Make W7 empty, ready to sell...

[Paul H]

I'm going to sell my extra laptop with W7 installed.

I can probably add a new user with a generic name like "User" or "Owner",
then log out as myself and login as the new administrator, then delete
"Paul", including Paul's files, like I would in XP.

And delete a few other folder structures I have installed.

What else?

How to do a complete cleanout of a histories (what kinds of histories
exist?)

Is that enuf?

TIA, Paul

 

[Bob Hatch]

I'm going to sell my extra laptop with W7 installed.

I can probably add a new user with a generic name like "User" or "Owner",
then log out as myself and login as the new administrator, then delete
"Paul", including Paul's files, like I would in XP.

And delete a few other folder structures I have installed.

What else?

How to do a complete cleanout of a histories (what kinds of histories
exist?)

Is that enuf?

TIA, Paul

No. Most of that stuff I can find and un-delete.

IMO, start fresh, delete the partition, reformat the drive then
reinstall Windows. Are you including the Win 7 disk with the sale?

--
"To announce that there must be no criticism
of the President, or that we are to stand by
the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic
and servile, but is morally treasonable to the
American public."
Theodore Roosevelt
http://www.bobhatch.com
http://www.tdsrvresort.com

 

[ArameFarpado]

Em Quinta 26 Novembro 2009 22:18, Bob Hatch escreveu:

No. Most of that stuff I can find and un-delete.

IMO, start fresh, delete the partition, reformat the drive then
reinstall Windows. Are you including the Win 7 disk with the sale?

There are those shred programs, and after a defrag it's allmost imposible to
undelete anything

 

[Paul H]

I like the shred idea, because I have nice things installed, like Avast,
resize pictures, etc. and have deleted crapware, etc. so the buyer will get
a nicely set up laptop. Can I shred what's in the recycle bin?

Please address each of my points for me.

====================================


I'm going to sell my extra laptop with W7 installed.

1. I can probably add a new user with a generic name like "User" or "Owner",
then log out as myself and login as the new administrator, then delete
"Paul", saying yes to the option of deleting Paul's files, like I would in
XP. This would appear to not provide a shred opportunity.

2. And delete a few other folder structures I have installed.

3. What else?

4. How to do a complete cleanout of a histories (what kinds of histories
exist?)

Is that enuf?

TIA, Paul

 

[SC Tom]

If you have a Win7 installation DVD, or the laptop's System Recovery disks,
why not just restore it to factory condition and be done with it? That's
what I would do rather than going through hoops to make sure I didn't
inadvertently let something slip.

SC Tom

 

[peter]

I second that motion

peter

 

[Bob Hatch]

If you have a Win7 installation DVD, or the laptop's System Recovery
disks, why not just restore it to factory condition and be done with it?
That's what I would do rather than going through hoops to make sure I
didn't inadvertently let something slip.

SC Tom

It's the only way I would do it, but I would start from a newly created
partition that was just formated. No way would I sell a computer that
might have something on the disk that was personal and could be costly.

--
"To announce that there must be no criticism
of the President, or that we are to stand by
the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic
and servile, but is morally treasonable to the
American public."
Theodore Roosevelt
http://www.bobhatch.com
http://www.tdsrvresort.com

 

[Paul H]

I don't know what you put on your computer, but mine is not filled with
secrets. I'm not paranoid, and the price I'm asking can only be justified
by the nice job that I've done getting this laptop with W7 ready to use. I
will be comfortable with the shred solution. So my main remaining question
is how to remove all histories, that I cannot find in folders.

I'm going to sell my extra laptop with W7 installed.

I can probably add a new user with a generic name like "User" or "Owner",
then log out as myself and login as the new administrator, then delete
"Paul", including Paul's files, like I would in XP.

And delete a few other folder structures I have installed.

What else?

How to do a complete cleanout of a histories (what kinds of histories
exist?)

Is that enuf?

TIA, Paul

 

[Jeff Gaines]

I don't know what you put on your computer, but mine is not filled with
secrets. I'm not paranoid, and the price I'm asking can only be justified
by the nice job that I've done getting this laptop with W7 ready to use. I
will be comfortable with the shred solution. So my main remaining question
is how to remove all histories, that I cannot find in folders.

Use cCleaner - www.ccleaner.com

It will do a delete or a 7 pass, or even 35 pass, overwrite of deleted
data and clean off unused disk space. It also has a registry cleaner and
as it's freeware you can leave it on the machine for the new owner.

I have used it on all versions of Windows with no issues.

 

[ArameFarpado]

Em Sexta 27 Novembro 2009 04:43, Bob Hatch escreveu:

It's the only way I would do it, but I would start from a newly created
partition that was just formated. No way would I sell a computer that
might have something on the disk that was personal and could be costly.

if you guys think that deleting a partition, creating a new one and
formating will delete anything in the data area of the disk, you better
think again.

 

[Bob Hatch]

Em Sexta 27 Novembro 2009 04:43, Bob Hatch escreveu:

if you guys think that deleting a partition, creating a new one and
formating will delete anything in the data area of the disk, you better
think again.

For the vast majority of users it will do the job. Most folks will see
an "empty" disk. I never sell a computer with a disk I've used for data
still installed. I pull the disk, open it and destroy the plates, then
keep the magnets to play with.



--
"To announce that there must be no criticism
of the President, or that we are to stand by
the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic
and servile, but is morally treasonable to the
American public."
Theodore Roosevelt
http://www.bobhatch.com
http://www.tdsrvresort.com

 

[Allen]

For the vast majority of users it will do the job. Most folks will see
an "empty" disk. I never sell a computer with a disk I've used for data
still installed. I pull the disk, open it and destroy the plates, then
keep the magnets to play with.

And the "vast majority" of people can jaywalk across a very busy street
and survive, but a minority wind up being the subjects obituaries. I
think your remarks are right on target. Anything that might lead to
identity theft should be avoided; consider the vast number of places on
that old HD that might contain your SSN, your bank account numbers, your
credit/debit card numbers, birthdate, etc. I'm a retired banker and
perhaps I'm more aware of what can happen if someone you never even
heard of can gain access to that info. I suspect that almost everyone
who reads this ng has a shredder next to their desk; treat that HD just
like you treat pieces of paper with that same information.

Incidentally, I destroy old HDs by pulling out the plastic plug on the
side. I use a small rat-tail file to mutilate the surfaces and then use
a screwdriver to bend the the plate(s). In the olden days I had a friend
who owned an iron works that turned out a lot of cast iron products.
He's dead and the business has been sold, but I've always thought the
ultimate destruction would be to throw the object into a big cauldron of
molten iron and let it become a part of a manhole cover. Some parts miht
not melt, but the data material would be totally gone. Fantasy, of
course, but I used to read a huge number of mysteries and thought that
would be a great way to get rid of a murder weapon.
Allen

 

[ray]

I'm going to sell my extra laptop with W7 installed.

I can probably add a new user with a generic name like "User" or
"Owner", then log out as myself and login as the new administrator, then
delete "Paul", including Paul's files, like I would in XP.

And delete a few other folder structures I have installed.

What else?

How to do a complete cleanout of a histories (what kinds of histories
exist?)

Is that enuf?

TIA, Paul

If you have any sensitive data at all, it would be wise to reformat and
reinstall.

 

[Death]

I'm going to sell my extra laptop with W7 installed.

I can probably add a new user with a generic name like "User" or "Owner",
then log out as myself and login as the new administrator, then delete
"Paul", including Paul's files, like I would in XP.

And delete a few other folder structures I have installed.

What else?

How to do a complete cleanout of a histories (what kinds of histories
exist?)

Is that enuf?

TIA, Paul

The HDD manufacturers website may have low level formatting tools to
wipe the drive.

 

[Paul H]

Hi Jeff,
Other folks must keep passwords, etc. on their computer. I have icons that
let IE go to secure bank login web sites. I don't let windows remember
passwords. That's about it. If ccleaner will do what it says without
removing applications I want to leave for the buyer and shred the rest,
including all histories of where I've been, that's all I need. I doubt that
a serious hacker will purchase my used laptop anyway. Thank you for the
tip. Paul

I don't know what you put on your computer, but mine is not filled with
secrets. I'm not paranoid, and the price I'm asking can only be justified
by the nice job that I've done getting this laptop with W7 ready to use. I
will be comfortable with the shred solution. So my main remaining question
is how to remove all histories, that I cannot find in folders.

Use cCleaner - www.ccleaner.com

It will do a delete or a 7 pass, or even 35 pass, overwrite of deleted
data and clean off unused disk space. It also has a registry cleaner and
as it's freeware you can leave it on the machine for the new owner.

I have used it on all versions of Windows with no issues.

 

[Gordon]

I don't know what you put on your computer, but mine is not filled with
secrets. I'm not paranoid, and the price I'm asking can only be justified
by the nice job that I've done getting this laptop with W7 ready to use. I
will be comfortable with the shred solution. So my main remaining question
is how to remove all histories, that I cannot find in folders.

Very interesting that you are asking the question.