Wiping all personal data from work PC

mrcheez

I'll be moving on from my current place of work soon and want to clear off all personal data before I hand my work machine over.

A clean format isn't really an option as the next user will need to be able to continue from where I left off.

I can uninstall any software I've added myself, but is there a good tool to clear off personal data?

Does CCleaner still cut it?

Capt'n Midnight

It's Windows. Stuff like the serial number of every USB memory stick you've ever used is stored in the registry.

So no you can't every be sure of removing all personal info from Windows without scrubbing it.

at the very least delete the profile, delete system restore, remove all the files = good luck finding stuff left by applications , delete previous version thingy if left there.

then ccleaner , and wipe free space

mrcheez

Not bothered about usb serial numbers, just the usual user data etc.

Does anything personal get stored in Program Files, or is just generally stored in user profile?

Unless you had admin rights on the machine, you'd only have write access to your profile folder.

mrcheez

Karsini wrote: »

Unless you had admin rights on the machine, you'd only have write access to your profile folder.

I had full admin access to the machine

Xterminator

and any laptop backups? do you know whats backed up & do you have access to them?

mrcheez

Nope, no laptop backups.

I see the "ProgramData" folder in C:\... I imagine I need to wipe a fair bit off there?

afaik this is where data would be stored for admin-related data rather than "Program Files / (x86)"?

_Kaiser_

mrcheez wrote: »

Nope, no laptop backups.

I see the "ProgramData" folder in C:\... I imagine I need to wipe a fair bit off there?

afaik this is where data would be stored for admin-related data rather than "Program Files / (x86)"?

doing what you are suggesting will kill the Windows install completely... including your data

Best thing to do will be to backup your user data (pictures, documents etc), and then create a new user profile (as you have admin rights)

Log on to that profile and delete the old one through control panel/system

mrcheez

And that wipes all the user's data, or still do a CCleaner after?

28064212

Back up the specific things that the new user needs, then wipe the computer. That's the only way to be sure

Capt'n Midnight

mrcheez wrote: »

And that wipes all the user's data, or still do a CCleaner after?

I'll try again.

Windows and windows programs squirrel data in the most unlikely places. You can't ever be sure of removing it all while keeping programs and settings and such working.

do a general search for documents after you think you've removed them

use a space viewer like treesize or spacemonger to spot large files or folders you've missed

ccleaner is one step. use it at the end and use the option to wipe free space

DopeTech

What exactly are you looking to remove? Is it your browsing history, photos, documents?

No need to go nuking the laptop if you don't know what you are doing. Also don't do a clean install, bring it to the tech support in work and ask them can they advise. Given that you are asking this question I am sure you would not be able to domain join the laptop and configure it the exact way it was given to you. Not trying to be harsh but nobody will thank you if you mess up their laptop.

Victor

When you have done your back-ups and think you have it clean, fill the hard drive with junk to make any recovery difficult.

CatInABox

Basically, unless you wipe the hard drive, it's near impossible to make sure that you've cleared off "all" personal data. I wouldn't kill myself trying to make sure that all evidence of myself was gone, I'd make a best effort, but I wouldn't spend more than half an hour at the computer searching for files.

I'd also mention to HR or the IT department that it's not really ok that your job (and your replacement) relies upon your profile. The IT department should, theoretically, be able to roll out your job to any computer in their network and it sure as hell shouldn't rely upon one machine or profile, or anything like that.

mrcheez

"HR", "Tech Support"

I assume you guys work for large multinationals


It's grand I'll just manually delete all the programs/files... or just tell them I recommend a reformat and Windows update (it's Windows 8 ffs!)