MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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My mother in law wants to wipe her hard drive of all personal data without affecting windows, she is giving her PC to a local school that had a fire and are asking for any donations/equipment to get it ready in time for new term (she now has a laptop). All files have been moved to her laptop so it is ready. She is too far away for me to do it, what program do you recommend i could send her a link to so she can do it herself? Can't remember if it is Vista or Windows 7.
Needs to be user-friendly and a 'one click does all' type of program if any exist. I am currently searching the internet for programs but thought i would ask here too 🙂 She doesn't want to pay anyone to do it as it is being donated and it is being picked up on Tuesday.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks
It depends on how secure she wants the results to be. The only guaranteed way is to remove the hard drive.
It depends on how secure she wants the results to be.
This. Why leave Windows intact? Flatten it, let the school worry about rebuilding it. A school is about the most hostile environment I can think of, I'd respectfully suggest that 'deleting a few files' is inadequate.
Boot and Nuke; it's the only way to be sure.
Cougar +1, and TBH if she donating with windows intact she need to include the recovery disc's or original windows discs.
So if they have those, flattening it (again using d-ban) and re-installing is a simple job.
If she never made the recovery disc or doesn't have them , what are the school going to do if they have problems with it?
The only guaranteed way is to remove the hard drive.
Exactly. I always destroy unwanted hard drives. I have no idea exactly what I've had on my HDD over it's life (credit card numbers? pass phrases? bank details? love one's details?) but why take the risk?
If, despite the advice above, you don't want to touch windows:
Find the files*, delete, use CCleaner with a secure file deletion (multiple passes) turned on in the advanced tab to empty to recycle bin, and tick 'wipe free space' to clear the rest of the disk.
*This step is the troublesome bit.
A defragment will further reduce the risk of recovery too.
Might be an idea to create a new admin user and delete the original profile.
As before though, I wouldn't chance it myself.
Won't the school already have Windows under a license through the LEA. I would nuke the hard drive and let them put on their own version.
I figured it'd depend on the school. But then, I also figured a school would have insurance, so what do I know. (-:
Thanks for the input guys, i would normally wipe the hard drive myself and reinstall windows but like i said she is too far away for me to do it. I think she just wants to safeguard the best she can. I would assume she would give all the disks etc with the computer so i will suggest dban to her and let the school sort it out, after all it is free :).
Thanks
[quote=gnusmas ] so i will suggest dban to her and let the school sort it out 😯