Hi, I Don't know if this is possible so thought I'd ask the experts. I'm planning on giving my PC to a friend but whilst wanting to hand over the PC as it is (I.e with XP and all the programs/updates/security packages/Software I have collected and downloaded) I also want to ensure that I don't leave any personnel information on the PC. Although I've copied onto CD's the information I want to keep for my new PC and have deleted them from the old PC (I.e recycle bin) is there a way off also ensuring these are permanently deleted from the hard drive but still keeping the programs etc on the PC. I've read about something called 'eraser' but don't know how this works. Does this wipe everything? If I can't do as mentioned how best would I keep all the data I require and then return the PC to how I first bought it - I will then have to download from scratch the programs etc back onto the PC? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Easiest thing to do would be to do a clean re-install of XP.







On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 6:05 am, TedG wrote:

>Hi, I Don't know if this is possible so thought I'd ask the experts.

>

>I'm planning on giving my PC to a friend but whilst wanting to hand over the PC 
as 

>it is (I.e with XP and all the programs/updates/security packages/Software I have 

>collected and downloaded) I also want to ensure that I don't leave any personnel 

>information on the PC.

>

>Although I've copied onto CD's the information I want to keep for my new PC and 
have 

>deleted them from the old PC (I.e recycle bin) is there a way off also ensuring 
these 

>are permanently deleted from the hard drive but still keeping the programs etc on 

>the PC.

>

>I've read about something called 'eraser' but don't know how this works. Does this 

>wipe everything?

>

>If I can't do as mentioned how best would I keep all the data I require and then 

>return the PC to how I first bought it - I will then have to download from scratch 

>the programs etc back onto the PC?

>

>Any help would be appreciated.

>

>Cheers

>
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Does that mean I would lose everything on the PC and be left with the original PC as bought. If that is the only way can you please let me know how best to go about doing it. I think I made a Recover CD or something silmilar when I first got the PC (as XP was pre-installed) - Do I need to unistall all the programs etc or just unistall XP and then insert the CD. Sorry but I'm a real novice at this so it would great if you could please give me a step by step guide or refer me to an idiots guide somewhere. Cheers


On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 7:00 am, Ricer46 wrote:
>Easiest thing to do would be to do a clean re-install of XP.
>
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

That won't stop prying eyes. You need a security deletion program (try to Google that). I won't tell you which one is better or for what stupid reason I would choose one over another. Bottom line you need to have something write random 1's and 0's over the deleted information, hopefully numerous times. Otherwise I can go into a repartitioned and formatted H/D and pull up anything, including pictures, text and E-Mail including e-mail addresses and browser histories. It's just a matter of how private do you want to be?

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Charlie, I'd hate to think my PC landed on your doorstep (LOL) Do you know if that is what this 'eraser' system does? As my earlier question can one of these 'security delection programs' be used whilst still keeping the programs and your undeleted data (I.e not the stuff sent to the recycle bin) and XP etc etc or do you run it through XP and it wipes everything out other then your OP? I know my pal wont know how to recover my personnel info but I would probably feel better knowing everything had gone in case he later disposes of the PC and it lands in your hands - joking.


On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 7:20 am, Charlie Hadden wrote:
>That won't stop prying eyes. You need a security deletion program (try to Google
>that). I won't tell you which one is better or for what stupid reason I would choose
>one over another. Bottom line you need to have something write random 1's and 0's
>over the deleted information, hopefully numerous times. Otherwise I can go into a
>repartitioned and formatted H/D and pull up anything, including pictures, text and
>E-Mail including e-mail addresses and browser histories. It's just a matter of how
>private do you want to be?

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Unless you work for the CIA, I think you are overestimating your abilities. Filespace 
that has been overwritten will not have any old data on it, the blank space at the 
end of the written area could  in theory, but the original file fragmentation would 
make that a pretty extraordinary feat.







On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 7:20 am, Charlie Hadden wrote:

>That won't stop prying eyes. You need a security deletion program (try to Google 

>that). I won't tell you which one is better or for what stupid reason I would choose 

>one over another. Bottom line you need to have something write random 1's and 0's 

>over the deleted information, hopefully numerous times. Otherwise I can go into 
a 

>repartitioned and formatted H/D and pull up anything, including pictures, text and 

>E-Mail including e-mail addresses and browser histories. It's just a matter of how 

>private do you want to be? 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Insert the recovery CD into the drive and reboot. You may have to enter the BIOS 
setup and change the boot priority to boot from CD first. That is the safest way 
to ensure that your personal data is removed. He can install the programs he wants.







On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 7:02 am, TedG wrote:

>Does that mean I would lose everything on the PC and be left with the original PC 

>as bought. If that is the only way can you please let me know how best to go about 

>doing it.

>

>I think I made a Recover CD or something silmilar when I first got the PC (as XP 

>was pre-installed) - Do I need to unistall all the programs etc or just unistall 

>XP and then insert the CD.

>

>Sorry but I'm a real novice at this so it would great if you could please give me 

>a step by step guide or refer me to an idiots guide somewhere.

>

>Cheers

>

>

>

>

>

> 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I apologize for offering help. You obviously needed it, and as to the lack of intent on your part and the fact that I had my mind reader turned off, I only wanted to make you ask yourself, To what degree of security you want to remove this info? And I am sorry that I waste my valuable time trying to help. As far as CIA and underestimating. I have software that is exactly what the FBI, CIA, and White house security uses and it is openly available to anyone on the Internet that wishes to pay for it. It is not some big secret and I have used it to recover files on h/d's that had corrupted partitions, had been formated, and even some DEAD drives that had to have their platters placed in different drives (in a clean room) to even spin them up. For a fact there are major companies that specialize in do this for more corporate oriented problems. And of course you don't remember the NIXON tapes that had been erased multiple time and recorded over and virtually all of the original conversations restored to clarity! By the way I build my first analogue computer in 1967. That was long before I worked at Bell Labs in Broomfield, CO. If insults and childish posturing is your intent I think is needs to be taken to a more appropriate environment that here at annoyances.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Cheers Ricer46, I'll give it a go over the weekend.


On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 9:25 am, Ricer46 wrote:
>Insert the recovery CD into the drive and reboot. You may have to enter the BIOS
>setup and change the boot priority to boot from CD first. That is the safest way
>to ensure that your personal data is removed. He can install the programs he wants.
>
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I never asked for any help, I was merely throwing in my 2 cents worth that I feel 
you are being excessively paranoid. If you were half as smart as you think you are 
you would have reallized that I was not the OP with the problem. Let's face it, the 
only way the OP can be absolutely certain is to totally destroy the drive. 
That's the way I have handled my old drives. But that's not what he wanted to do.







On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 9:48 am, Charlie Hadden wrote:

>I apologize for offering help. You obviously needed it, and as to the lack of intent 

>on your part and the fact that I had my mind reader turned off, I only wanted to 

>make you ask yourself, To what degree of security you want to remove this info?

>And I am sorry that I waste my valuable time trying to  help. As far as CIA and 
underestimating. 

>I have software that is exactly what the FBI, CIA, and White house security uses 

>and it is openly available to anyone on the Internet that wishes to pay for it. 
It 

>is not some big secret and I have used it to recover files on h/d's that had corrupted 

>partitions, had been formated, and even some DEAD drives that had to have their 
platters 

>placed in different drives (in a clean room) to even spin them up. For a fact there 

>are major companies that specialize in do this for more corporate oriented problems. 

>And of course you don't remember the NIXON tapes that had been erased multiple time 

>and recorded over and virtually all of the original conversations restored to clarity! 

>By the way I build my first analogue computer in 1967. That was long before I worked 

>at Bell Labs in Broomfield, CO. If insults and childish posturing is your intent 

>I think is needs to be taken to a more appropriate environment that here at annoyances. 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Ted.

Don't know how this got to the level of CIA/Homeland security (LOL).

Eraser will perform the operations you requested. It's up to you to decide if Eraser 
will suit your needs.

Consider;

What's on the HDD you dont want anyone else to see?

What's the worst that could happen if your "Friend" should somehow acces the files?

How much personal information are you leaving behind in saving Programs/Updates, 
etc? You would be amazed.

The "BEST" advice is, wipe the drive and do a Clean install of WinXP/Updates/Programs...

Your Friend will also appreciate a Clean install, as it's nearly impossible, in XP, 
(especially NTFS) to find and remove "ALL" references to previous owner.

If you choose to use Eraser, be sure to wipe Free space and "Slack Space", if that 
option is available.

FYI: Slack Space is the portion of HDD space allotted to a file, but unused, because 
the file, or part of a file, is smaller than the Disk Space reserved for it. (Not 
seen by the OS as Free Space) 

You ARE providing the Appropriate CD's/Software with the Computer, Right? If not 
your "Friend" may not be a friend for long.

Are you prepared to help your friend out when he/she encounters problems? If not, 
Do Clean install, then run Eraser on Free & Slack Space before any Updates or Programs 
are Installed. (I believe eraser needs an OS installed)

BW





There's nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.

_________________________________________________________




On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 6:05 am, TedG wrote:

>Hi, I Don't know if this is possible so thought I'd ask the experts.

>

>I'm planning on giving my PC to a friend but whilst wanting to hand over the PC 
as 

>it is (I.e with XP and all the programs/updates/security packages/Software I have 

>collected and downloaded) I also want to ensure that I don't leave any personnel 

>information on the PC.

>

>Although I've copied onto CD's the information I want to keep for my new PC and 
have 

>deleted them from the old PC (I.e recycle bin) is there a way off also ensuring 
these 

>are permanently deleted from the hard drive but still keeping the programs etc on 

>the PC.

>

>I've read about something called 'eraser' but don't know how this works. Does this 

>wipe everything?

>

>If I can't do as mentioned how best would I keep all the data I require and then 

>return the PC to how I first bought it - I will then have to download from scratch 

>the programs etc back onto the PC?

>

>Any help would be appreciated.

>

>Cheers

>
 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

What Eraser can also do is to remove all directory entries of deleted files.That means than someone trying to recover erased data doesn't really know what to look for or where to look for it.


On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 10:19 am, bob wells wrote:
>Ted.
>
>Don't know how this got to the level of CIA/Homeland security (LOL).
>
>Eraser will perform the operations you requested. It's up to you to decide if Eraser
>will suit your needs.
>
>Consider;
>
>What's on the HDD you dont want anyone else to see?
>
>What's the worst that could happen if your "Friend" should somehow acces the files?
>
>How much personal information are you leaving behind in saving Programs/Updates,
>etc? You would be amazed.
>
>The "BEST" advice is, wipe the drive and do a Clean install of WinXP/Updates/Programs...
>
>Your Friend will also appreciate a Clean install, as it's nearly impossible, in XP,
>(especially NTFS) to find and remove "ALL" references to previous owner.
>
>If you choose to use Eraser, be sure to wipe Free space and "Slack Space", if that
>option is available.
>
>FYI: Slack Space is the portion of HDD space allotted to a file, but unused, because
>the file, or part of a file, is smaller than the Disk Space reserved for it. (Not
>seen by the OS as Free Space)
>
>You ARE providing the Appropriate CD's/Software with the Computer, Right? If not
>your "Friend" may not be a friend for long.
>
>Are you prepared to help your friend out when he/she encounters problems? If not,
>Do Clean install, then run Eraser on Free & Slack Space before any Updates or Programs
>are Installed. (I believe eraser needs an OS installed)
>
>BW
>
>
>
>
>
>

There's nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.
>
>_________________________________________________________

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Bob/Peter Thanks for all the replies I 'think' I'm a little wiser now. Don't know how Charlie thought I was taking offence so apologies none intended. The main things I wanted to make sure had gone were accounts and passwords etc as I hear all the horror stories of these been accessed and the info used for fraud. It seems that this can be done by just doing a clean install of XP. Bob, I was a little confused by your last paragraph. Does eraser remove your OS System? This is obviously not what I want and as you say would be very unhelpful if that was the case. Thanks again - Maybe PC's should come with an idiots guide to making them clean before passing them on.


On Friday, March 28, 2008 at 10:19 am, bob wells wrote:
>Ted.
>
>Don't know how this got to the level of CIA/Homeland security (LOL).
>
>Eraser will perform the operations you requested. It's up to you to decide if Eraser
>will suit your needs.
>
>Consider;
>
>What's on the HDD you dont want anyone else to see?
>
>What's the worst that could happen if your "Friend" should somehow acces the files?
>
>How much personal information are you leaving behind in saving Programs/Updates,
>etc? You would be amazed.
>
>The "BEST" advice is, wipe the drive and do a Clean install of WinXP/Updates/Programs...
>
>Your Friend will also appreciate a Clean install, as it's nearly impossible, in XP,
>(especially NTFS) to find and remove "ALL" references to previous owner.
>
>If you choose to use Eraser, be sure to wipe Free space and "Slack Space", if that
>option is available.
>
>FYI: Slack Space is the portion of HDD space allotted to a file, but unused, because
>the file, or part of a file, is smaller than the Disk Space reserved for it. (Not
>seen by the OS as Free Space)
>
>You ARE providing the Appropriate CD's/Software with the Computer, Right? If not
>your "Friend" may not be a friend for long.
>
>Are you prepared to help your friend out when he/she encounters problems? If not,
>Do Clean install, then run Eraser on Free & Slack Space before any Updates or Programs
>are Installed. (I believe eraser needs an OS installed)
>
>BW
>
>
>
>
>
>

There's nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.
>
>_________________________________________________________

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Ted

Eraser will remove whatever you tell it to. If you use Eraser on FREE and SLACK Space 
only, you will have wiped and overwritten everything BUT (EXCEPT-NOT INCLUDING) the 
Disk space used for the Files in the Operating System and Eraser.

Ricer46 gave you the Idiots guide. Clean install of the XP OS will suffice to protect 
your info in 90% of cases. Eraser is simply a little more insurance without much 
effort or expense.

Now, should your Box fall into the hands of the CIA-KGB-Homeland Security-Bell Labs 
(LOL)etc....etc...., you might have something to worry about. If that is of concern, 
install a new HDD,  (keep the old one*) before you pass it on.


One last note: DO NOT pass on any Backup you created on any Media (FLOPPY-CD-DVD) 
to the new owner. Let them create their own Backup/Recovery media.

BW

*you can use the old HDD as Storage/Backup for your new system. No One can access 
data they don't have access to.





There's nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.

_________________________________________________________




On Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 3:50 am, TedG wrote:

>Bob/Peter

>

>Thanks for all the replies I 'think' I'm a little wiser now. Don't know how Charlie 

>thought I was taking offence so apologies none intended.

>

>The main things I wanted to make sure had gone were accounts and passwords etc as 

>I hear all the horror stories of these been accessed and the info used for fraud.

>

>It seems that this can be done by just doing a clean install of XP.

>

>Bob, I was a little confused by your last paragraph. Does eraser remove your OS 
System? 

>This is obviously not what I want and as you say would be very unhelpful if that 

>was the case.

>

>Thanks again - Maybe PC's should come with an idiots guide to making them clean 
before 

>passing them on.

>

>

> 

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