctrl F11 at boot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RH5I3sS6Bw

there's a 101 guides, search for dban.

or create a new user, create a new user account, delete your user and all data, turn off system restore, wipe free space with ccleaner

NiftyDigits

knightstyle wrote: »

Thanks for the answers I know this gets asked frequently BUT I and many others cannot find the answer.
Everyone says do a factory restore first but the inspiron minis do not have that option, this is confirmed by Dell, then format the drive, how do I do that?
I have run CCleaner, windows and apps but the computer still remembers lots of stuff, facebook, ebay names etc.
So I ask again what should I do, is there a guide?

What is the Service Tag on the machine?

You can install Windows XP from Boot, choosing to Delete all Partitions and to format the Drive. Then to use CCleaner to wipe the free space.

You'll need a USB Flash drive of at least a 1GB capacity or an external CD drive in order to re-install the OS.

But who is going to buy an old Netbook running XP?