October 04, 2006

Curious George: Who would want to be me anyway? There's a lot of crap on this laptop. And it served me well for many years but now I have a new best friend and am naturally wanting to kick this one to the curb. But before I sell my friend, I need to brainwash it, eg. get all my personal info and files off of it so no one tries to clone me or steal my identity or anything silly like that.

I used to be wicked computer savvy, but that muscle has atrophied a bit as of late. I remember enough to know that just deleting all my pr0n I mean personal files isn't enough, and I've heard that even formatting the drive would still allow for some data recovery. Whatever that next step is a bit beyond this not-so-techy-anymore mind. What's the best way to get rid of all my crap on here? Specs if it matters: Dell laptop with Windows XP home.

posted by danapiper 17 years ago
  • For GNU/Linux, BSD, other Unix and Unix-like OSs there is the Wipe utility, which I've used on occasion. I did a quick Google search for corresponding Windows programs to do the same, and came up with these: Eraser data erase tool and a list of Free Secure (Destructive) File and Disk Deletion Tools. I've never used any of those but that should get you started. I'd completely wipe the HDD then install a fresh OS on it.
  • Awesome. I'd done a google search but was getting some sketchy looking results and wasn't quite sure which sources to trust. And for things as sensitive as this, I'd much rather info directly from the mouths of babes who've done something like this before. You rock, thanks Nomen Nescio.
  • Last time I sold one of my babies, I just zapped the pram and replaced the hard drive to be safe (cost was not that much, and a small price to put on your identity). Then again, I didn't have the luxury of time to go through the process of wiping everything.
  • It's good to be paranoid, these days. Just replace the HD, if you're selling it, or sell it sans it.
  • I'll be you, if you want.
  • A few additional points... Dells have their Windows XP product key sticker on the bottom. If you wipe or replace the HD, your new buyer might be suprised to get a 'blank' system. If you still have your restore CDs, then you might want to use them before selling, or at least including them so your buyer can reinstall. You could keep your license by removing both the previous install and the sticker (the media is mostly irrelevant, but you might want to keep it too.) If you buy a blank system and install XP again using your old key, it's likely activation will fail; call up the activation phone system and tell them what happened - feel free to fib and say you just got all new hardware. If you buy another system from Dell or another 'normal' retailer that includes XP in their deals, you'll then end up with two licenses - perfect to throw one onto that frankenstein system built out of the spare parts in the back of your closet.
  • "When a hard disk is heated above its Curie temperature, the temperature at which it becomes nonmagnetic, data will be permanently and truly destroyed. This could mean heating your hard disk to around 1,340 degrees Fahrenheit to delete data that no government agent on earth could recover. Anything less than that, and you are stuck with it."
  • If you don't want to replace the hard drive (and destroy your old one, preferably with a high caliber handgun -- security and fun, all in one!), then download and burn knoppix and boot it. Then follow the instructions here. And just to be really safe, overwrite the drive two or three times. Should be good to go.
  • When I last got rid of a PC (normally I try to keep all the old ones indefinitely, in the attic, but Mrs P complains) I ran a blowtorch over the hard drive. Of course I wasn't planning to sell it. But now I'm worried that it may not have reached a consistent 1,340 Fahrenheit.
  • I bet if you put a layer of brown sugar on the disk before the blowtorch went in it'd be damn hard to read.
  • bestcrypt wipe a fully functioning 30-day evaluation of a wipe utility. alternatively, remove all the data you want to destroy. create enough very large files to fill your disk. delete. repeat with different very large files. delete. defragment. repeat another couple of times. it's tedious but should be enough.
  • Hard disk, big hammer, problem solved (good stress relief too - think of all the times it died on you for no reason) YAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!
  • 1) melt drive into slag 2) post pics on the internet. 3) ?????????? 4) Profit!
  • Heh. That's probably the safest method (and when I say safe, I'm not talking about personal safety; I wouldn't want to be inhaling any of the fumes wafting off of a melting HD assembly).
  • Remove the hard drive, have it melted down, then take the heap of molten metal and have it launched into the sun by an ultra-secretive group of NASA rocket-science ninja's, have the sun eaten by Galactus, then have Galactus assassinated. Remember to use a fake name. Or, just install Linux overtop your old info. Really, there's a point at which the effort outweighs the reward.
  • Does your building have an incinerator? I wonder if that's hot enough. (Take it apart and just throw in the platters- if you leave out any circuitry, you'll probably avoid any bad fumes.) Otherwise, I think there are places you could take it to have it melted down. You could maybe call a local computer shop to find a place like this in your area.
  • Hi danapiper!
  • Take a hammer. Smash it. smash smash smash smash Smash it SMASH IT SMASH IT SMASH SMASH SMASHSMASHSMASHSMASHSMASHSMASHSMASHSMASH OH GOD, YESSSSSSS *stands, chest heaving, covered in sweat Ahem. Well. Now then. Problem solved.
  • If you do replace the HDD, save your old one. Get an external enclosure for it, a USB or FireWire thing. Turn it into a backup drive for your important stuff. Use it. Back shit up. Prevent data loss and information theft in one simple move. I did this with an older drive last time I bought a new one.
  • Granma, are you saying he should smash it?
  • Ohh...now I really want to smash it. That sounds like fun. If I were to keep the HDD for that pesky security/identity theft reason, y'all still think I could sell the danged laptop sans? Hi Koko! :)
  • *quietly hides HDD from GramMa*
  • Well, smashing does have its merits, but can we still set it on fire? I have all this kerosene that's not being put to good use. And there's always the graceful fall from the overpass, before the smash-and-scatter... What am I today, ten?