Erasing everything from Laptop

[Phoenix .]

I need to erase everything from my old Laptop so I can pass it on to my Granddaughter.

I have downloaded CCleaner but don't know what to do next, as I am dumbo when it comes to techy stuff

Anyone help me please?

[Get Off My Cloud]

Do you mean erase just the files you have on the laptop and leave all the software alone or do you mean you want to actually wipe everything?

If you just want to get rid of old files and wipe them, i would just uninstall any software she won't need and delete files as normal.
Then open ccleaner and click on the options tab, then settings, select from the dropdown menu the delete method, the more wipes the longer the wiping process will take but will be more secure.
Make sure to check the wipe free space checkbox on the drives you want to wipe and then just go back to the cleaner tab and hit start.

[izan]

Hi,
What kind of laptop is it?
Often manufacturers include a recovery option that will allow the machine to be restored to it's original factory configuration.

Good luck
I

[Phoenix .]

Feb 8, 2015 11:20:19 GMT izan said:

Hi,
What kind of laptop is it?
Often manufacturers include a recovery option that will allow the machine to be restored to it's original factory configuration.

Good luck
I

Acer Aspire 5742Z. It is in the process of 'wipe safe' with ccleaner. I will see what has happened when it is finished then, if it can be restores to factory settings I will use that if neccessary, thanks.

[Phoenix .]

Feb 8, 2015 11:18:42 GMT Get Off My Cloud said:

Do you mean erase just the files you have on the laptop and leave all the software alone or do you mean you want to actually wipe everything?

If you just want to get rid of old files and wipe them, i would just uninstall any software she won't need and delete files as normal.
Then open ccleaner and click on the options tab, then settings, select from the dropdown menu the delete method, the more wipes the longer the wiping process will take but will be more secure.
Make sure to check the wipe free space checkbox on the drives you want to wipe and then just go back to the cleaner tab and hit start.

I didn't go into settings just to 'Wipe Safe' with ccleaner, hoping that will be okay?

[Get Off My Cloud]

Phoenix . don't have that on my version so dunno.
If it wipes free space then yeah should be ok, wiping he free space makes it so old deleted files can't be recovered with some recovery software.
But then again i suppose that would only be a concern if selling the laptop on to someone on eBay or something, i doubt your granddaughter is going to do anything as nefarious as identity theft or anything.
As far as getting rid of old junk files that would slow the performance down then yeah it should be fine.

[*-SARIN-*]

Files can be recovered from wiped free space, this is how Gary Glitter got caught when he took his computer to his friendly repair shop. The only sure fire way to make sure that deleted files can never be recovered is to have shredding software overwrite deleted files at least 7 times. In comparison military shredding software by default overwrites a minimum of 12 times.

[osdset]

Feb 8, 2015 12:45:53 GMT *-SARIN-* said:

Files can be recovered from wiped free space, this is how Gary Glitter got caught when he took his computer to his friendly repair shop. The only sure fire way to make sure that deleted files can never be recovered is to have shredding software overwrite deleted files at least 7 times. In comparison military shredding software by default overwrites a minimum of 12 times.

One step further would be to format the hard drive an reinstall a new OS.
The only 100% way to delete everything on a hard drive is to remove it from the laptop and wrap in foil, place into a pre heated oven at 250/gas mark nuke and bake for two hours, take it out of the oven (wear oven gloves) and immediately dump it into a bucket of water, remove then have at it with a sledgehammer. I absolutely guarantee it'll be wiped...............out.

[*-SARIN-*]

Feb 8, 2015 13:16:49 GMT osdset said:

Feb 8, 2015 12:45:53 GMT *-SARIN-* said:

Files can be recovered from wiped free space, this is how Gary Glitter got caught when he took his computer to his friendly repair shop. The only sure fire way to make sure that deleted files can never be recovered is to have shredding software overwrite deleted files at least 7 times. In comparison military shredding software by default overwrites a minimum of 12 times.

One step further would be to format the hard drive an reinstall a new OS.
The only 100% way to delete everything on a hard drive is to remove it from the laptop and wrap in foil, place into a pre heated oven at 250/gas mark nuke and bake for two hours, take it out of the oven (wear oven gloves) and immediately dump it into a bucket of water, remove then have at it with a sledgehammer. I absolutely guarantee it'll be wiped...............out.

HaHa true but i assumed that OP wanted to use the drive again

[djs]

I would have gone the recovery option, myself.

Unless you really work for the CIA or have bank accounts in Lagos, there is not much worth taking off a hard drive.

Besides (this is the important bit) if you recover the laptop to "as it left the factory" and then update all the windows guff (zzzz) it will probably work better than tidying up an existing OS installation.

I have used both systems, by the way. Full recovery is not an option if you have software/drivers which you can never locate again.

[Phoenix .]

Feb 8, 2015 11:20:19 GMT izan said:

Hi,
What kind of laptop is it?
Often manufacturers include a recovery option that will allow the machine to be restored to it's original factory configuration.

Good luck
I

How can I find this information to recover to factory settings? Win7 installed if thats any help

[letsavit]

It's going to your granddaughter so there's no need to go to town on your hardrive to protect your bank details/passwords etc. so a "back to factory settings" is all that's required. It's typically a piece of software found in programs, should also get the laptop running faster after as well. 

[izan]

If you are sure you want to do it.
If the Windows 7 version is the same as when you purchased it.
Unplug any printers, USB devices, ect. ( a mouse is ok to keep connected)




Good luck
I

[Phoenix .]

izan. Thank you so much for your help, it went like a dream, didn't have to do anything it did it all itself. Now I have a clean new laptop. I was on edge all the time is was happening, scared stiff it was going to ask me to do something I didn't understand.

[izan]

Glad it worked well for you.

Before you gift it, make sure to update it from (Microsoft) and install something like AVG Free or another ( NOT Microsoft security) free anti-virus.

I'm sure she will be very happy with her new machine.

Cheers
I