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clearing a laptop (wipeing it clear)

  • 05-07-2009 10:10pm
    #1
    edhorse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭


    does anybody know if it is hard to wipe a laptop of its contents including its history or would it have to go to a shop to be done???


Comments

  • #2
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Are you running windows Vista?
    Do you want completely remove everything from the laptop and "start again" so to speak?
    If you've answered yes to both the above the best bet is to do a complete re-install of your Windows Operating System.


  • #3
    Ghost Train
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,380 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    just data or the whole disk and operating system

    dban would wipe all data...
    eraser can wipe files and free disk space, need to manually work out what to erase


  • #4
    edhorse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭edhorse


    think its windows xp, and the whole system i want to wipe and re install, have the discs but just not sure how to wipe it first.


  • #5
    deisecelt
    Registered Users Posts: 111 ✭✭deisecelt


    Stop lookin up dodgy sites and you'll be grand!


  • #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,442 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    dban will remove everything

    but unless you have windows cd/dvd and drivers you won't be able to reinstall,
    if you don't have the cd's then you may have a recovery partition depending on model - dban will remove the recovery partition too btw unless you know what you are doing.


    windows and apps hide stuff everywhere , you can't totally clean a windows system by uninstalling and deleting


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  • #7
    edhorse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭edhorse


    will try and let ye know, we keep ye posted during the week and see if i need any more help off ye, lol.


  • #8
    Ghost Train
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,380 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    You could get a new hard disk... change out the old disk. Reinstall the OS and drivers on the new disk. If it doesn't work you can put the old disk back in the machine. If it does work you put the old disk back and then wipe it with dban


  • #9
    Alanstrainor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,157 ✭✭✭✭Alanstrainor


    Now that we know the OS, moved to the correct forum.


  • #10
    lucideer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 101 ✭✭lucideer


    You don't need any special extra software to wipe it. When you put in the disc to "re-install" XP, it'll give you an option to keep all your old data, or to wipe it clean.


  • #11
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 92,442 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    lucideer wrote: »
    You don't need any special extra software to wipe it. When you put in the disc to "re-install" XP, it'll give you an option to keep all your old data, or to wipe it clean.
    Depends on the brand of laptop
    Toshiba and Sony recovery disks amongst others will overwrite existing partitions.

    And yes you do need special software to wipe, as many format utilities just do a quick format meaning you can recover files with apps like photorec


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  • #12
    lucideer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 101 ✭✭lucideer


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    Depends on the brand of laptop
    Toshiba and Sony recovery disks amongst others will overwrite existing partitions.
    No, it depends on the recovery disk. All PC laptops operate the same way boot/install wise - OSes vary. XP recovery disks allow a full format.
    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    And yes you do need special software to wipe, as many format utilities just do a quick format meaning you can recover files with apps like photorec
    Only if security is an issue, which it rarely is and it wasn't mentioned. Even if security is an issue, you can secure delete with an installed app like CCleaner after installation, so it's not an issue to be overly concerned with when installing a fresh OS.


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