Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

How do i erase all my personal info on a PC but keep the factory settings?

  • 28-02-2010 7:57pm
    #1
    RyanMcGrath
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭


    I'm passing on my old PC (Dell, Windows XP)to a stranger so i want to completely wipe any personal info im aware or unaware of.
    Is there an easy way of doing this without formatting the hard drive and wiping all info off it?
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    Dermot Illogical
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭Dermot Illogical


    No. Anything short of a full format leaves open the possibility of your data being recoverable.


  • #3
    norbert64
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭norbert64


    Best bet would probably be, either a fresh install of XP, or if it's applicable, use the recovery partition/recovery discs to do a full system/factory reset.

    mind you, that is of course putting aside the whole issue about things ''never being entirely erased''.


  • #4
    Cuddlesworth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,998 ✭✭✭✭Cuddlesworth


    RT66 wrote: »
    No. Anything short of a full format leaves open the possibility of your data being recoverable.

    I can recover most of the data back from a full format. You need multiple pass's to wipe the data.


  • #5
    tricky D
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,700 ✭✭✭tricky D


    Cuddlesworth wrote: »
    I can recover most of the data back from a full format. You need multiple pass's to wipe the data.

    And even better, multiple passes with total overwriting and full formats. Seven formats was one metric I heard of back in the day.

    Imo the best solution is replace the drive and keep the old one for backup or destroy the actual disks with hammer and if you like, fire.


  • #6
    norbert64
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,192 ✭✭✭norbert64


    you can get SATA hdds for great prices these days, so if you're that concerned about private info, I'd echo what tricky said about replacing the HDD instead.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Snowbat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,064 ✭✭✭Snowbat


    Cuddlesworth wrote: »
    I can recover most of the data back from a full format. You need multiple pass's to wipe the data.
    True for a full format in XP but a full format in Vista (and 7 according to other sources) writes zeros to the partition. Microsoft claims it writes zeros to the whole disk but I doubt that's true if there are multiple partitions?

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941961/en-us
    The format command behavior has changed in Windows Vista. By default in Windows Vista, the format command writes zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed. In Windows XP and in earlier versions of the Windows operating system, the format command does not write zeros to the whole disk when a full format is performed.


  • #8
    Dermot Illogical
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭Dermot Illogical


    Cuddlesworth wrote: »
    I can recover most of the data back from a full format. You need multiple pass's to wipe the data.

    So can I. But one pass is sufficient if done properly. For the OP's purposes a full format should be enough. The reinstall of the OS and creation of a new pagefile once it's booted will overwrite the vast majority of previous data. Beyond that it's tinfoil hat territory.


  • #9
    Dermot Illogical
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,131 ✭✭✭Dermot Illogical


    tricky D wrote: »
    And even better, multiple passes with total overwriting and full formats. Seven formats was one metric I heard of back in the day.

    The 7 passes was a requirement to meet the standards of the US Dept. of Defence for data destruction.


Advertisement