guide to cleaning before selling PC?

henm2

as others have said just run the excellent DBAN off a usb flash drive http://www.pendrivelinux.com/install-dban-to-a-usb-flash-drive-using-windows/
and then as a good service to the next user put LXLE or Linux Mint xfce on it

knightstyle

It is windows 7 starter. Will run DBAN and report back.
Just seen the instructions, how do I "Once the installation to USB is complete, restart your PC and set your BIOS or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device, save your changes and reboot"
Sorry if it is obvious to you but I have always used Macs.

closed

who's going to buy it without W7

poppellerant

closed wrote: »

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.

I've encountered a few times where the factory restore doesn't wipe the user files, resets some settings to default before copying across factory installed software. For this reason, I am reluctant to trust factory restores.

Albeit at a potentially small cost, I'd sooner have the recovery software on DVD/CD, format the harddrive, then properly factory restore the machine.

Of course, perhaps factory restores have changed now.

NiftyDigits

knightstyle wrote: »

It is windows 7 starter. Will run DBAN and report back.
Just seen the instructions, how do I "Once the installation to USB is complete, restart your PC and set your BIOS or Boot Menu to boot from the USB device, save your changes and reboot"
Sorry if it is obvious to you but I have always used Macs.

What is the Service Tag on the machine? Look at the underside.

NiftyDigits

F8 Several times after Dell logo and before the OS starts, This should bring up Advanced Boot Options
Use keyboard to select Repair Your Computer
This will bring up a GUI, clock Dell Factory Image Restore
Select Yes to Reformat and restore system to factory condition

Of course if you've DBAN'ed it, all will be lost. Not the best option.