is it possible to remove certain information from your computer permanantly? such as sights visited etc.?

Question

i have stuff on my computer put there by someone else... if ever there were a time when i would donate this computer, is there someway i could delete some risqué stuff but leave valuable stuff for the next user... i want to permanantly delete this stuff as it is not what i had looked into.

i still want to keep my computer for a while, but i dont want someone to get access to it... my daughter is smart for her age and i have a nosey brother..worst case would be to have cops get this and download every thing said, done, looked at, etc. on all drives, areas, instant messengers... it wasnt me, but i dont want to be accused of it..so, even to get it deleted permanantly now is there a way.

Answer 1

It is strongly suggested that you remove your hard drive from the computer before you donate it or give it away. You can destroy your hard drive by putting it on the floor and hitting it a couple of good times with a hammer... pick it up... shake it... if you hear a rattle... it is destroyed...

Unless you do some fairly geeky things to the hard drive, you will not "permanantly" delete the data from the hard drive. When you give it away to someone, they could still access some of the data on the drive.

If you want to donate the computer with the hard drive, it is recommended that you wipe your hard drive and reinstall the operating system. You can use the disks that came with the computer to do this process.

Using the factory reinstall disk is generally an easy process to do but not as secure as just removing the hard disk from the computer and destroying it.

Answer 2

You can download something like Darik's Boot and Nuke disk (http://dban.sourceforge.net/). This will wipe the entire drive.

Also you only need ONE pass to completely wipe something from a disk. Others reporting multiple passes are incorrect. There is currently no affordable way to recover files that have been wiped. Reports of using an electron microscope to recover wiped data is not something a ordinary user (nor the government) would take to get data off a drive. There has only been one whitepaper on this technique and it is questionable in the field of forensics.

Answer 3

Yes you can. There are multiple software for it. Sure Delete can delete anything. And it is wiped forever. But make sure you have the largest number passes to make sure it is wiped. There is also CCleaner. The 2nd name is Crap Cleaner. To enable the NSA passes, go to the program CCleaner, options, settings, Then clcik Sure deletion 7 passes. They'll never find it.

You can wipe free space. When you delete a file, it is named free space. It is still there. You can delete free space to speed up your computer. This program is Restoration.

Thank You,
Billy Rowe