| Windows 7: Wipe all personal information |
07 Jan 2010
|
#1 | | |
Wipe all personal information Im selling my Windows 7 laptop and before I do so want to make sure that everything is completely cleared. Can anyone advise me on some steps I can take to ensure this?
Thanks,
Steve | My System Specs |
| |
07 Jan 2010
|
#2 | | Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, clean install, upgrade disc CT |
http://www.microsoft.com/business/sm...harddrive.mspx
This may help
I think Number 3 is the best solution. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell XPS 420 OS Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, clean install, upgrade disc CPU Intel Core2 processsor Q8200(2.33Ghz 1333FSB) Quad Core Tech Motherboard Dell Memory 6 gb Graphics Card ATI Radeon 256MB HD3650 Sound Card Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio Monitor(s) Displays Dell SP2009W 20" Keyboard Dell USB Keyboard Mouse Dell Premium Optical USB Cooling Fan Hard Drives 640 GB Serial ATA Hard drive Internet Speed DSL 2.85 |
07 Jan 2010
|
#3 | | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ®™ West Yorkshire |
Do a clean install, ensuring there are no issues with anything. Number 3 seems a bit extreme for the average user. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Sony Vaio FZ21Z OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ®™ CPU Intel Core 2 Duo (2.2 GHz) Motherboard Sony (Intel Chipset) Memory 2x 2GB Corsair (667 MHz) Graphics Card NVIDIA 8600M GS (256MB) Sound Card Sigmatel Monitor(s) Displays 15.4" TFT X-Black Screen Resolution 1280x800 Mouse Logitech Anywhere MX Hard Drives Western Digital 300GB Scorpio Black (7200rpm) Internet Speed Sky 5MB |
07 Jan 2010
|
#6 | | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ®™ West Yorkshire |

Quote: Originally Posted by richc46 Alway Number 3. Quote: 3. Buy Software and Overwrite the Disk, Again and Again and Again
If you don't know much about computers, this might be easier than Step 2 Each to their own I guess. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Sony Vaio FZ21Z OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ®™ CPU Intel Core 2 Duo (2.2 GHz) Motherboard Sony (Intel Chipset) Memory 2x 2GB Corsair (667 MHz) Graphics Card NVIDIA 8600M GS (256MB) Sound Card Sigmatel Monitor(s) Displays 15.4" TFT X-Black Screen Resolution 1280x800 Mouse Logitech Anywhere MX Hard Drives Western Digital 300GB Scorpio Black (7200rpm) Internet Speed Sky 5MB |
07 Jan 2010
|
#7 | | Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, clean install, upgrade disc CT |

Quote: Originally Posted by FZ21Z 
Quote: Originally Posted by richc46 Alway Number 3. Quote: 3. Buy Software and Overwrite the Disk, Again and Again and Again
If you don't know much about computers, this might be easier than Step 2 Each to their own I guess. I think that this post demonstrates one of the major benefits of this forum over, even, paid computer service. Many issues have various solutions. If a problem developes and the individual comes to this forum, he or she can chose the solution that is best, for them. Traditional computer, paid, service, gives no choice, you pay, and the one solution of forced upon you. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Dell XPS 420 OS Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, clean install, upgrade disc CPU Intel Core2 processsor Q8200(2.33Ghz 1333FSB) Quad Core Tech Motherboard Dell Memory 6 gb Graphics Card ATI Radeon 256MB HD3650 Sound Card Intergrated 7.1 Channel Audio Monitor(s) Displays Dell SP2009W 20" Keyboard Dell USB Keyboard Mouse Dell Premium Optical USB Cooling Fan Hard Drives 640 GB Serial ATA Hard drive Internet Speed DSL 2.85 |
07 Jan 2010
|
#8 | | Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Service Pack 1 Doncaster, UK |
| My System Specs | | Computer type PC/Desktop System Manufacturer/Model Number Dwarf Dwf/11/2012 OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Service Pack 1 CPU Intel Core-i5-3570K 4-core @ 3.4GHz (Ivy Bridge) (OC 4.2GHz) Motherboard ASRock Z77 Extreme4-M Memory 4 x 4GB DDR3-1600 Corsair Vengeance CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9B (16GB) Graphics Card 2 x AMD Radeon HD7770 1GB CrossFired (OC 1100MHz/1250MHz) Sound Card Realtek High Definition on board solution (ALC 898) Monitor(s) Displays ViewSonic VA1912w Widescreen (VGA) Screen Resolution 1440x900 Keyboard Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 (USB) Mouse Microsoft Comfort Mouse 3000 for Business (USB) PSU XFX Pro Series 850W Semi-Modular Case Gigabyte IF233 Cooling 1 x 120mm Front Inlet 1 x 120mm Rear Exhaust Hard Drives OCZ Agility 3 SSD 120GB SATA III x2 (RAID 0)
Samsung HD501LJ 500GB SATA II x2
Hitachi HDS721010CLA332 1TB SATA II
Iomega 1.5TB Ext USB 2.0
WD 2.0TB Ext USB 3.0 Internet Speed NetGear DG834Gv3 ADSL Modem/Router (Ethernet) ~4.0 Mb/s (O2) Antivirus Avast! 8.0.1483 Browser IE 9 Other Info Optical Drive: HL-DT-ST BD-RE BH10LS30 SATA Bluray
Lexmark S305 Printer/Scanner/Copier (USB)
CTF-430 Tablet & Pen
WEI Score: 7.7/7.9/7.4/7.4/7.9
Asus Eee PC 1011PX Netbook (Windows 7 x86 Starter) |
07 Jan 2010
|
#9 | | Windows 7 SP1, Home Premium, 64-bit |
You can download the hard disk utilities for whatever brand hard disk you have from the manufacturer's website.
These utilities are free and typically include an application that can write zeros to every sector of the hard drive. It might take several hours to complete. | My System Specs | | System Manufacturer/Model Number Ignatz Special; 4 speed manual gearbox; factory air conditioning; one of one OS Windows 7 SP1, Home Premium, 64-bit CPU Intel Sandy Bridge i5-2500, not overclocked Motherboard Gigabyte H67A-UD3H-B3, full ATX Memory 4 GB Crucial DDR3-1333 Graphics Card none; graphics are integrated on CPU Sound Card onboard: Realtek ALC892; external: USB Behringer UF0-202 Monitor(s) Displays NEC 90GX2-BK 19" LCD Screen Resolution 800 x 640 Keyboard Leopold Tenkeyless with Cherry Blue switches, USB Mouse Logitech or Microsoft optical wired; either USB or PS 2 PSU Seasonic SS-560KM, modular Case Antec Solo II Cooling CPU: Scythe Big Shuriken; Case: Scythe Slipstream 800 & 500 Hard Drives System: Intel 320 Series SSD, 80 GB;
Data: Samsung Spinpoint 103SJ, 1 TB;
Backup: WD Caviar Green WD15EADS-00P8B0, 1.5TB Other Info Power consumption of this system, including monitor: 68 watts at idle; 144 watts at full load |
07 Jan 2010
|
#10 | | |
Thanks for your help everyone. Its much appreciated... | My System Specs | | Wipe all personal information problems? All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:25 PM. | |