Clear Laptop harddrive?

Question

Is there an easy way to clear laptop hard drive so it only has operating systems on it. I want to sell it on

Answer 1

Well I imagine you want to do something that destroys or mutilates the data after you've deleted it. Just a windows deletion, of course, looks like it's removed the data but it can still be recovered by various methods. I guess you're running XP?

There is a program included in XP (and Windows 2000, 2003) called "cipher" which will write binary 0's and 1's on the free disk space and then patterns of random numbers so it's just about impossible to recover anything from the disk after this has been done.

If you use Widows 2003, you'll need an updated version:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=30925



Documentation for the cipher program is available at : http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/cipher.mspx



Basically all you do is manually delete what you don't want on the laptop, then run cipher from the command (DOS) prompt.



Another FREE option is called "eraser" and can be found at:

http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

Answer 2

reformat it by sticking in the operating system disc (Or system restore discs) that you should've gotten with the computer when you bought it. May take several hours to complete. (Doing this will wipe it out and replace to OS. Save all your files that you want to keep before you do so)

Answer 3

Ermm depends if you know what your doing.



You need to format the hard drive and then re-install the OS.



Make sure you have the correct disks etc. before doing this.

Answer 4

you should circulate into the BIOS and set the 1st boot gadget to a CD/DVD so as which you will reinstall your working equipment and wipe each and every thing sparkling. examine out your proprietor's handbook for the considerable which you will possibly be able to desire to press to get into it or it would be shown while the Asus emblem pops up. maximum possibly the Del key or a F key.