How do I clear out my Windows XP before selling?

[EarlyPorsche]

I am about to sell my XP based computer. How do I clear out my personal information from the computer or registry. I am a new guy so any additional steps needed to be performed would be great.

[Sonic dB]

the only real "safe" way to protect your data by deleting it...
is to reformat the hard drive completely, and reburn Windows XP
over it fresh. You can do this yourself easily, if you have your Windows XP
installation CD...or if not perhaps a local computer shop would do this for you.

[EarlyPorsche]

Yeah I dont have my XP CD. I deleted all the files I could find. What could be left? What could someone do? Where would something confidential about me be on the computer?

[azasadny]

Look for a freeware program called "Eraser" on Google, then use it to permanently delete all personal data from your PC. The only thing you need to do is reformat the hard drive, reinstall Windows, then run Eraser to permanently erase all previously deleted data. The new Windows won't have any personal data on it when you're done.

[id10t]

Download a copy of Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) and install it. When it asks about partitioning just pick "use whole disk"

Make sure you really don't need anything else from it first tho, 'cause it *will* get rid of it.

[rammstein]

Even though your computer didn't come with a windows XP cd, it may have come with a system restore disc that has windows XP on it.

If it was me, I would reformat the c: and reinstall at all costs.

As a bonus, the buyer will be happy because it will work better after the reinstall.

[Neilk]

Safest way is to reformat.. otherwise

click start--> run--> type in %temp% and delete all the files you can in there.

Go to control panel --> User Accounts and create a new user.

Sign in as new user and delete your old user profile and all the files.

There are more places where files can hide, but those are the ones off the top of my head.

[mattdavis11]

Run kill disk on it.

[Rick Lee]

I am doing this soon too. But I forget the steps for how to format the machine.

[skipdup]

Boot & Nuke http://dban.sourceforge.net/ - offers DoD level of securely wiping disks.

I researched this extensively some time back and hope I'm remembering correctly... But, it's my understanding that reformatting will NOT clear all the data. It will look cleared in windows, put some/much of the data is still there - just not mapped. Supposedly pretty easy to access the data from a UNIX OS.

The only way to truly "erase" is to write over each partition, repeatedly, with new meaningless data. Reformatting, nor deleting, just doesn't do that.

- Skip

[skipdup]

per Microsoft:

Here's the problem: An index of files is maintained for the hard drive, telling it where things are stored. When you install a file, especially a big one, it is scattered around the hard drive in bits and pieces. On your command to open the file, the hard drive checks the index, then gathers the pieces and reconstructs them.

When that file is deleted, the links between the index and the file disappear. That tells your system that the file is no longer needed and that hard drive space can be overwritten. But the deleted file remains on your computer. Only when it is overwritten do you begin to be safe. Even then, a specialist might be able to recover the old data.

Assuming you just deleted everything in preparation for saying goodbye to your PC, it is unlikely that the sensitive information has been overwritten. It's still sitting there, and anybody with a shareware program could find it.

...

Reformatting will keep most people out of your old files. But specialized shareware exists to reclaim files after reformatting. If you do not know who will get the computer — or you do know and you don't trust them — stronger measures are required.

[Flatbutt1]

how about just yanking the hard drive out and selling it that way?

[Mr_Wizard]

Originally Posted by skipdup

Boot & Nuke http://dban.sourceforge.net/ - offers DoD level of securely wiping disks.

I researched this extensively some time back and hope I'm remembering correctly... But, it's my understanding that reformatting will NOT clear all the data. It will look cleared in windows, put some/much of the data is still there - just not mapped. Supposedly pretty easy to access the data from a UNIX OS.

The only way to truly "erase" is to write over each partition, repeatedly, with new meaningless data. Reformatting, nor deleting, just doesn't do that.

- Skip

+1 To be sure you have no data left, use a wipe utility like this. Basically what this does is a low level format of the hard drive, (1 & 0's multiple times to the hard drive)

[skipdup]

BFH and/or torch to the HDD is also a time proven method.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by rammstein

Even though your computer didn't come with a windows XP cd, it may have come with a system restore disc that has windows XP on it.

If it was me, I would reformat the c: and reinstall at all costs.

As a bonus, the buyer will be happy because it will work better after the reinstall.

+1 or erase the hard drive. Formatting will deter 90% of the idiots trying to harvest info off of your old computer, while erasing it usually keeps everyone away.

If you have something that you really do not want anyone to ever see, yank the hard drive, smash it with a hammer and spend $50 for a new one, then sell the computer with a new clean drive.

[Spede]

http://www.r-wipe.com/

I just made a mistake on ordering a spare hard drive for a couple of laptops, got a desk top hard drive,30 gig each. No big deal, it'll fit my desk top too. They were on sale, so I bought 2.

I paid $25 for each, if you'd like one, let me know, it'll be $25 plus shipping. One spare is enough.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Are used computers actually worth anything? Maybe it's just me, but when I buy a new one every two years or so, the old one is a dinosaur that you can't give away.

How about an Office Space re-enactment, PC instead of a copy machine?

[stevepaa]

Wouldn't a magnet run across the hard drive work?

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

How about an Office Space re-enactment, PC instead of a copy machine?

You meant to say 'laser printer'