Redundant computer

[karatina]

I want to give my old computer to my grandson, how can I wipe ALL the information etc stored within.
Do I have to give him the discs that came with the computer?

[boxtops]

We take out our hard disks before we dispose of any old computer, you could do that and put in a new one.

[Postdog]

2 ways. one, go to somewhere like download.com and get a free file shredder. Watch it cos many you have to pay for but if you selct the free software option in the side, and then look for file shredding programs, you'll find something. Download, install, and then manually delete all you think needs deleting, then shred. bit hit and miss as you might miss something, but some can be set to wipe all kinds of stuff, and what gets deleted can't be recovered.

Two, he WILL need the discs if ever he has to reinstall the Operating system, and that is probably the bet way. Wipe the whole disc by formatting the drive, which will erase EVERYTHING, and then re-install the OS. This is sometimes easier said than done, and if an old system,you may lose out on non existent now updates.

[AlBags]

Defrag fully first after moving/deleting what you need to.
Then download Eraser .. http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/
Shred all empty space.
Done. That will be enough.

[Hymie]

Although file shredding is a good start – it cannot easily shred already deleted information (which is recoverable with the right software).

Best use a Nuke software program such as this, available f.o.c from download.com.

http://download.cnet....1312.html?tag=mncol;1

The program has to be run from a floppy or USB stick, otherwise it would be nuking itself (on the hard drive).

But much depends on what you don’t want your grandson to see that is currently on your hard drive and how clever he is on a computer.

[TonyV]

Kara - If you ar worried about info on hard drive only way is to remove it and fit a new one - despite what other information you have been given / got - hard drives always can be read

[AlBags]

Eraser is perfectly adequate. Shred with 5 times or 10 times pass .. erase cluster tips .. if you want it clean enough so as not to be forensically read.
Not a NASA backup on it, is it?

[TonyV]

Albags - as you know - only way to wipe a disc totally clean is to put a hammer through it

[ChuckFickens]

I somehow doubt the OPs grandson has a full forensic laboratory hidden in his wardrobe!

Just use the disks supplied to do a factory restore and give it to him (unless you think your grandson is likely to try and steal your identity!)

[TonyV]

chuck - was giving my view on this - you can always read a hardrive if it's spinning - have know idea what OP wants to delete

[deggers316]

chuck i'm sort of with you ,i would have thought just delete all your personally stuff and empty your recycle bin ,unless Katrinas got loads of porn on it i wouldn't worry about anything it's her grandson not a complete stranger, and tony is right if that were the case then a hammer is the only secure way

[ChuckFickens]

Exactly, deggers, it's getting a sense of perspective on it. I should imagine that karatina has the fairly standard, boring, browsing habits (no offence intended) so there are unlikely to be any official secrets on the drive, and it's going to a family member, not a random stranger!

Though drive can be made "safe"... the IRS only require 5 passes of random writes before they consider their equipment safe for resale, the American military only require 8 passes (If I recall correctly) so a drive can be made safe from having old data read from it but often the time required to make it properly safe just isn't worth it against the cost of a new drive. (again, this doesn't apply in this situation)

[TonyV]

Well Karatina has all options available to her now - lol

[dennisb66]

I always thought that if you returned a PC to it's factory settings everything was erased,is this not so then?

[boxtops]

I'd still put in a new hard drive - it's all very well to say that karatina's only handing it to her grandson, but who can say what he'll do with it (however responsible he is) when he too needs to upgrade his computer.

[ChuckFickens]

When something is erased in the "normal" way from a hard drive basically all that happens is the index to the file is deleted and the hard drive sectors are marked for re-use, the data is still on those sectors and can be recovered up to the time that the sectors have been written over again and proper forensic recovery can even recover the information after it's been written over up to a certain amount of times.

[mungbeanz]

All you need to do is delete the information normally. Then use a program like CCleaner to permenantly delete it. One pass is enough. If you try to use any commercially available file-recovery programs now they will not find any files. Do you suspect that your grandson will try to access your old files? It really depends on what you are trying to hide and how eager your grandson is to try and view your personal info.

Bear in mind that installing a new hard-drive is more hassle than its worth in this situation.

[karatina]

As ever, what a wonderful response to my poser.
No, I can assure one and all, no porn, no secrets, just information on the financial side, now I don't want him to find out how much I am leaving him in my will do I!!!
Karatina

[vivandorron]

karatina....Unless you have a copy of your Will on file in your comp.your grandson will never know. If you do have, then delete it and, if if he has the computer knowledge of earlier posters and is able to find out, I say good luck to him and you should be proud of his technical abilities.

My knowledge of computers is very limited and much of what I know has come from the help which I have been given by the experts who answer questions such as yours.

I am thinking that you will have the sort of info. which I could well have on my comp.
Consequently. if I were passing mine to a grandson, I would delete all e/mails and private files and leave all programmes as they are.

Ron.

[whiskeryron]

My grandson taught me the computer & how to change or put a new hard drive in the tower, the only way you can delete info is to smash the hard drive with a lump hammer. If I was giving my computer to anyone that's what I would do.Ron.

[dave50]

Why not just restore it back to factory settings?