Preparing/ securing a used desktop to sell

[thomis]

Hello,
I have a Dell desktop, about 3.5 years old running Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. It has served us well. We now have two laptops and I want to get all my data off of it and sell it. Basically used it for surfing the internet and home videos/ pictures. How can I securely wipe the memory clean and prepare it for selling to the general public?
I realize I won't get much for it but I should be able to get something for it, yes?
Thanks, Thomis

 

[stubbyhs]

You could run a remaster at boot up, launch startup repair and go from there just following your nose and some common sense.

You should yes, how much you would get depends largely on the specs of the computer.

 

[gregrocker]

What is a remaster at boot followed by Startup Repair? Sounds interesting. :huh:

If you have data that needs to be overwritten out of reach of data recovery software, then i would run Diskpart Clean All Command from the booted Win7 installer or System Repair Disk . However this completely wipes the HD with zeroes.

Then you'll need to either run your Recovery Disks which came with the computer, were made when you set it up or can still be made now, or do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 .

If you want to just clean up the Win7 you have on there now, delete all files in each of the named User folders, the Public folders, C drive root, any data partitions.

Then run CCleaner Disk and Registry tabs Cleaners, on its Tools tab choose Drive Wiper and wipe the Drive's free space with 3 passes which should make all of your deleted data irretrievable by any software.

Finish the cleanup by running Puran free boot time defrag with Disk check to perfectly order the HD and check it's condtion at the same time. Puran Defrag Free Edition - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

 

[stubbyhs]

What is a remaster at boot followed by Startup Repair? Sounds interesting. :huh:

If you have data that needs to be overwritten out of reach of data recovery software, then i would run Diskpart Clean All Command from the booted Win7 installer or System Repair Disk . However this completely wipes the HD with zeroes.

Then you'll need to either run your Recovery Disks which came with the computer, were made when you set it up or can still be made now, or do a Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 .

If you want to just clean up the Win7 you have on there now, delete all files in each of the named User folders, the Public folders, C drive root, any data partitions.

Then run CCleaner Disk and Registry tabs Cleaners, on its Tools tab choose Drive Wiper and wipe the Drive's free space with 3 passes which should make all of your deleted data irretrievable by any software.

Finish the cleanup by running Puran free boot time defrag with Disk check to perfectly order the HD and check it's condtion at the same time. Puran Defrag Free Edition - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

Sorry probably using completely the wrong language there, what I meant was restoring the system to its original manufacturer's settings, which I and the people around me would call a remaster, and is accessed through start up repair quite often.

 

[gregrocker]

OK that's what I suspected but had never heard Factory Recovery referrred to that way before, was hoping there was some other super-secret method to explore.

It's all good.