Moving to OK selling computer,?

Question

want files off of this one to put on a new one after move.

want to wipe this one clean.

Answer 1

You have to format the hard drive(s). The buyer will need an operating system in order to use the computer, because formatting the drive will erase the operating system.

Answer 2

You can never wipe the computer clean.  The information that as previously saved leaves an impression on the drive that can be brought back by someone who is experienced with doing this.  You may want to consider what was saved on the computer before and what is was used for before cleaning it and selling it.

Answer 3

Get and external hard drive, copy over all your files, format the machine (zero the drive if you're paranoid), and reinstall the OS fresh for the next buyer.

Oh, alternatively, you could pull the harddrive and replace it with a brand new one and install fresh. When you get the new computer, slap in the old hard drive and copy your files over. But don't try to boot the new computer from teh old hard drive. That's not likely to work well.

Answer 4

there are programs that will erase the data then write 1's and 0's over it and erase them numerous times but all you have to do is reformat it a few times using windows with the HD connected to a working machine.

Answer 5

I always hear or read -format-your hard drive.Well that's wrong.With a little program in the net you can get 85% of a formatted HDD back.Why 85%-because when you reinstall your system that part of the HDD is that's why.

The BEST and safest way is to use what the Gov. uses and that is "dban" it overwrites your HDD 27 times and nothing can be found.

OK it takes time-but it's worth it ,not to have somebody recover my data.

TIME- about 4 1/2 hours for a 160GB HDD.Go to the link and download it to a CD or Floppy-you can take your pick.

Think about this !