Selling LAPTOP How Do i Cleanse

[StoneCold]

Hello Im selling my laptop to buy a new smaller one

I want to sell it but i want to get rid off all my files and information such as passwords cookies ect

how can i get rid of everything so that its safe to sell

should i re- instal vista and re format everything or sumthing

is their a programme that gets rid of everything personal on my pc and sumthing i can use to boost performance because i have installed loads of **** and its kinda messed up the internet speed and performance..

How do i make it safe to sell????

Im shifting from Vista to Apple laptop

::rockon:

 

[Skel]

format your hard drive and install an operating system

 

[Skel]

format your hard drive and install an operating system

 

[Road Demon]

Bad Advice Skel:

Short of physically destroying the hard drive...You need secure delete program that will wipe out all data on the hard drive. Specifically a program that overwrites the all the files many time with a bleaching algorithim. Then re-install windows.

Google: Tolaven Eraser 5.7 to Create A DBAN disk.

Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

DBAN is a means of ensuring due diligence in computer recycling, a way of preventing identity theft if you want to sell a computer, and a good way to totally clean a Microsoft Windows installation of viruses and spyware. DBAN prevents or thoroughly hinders all known techniques of hard disk forensic analysis.

 

[Skel]

Good to know.

 

[bigjohnson]

Google: Tolaven Eraser 5.7 to Create A DBAN disk.

I'm a PC security professional, and I approve this message.

So in short, keep (or physically destroy completely) the HD and sell the notebook is the BEST way. Close second is DBAN or a similar drive erasure tool followed by installation of whatever the notebook originally shipped with as far as OS and bundled SW.

Rule of thumb in security is to make recovery much more difficult and expensive than the data is worth. Either method should be fine for any normal person. If you have evidence of crimes on there or something ... well stop being a criminal.

For many people "Format and install Ubuntu" is really enough but it's just betting on the averages since a lot of data is really still there IF anyone gives 3 ****s about looking for it. Odds are no one will, but at that point you're out of the realm of security and into playing the odds.