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Securely Erasing Private Data and Passwords from a Laptop Before Sale: A How-To Guide

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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
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  • #1 15660045
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    Hello, I am selling a latop in which I currently have private data (files) and passwords, e.g. on browsers, I am afraid that someone will restore the system and destroy my private life. I am asking for advice on how to permanently delete such files, some of them have several GB and others a few kb, such as passwords. I also have private passwords for bank accounts and program accounts where I have loaded a lot of money and I would not like it to fall into the wrong hands.
    I know that the mere formatting of the disks will not do anything even from the level of the Windows 7 board.
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  • #2 15660058
    Ture11
    Level 39  
    What is to be the result of this deletion? Do you want your computer to have an operating system? Because if not, the MHDD program (run from the disc) will handle it, the ERASE command - but of course, there will be no data or partitions on the disk (you must rip them first, of course), not to mention the system.
  • #3 15660059
    krystian660
    Level 8  
    CCleaner has a disk wiping feature.
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  • #5 15660068
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    The point is for someone not to break in by making a backup and reading passwords from the browser, I have nothing else to protect, just this.
    And tomorrow afternoon he is coming for the equipment

    MHDD will rather remove the entire disk with the system, and it will take a lot of time, because I will probably help
  • #6 15660071
    hultonetty
    Level 10  
    Browser passwords? If you remove it properly, you can be calm about it.

    Besides, what's the problem?
    Just change passwords to sites where your private information is.
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  • #7 15660094
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    But how to embrace it so solidly? because I will format from the recovery media win7 disc
  • #8 15660095
    hultonetty
    Level 10  
    In my opinion, a "factory reset" is enough. The chances that someone will extract the files, in addition from the browser, are negligible.
  • #9 15660100
    dt1
    Admin of Computers group  
    In my opinion, it is worth doing recovery or reinstalling a clean system from the disc (as a result a clean system, we will not miss anything in the registers or files left on the disk). In addition, after reinstalling the system, I would boot the system and clean only the free disk space - this would prevent the recovery of data that was not rewritten when reinstalling the system. It is enough to rewrite the free space once with zeros. It seems that the mentioned CCleaner has such a function.
  • #10 15660114
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    I have CCleaner, also yes ... I have a laptop, in the morning I reinstall the system, then I scan (reset) the new system with CCleaner, which will not delete what the system installation created (given drivers, etc.), right?
  • #12 15660118
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    So yes:
    -Disk erasing
    -Only free space, do you erase the entire disk?
    -I select disks C and D (all)
    _click erase and wait yes?
  • #13 15660122
    hultonetty
    Level 10  
    You format the disk, reinstall the system, wipe the free space with CCleaner.
  • #14 15660124
    dt1
    Admin of Computers group  
    - system reinstallation
    - disk wiping (free space only, simple overwrite - 1 pass)
    - select the system disk (C) and, if you erased the data partition and you had disk D (or whatever letter you have assigned to it).
    - erase and wait (it will take a while).
  • #15 15660125
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    Well, I will follow this, today I do zeroing the D disk, because I probably do not have the format option when rebooting the system, two disks at once, only the system disk.
    I did so that it erases the data and resets it, I entered ERASE and the program works

    How did I erase D in this way, no one can choose from the amateur level?
  • #16 15660144
    dt1
    Admin of Computers group  
    It depends where you entered it ERASE, because if in MHDD, then depending on the entered parameters you delete something that you should, or the entire disk. It's hard to judge because you haven't written the details.
  • #17 15660147
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    I entered ERASE in the CCleaner program because it asked me to do so and now it's erasing the data
  • #18 15660150
    dt1
    Admin of Computers group  
    If you are doing zeroing on drive D (all, not just free space) and it's the drive that your data was on then yes, it makes sense. Tomorrow it is enough to reinstall Windows and clean the free space on the system disk (probably C).
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  • #19 15660152
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    So the CCleaner program told me it would delete the data and wipe the free space, hmm, that is, it will reset my mind.
    From what I am saying, it overwrites the free space with this applet.

    I had options (simple overwrite-1 pass) no and empty D drive currently.
  • #20 15660265
    arekb81
    Level 30  
    If someone buys a used laptop, I don't think they want to waste time and energy on data recovery, where the only result will be a photo of the previous owner's cat. I have sold my laptop several times and it was always just a format and uploading the system and drivers or restoring the factory state if there was a recovery partition.
  • #21 15660462
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    I did so, I put a win7 disc on the desktop, it showed asie installation, but now it overwrites the files and creates windows.old, it was not supposed to be like that? how to handle it, the board is Samsunk recovery win7
  • #22 15660497
    Dobromir pomysłowy
    Level 23  
    It is to these valid remarks that I will add, remove the disc :) ). It's best to sell to friends or at least known people (after cleaning, of course), I know that sometimes it can't be that way. I have computers and only disks with people's data and you have to remove them - for a good sleep: :) and especially in PL.
  • #23 15660516
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    I'll dice it and eat it for dinner ... well no eggs, I'm selling it all. It's a laptop, I won't sell it like WD


    What mma f4 should I press at startup, is there any reinstallation movie?
  • #24 15660567
    Dobromir pomysłowy
    Level 23  
    niewiadow wrote:
    I will not sell it like WD
    - I do not understand. If the data is important or you have concerns, give another disk a dozen or so zlotys, after that your old one stays in the archive. Maybe the buyer prefers cheap with his disk
  • #25 15661499
    niewiadow
    Level 8  
    Okay, I've already dealt with it, reset and uploaded win 7, thanks gentlemen
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Topic summary

To securely erase private data and passwords from a laptop before sale, users are advised to perform a series of steps beyond simple formatting. Recommended methods include using the MHDD program for complete disk erasure or utilizing CCleaner's disk wiping feature to overwrite free space. A factory reset or clean system reinstallation is also suggested, followed by wiping free disk space to prevent data recovery. Users should ensure that all sensitive information, such as browser passwords and financial data, is thoroughly removed. It is emphasized that simply formatting the disk is insufficient for protecting private data.
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