Stupid PC Question from a Mac User...

[BeanoNYC]

I'm looking to ebay my wife's old PC laptop. I don't want to reformat the drive as I don't have a windows install cd. What's the best way of "cleaning" up the PC of her old files (nothing too personal on it) without a reformat. Is there some freeware out there that will do the trick?

 

[SkiDog]

I'm looking to ebay my wife's old PC laptop. I don't want to reformat the drive as I don't have a windows install cd. What's the best way of "cleaning" up the PC of her old files (nothing too personal on it) without a reformat. Is there some freeware out there that will do the trick?

Not for nothing...but really how do you know how "personal" the information is? Has she ever purchased online items from that machine? Any online banking?

Personally i'd just reformat that drive. You can't find a windows 2K CD lying around somewhere just to have something loaded? What operating system did it origianally come with? Does it have "restore" cd's?

I might even suggest formatting more than once...even reformatted data can be recovered in many cases..of course it would take some doing, but it CAN be done.

Just a heads up. This is my job...

M

 

[Greg]

You could use FDISK:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867/EN-US/#appliesto

What OS is it? If it's Windows 9x, you should be able to create a startup disk with FDISK on it.

 

[SkiDog]

You could use FDISK:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867/EN-US/#appliesto

What OS is it? If it's Windows 9x, you should be able to create a startup disk with FDISK on it.

Umm how would this allow a format while preserving the original OS? Its been a while since I worked with a DOS utility, but as I remember FDisk..its a partitioning and formatting tool....nothing that will allow removal of data while preserving OS.

Maybe im TOTALLY wrong.

M

 

[bvibert]

You could use FDISK:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255867/EN-US/#appliesto

What OS is it? If it's Windows 9x, you should be able to create a startup disk with FDISK on it.

What's FDISK gonna do for him if he doesn't want to reformat the drive??

 

[SkiDog]

What's FDISK gonna do for him if he doesn't want to reformat the drive??

Whew...see I knew I wasn't being dumb here....man why do I still question myself after all these years in the industry...

I STILL SAY FORMAT THAT...even if you have to sell it $100 cheaper without an OS...still safer...some people buy those ebay machines SPECIFICALLY for identity theft..

M

 

[andyzee]

Whew...see I knew I wasn't being dumb here....man why do I still question myself after all these years in the industry...

I STILL SAY FORMAT THAT...even if you have to sell it $100 cheaper without an OS...still safer...some people buy those ebay machines SPECIFICALLY for identity theft..

M

Well if you really want to get technical about it, FDISK and Format don't necassarily protect your info, that can all still be recovered unless you use some kind of scrub utility.

 

[SkiDog]

Well if you really want to get technical about it, FDISK and Format don't necassarily protect your info, that can all still be recovered unless you use some kind of scrub utility.

true..but in actuality multiple reformats with FDisk will remove all but the faintest traces of data...just one pass? probably not...but 2 or 3...will do the trick...

M

 

[bvibert]

Well if you really want to get technical about it, FDISK and Format don't necassarily protect your info, that can all still be recovered unless you use some kind of scrub utility.

That's what I was going to say. I wonder how many people would go through the trouble to recover data from a formatted drive??

Like Andy said there are some utilties to wipe clean the drive, basically by writting new data over the old, but I don't know of any free/cheap utils for that.

 

[Greg]

Umm how would this allow a format while preserving the original OS? Its been a while since I worked with a DOS utility, but as I remember FDisk..its a partitioning and formatting tool....nothing that will allow removal of data while preserving OS.

Maybe im TOTALLY wrong.

M

You're TOTALLY wrong. Read his first post:

I don't want to reformat the drive as I don't have a windows install cd.

I was just giving another option to reformat that doesn't require setup CDs.

 

[cbcbd]

Cleaning up the computer without reformatting or reinstalling?

Umm...
-Go around deleting personal files that you recognize as personal files.
-Uninstall all programs that are not being used (using the windows "add/remove programs" in control panel)... then delete their folders left behind
-Run an anti-virus and spyware remover program
-Depending on what OS you have, you can use the Disk Cleanup feature in the newer OSs. right-click on the drive you want to clean, go to Properties... disk cleanup should be there (depends on the OS you have right now)

Other than that, it's to risky to just go around deleting stuff that won't screw your system up, especially if you don't know exactly what you're looking for. Reformatting and reinstalling is the best thing to get a fresh PC up and going again.

 

[SkiDog]

You're TOTALLY wrong. Read his first post:

.

How was I totally wrong? He DOES NOT WANT TO REFORMAT THE DRIVE.

FDISK will not help him in any way..FDISK is a partitioning and formatting utility...it will not do anything to "remove" data while preserving the Operating system..you use FDISK you don't have an OS anymore...

M

 

[ctenidae]

Dust off adn nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Do people actually buy old PC's on eBay? What are they going for, about tree fiddy?

 

[SkiDog]

Do people actually buy old PC's on eBay?

only the identity thiefs..

I say donate it to a church or school...battered womens shelter or something.

M

 

[Greg]

How was I totally wrong? He DOES NOT WANT TO REFORMAT THE DRIVE.

I guess you didn't notice the wink. He never mentioned that he wanted to preserve an OS. He did say he didn't want to reformat because he doesn't have the install CDs. I read that as meaning he couldn't reformat because he doesn't have the install CDs. FDISK gives him the option of whacking the partition(s). He could then reformat the drive using FORMAT on a Win9x startup disk. It was just an option.

If he wants to preserve the OS, then I agree with the others; there's really no good way to do this...

 

[SkiDog]

I guess you didn't notice the wink. He never mentioned that he wanted to preserve an OS. He did say he didn't want to reformat because he doesn't have the install CDs. I read that as meaning he couldn't reformat because he doesn't have the install CDs. FDISK gives him the option of whacking the partition(s). He could then reformat the drive using FORMAT on a Win9x startup disk. It was just an option.

If he wants to preserve the OS, then I agree with the others; there's really no good way to do this...

Oh ok....no offense taken....just so you know..

M

 

[BeanoNYC]

Thanks guys. I'll borrow a windows disk from someone and download a crack, I guess.

 

[SkiDog]

Thanks guys. I'll borrow a windows disk from someone and download a crack, I guess.

Just try to get a 2000 pro cd...I can give you a key...

M

 

[andyzee]

Thanks guys. I'll borrow a windows disk from someone and download a crack, I guess.

FYI, I know someone that has a cracked copy of XP , during an automated update, Microsoft picked up on it and put a nag message on the OS that informs them that it's an illeagal install. :razz:

 

[andyzee]

Just try to get a 2000 pro cd...I can give you a key...

M

Now that is like totally illeagal! I'll give you an XP crack if you want.