user info remains after wiping hard drive

Hello, all,

I am very confused at this point. I own 2 Dell XPS 8000 computers. One recently laid down. I bought an identical computer on ebay. It looks great. I immediately wiped the hard drive with the free edition of Active Kill Disk. It worked perfectly. I then installed my legally purchased Windows 7 Home Premium disk, (usable as long as another instance is not running, which it isn't, as the original computer is out). While installing the Windows OS, I was never asked for my activation key, which I had ready. I discovered the computer was still registered to the original owner, with THEIR activation key (which I have) and all of their personal data and settings were still there. They were also listed under user account as the administrator. I had gone online to reload my antivirus. Is it possible going on the net allowed the data back in? I have contacted the manufacturer of Active Kill Disk asking if the pro (pay) version would prevent this problem. Never heard back from them.

What is going on? How do I fix this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

dustman

Hello, Gator,

Thanks for the response! The Windows 7 disk is the one I purchased with the computer brand new from Best Buys. that is the computer that recently died. That Windows 7 disk is legit and I have the key. That's what I installed (after I wiped the HD) and I was never asked for my activation key. When I started the computer up, the original owner was still the administrator, including all of his settings. I bought this computer on ebay from Back-in-Use, a non-profit organization that refurbishes and sells computers for the disabled. They were very open, no secrecy. I just don't get this.

dustman

Hi dustman,

Your experience is quite interesting and surprising.

On the face of it, it appears that active@kill disk did not really wipe it. Can you please point me to the actual download site, which one you downloaded, and how you ran it?

And your Windows 7 install could have as well been a repair install - just a wild guess. May be off the mark by a 1000 fathoms.:)

From what I understand the used DELL XPS 8000 is still running on the previous user's name. Right?

What edition and bit of Windows is it running? Windows XP/7 ___________ Edition . __bit? How did you get the activation key for it?

Can you please post a screenshot of Windows Disk Management ?

From thereon let us see whether we can catch up, wipe your HDD and install Windows 7.

Just for information:

1. What died in your dead Dell XPS?

2. Did it not come with OEM installed Windows? What OS and bit version?

3. Why did you buy a retail version of Windows 7 Home Premium? ( I presume it to be a retail version, correct me if you had bought a OEM edition)

Of course, I shall be back only after about 10-12 hours since bed time is fast approaching but no bar if others could catch up on it and resolve your problem when I sleep. :)

I think I have attached the pic of my original valid Windows 7 Home Premium disc. I bought 2 identical Dell XPS Studio 8000 desktops the same day from Best Buys. The one I use most quit working after making a lot of noise (probably power supply and other stuff). The easiest thing (I thought) would be to buy an identical Dell XPS Studio 8000 on ebay. I bought it, wiped the hard drive (I have an Active Kill Disk disk that has always worked perfectly), using all zeros (this is the free version). Everything was blank. I put in my legit Windows 7 Home Premium disc, and reloaded Windows 7 (not a repair, but a clean install). It worked, but never prompted me for my activation key (which I had ready). When Windows started up, the previous owner was the administrator, and listed under User accounts. All of his settings were also there. I contacted The manufacturer of Active Kill Disk (he is in Canada), and left a message asking if I bought the paid version, it would do the job correctly. He has not replied. I will reconnect the computer and get a screen shot of the Windows Disk management. One other thing, all 3 computers were supposed to have Dell INVIDIA GeForce GTS 240 graphics cards. Diagnosis showed that in both of my original computers, but in the new one, he claimed the GeForce drive was in it, but diagnostics showed STANDARD VGA DISPLAY and many of the windows screen resolution andc color changes and Aero features cannot work. I get error messages that the drivers are insufficient to perform those tasks. The GeForce is not a standard VGA display, it is a higher end gaming graphics card. The seller is swearing that is the right card. I don't think it is.


dustman

Hello again, my friend! I am running a 64 bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium edition. I don't see anything on the disk that indicates an edition number. Where would I find that? And yes, the previous owner is Back-in-Use and he is still listed as the administrator. It even gives his net connections. I had done a complete wipe of the HDD, and when I reloaded windows, it never asked for my key, nor did it offer me a chance to partition. It just loaded Windows.Another funny thing, I also have the Dell Drivers disk that came with my original computers. Whe I had put it iin the one I bought on ebay, it refused to load the drivers, saying this is NOT a Dell computer. Program will close. No matter how you slice it, it is certainly a Dell! Go figure!

dustman