Before selling the lap-top, all private and confidential matters in that computer will be transferred to the Recycle Bin. All items in the Recycle Bin are subsequently deleted to prevent any access to the private and confidential information in the computer. These include my bank accounts,Visa and Master Card numbers which I used for payment via the internet. I am now working in Africa and before going home, I intend to sell this lap-top to an African who is just an acquaintance. He says he will resell it as a middleman.This means that I do not know who is the ultimate buyer and there will be no means of tracing him. I am a Singaporean and returning home soon. The price offered is very good.The password to access the main menu will be given to him so as to enable him to use the computer. Is there any danger in selling this lap-top to a starnger who deals in computers and repair and modify them for resale? Can he subsequently retrieve data which I have deleted from the Recycle Bin?
2007-03-10 00:39:38 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
To be safe :
1) Format ur drive
2) When u access internet, temporary folders get forrmed.
Search .tmp on your laptop n erase them all,Also clear all cookies from internet browser.
2007-03-10 00:56:17 · answer #1 · answered by amandeep s 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
deleting something to the recycle bin only clears the information from that part of the hard drive an until or unless that part of the hard drive is overwritten, the information can still be retrieved from it.....you are better off reinstalling the Operating system and formatting the hard drive....when reinstalling do not setup any passwords and set the default user as "owner" or somthing like that....that way whoever gets the computer in the end can change the name and setup their own password rather than being forced to use yours. Also if it is running windows you have to supply them with the operating system disc or at least a copy of it or the restore disc that came with the computer or you cannot legally sell it with the os on it.
If you do not have the disc(s) then just format the laptop and leave it without an OS and then the person purchasing it will have to install their own copy.
2007-03-10 08:47:41 · answer #2 · answered by Helping Since 1969 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
ABSOLUTELY NOT! Emptying the recycle bin does not remove important information from your computer. A better way would be to re-load the operating system from your original disks. This will erase all saved information, essentially leaving the new buyer with a new computer that has no personal information in it. Although a determined hacker could go deeper into the hard drive and retrieve information....re-loading the OS (Windows XP or 98...or whatever you are running) is usually sufficient for good protection. Good luck!
2007-03-10 08:53:40 · answer #3 · answered by tunes88s 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You don't just want to re-format the hard drive. You actually want to write data over the top of the hard disk so that there is no way that old data can be recovered.
Windows doesn't have a built-in way of doing this. (On Mac OSX, Disk Utility has three options of erasing data, up to a 35-pass over-write and erase!)
One way you can over-write is to copy data until the hard disk is full, then delete some data, then defragment. If you do this a 3 times than format 3 times, you should be safe.
Just formatting won't render data impossible to recover for the committed enthusiast with the right tools.
2007-03-10 09:00:05 · answer #4 · answered by templeblot 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are selling your computer, thoroughly clean your hard drive. Deleting files and reformatting is not enough. Reformatting does not overwrite every sector, and private information can remain retrievable. Use a secure delete or disk wiping utility to overwrite every sector on all hard drives. Be sure to use a utility that supports the U.S. DoD standard of seven passes or wipes. While this method is good enough for most people, be aware that the only absolute way of destroying all traces of everything your hard drives is to have these disks degaussed (demagnetized) and physically destroyed.
Suggested: BCWipe, Evidence Eliminator, or SDelete.
2007-03-10 09:38:41 · answer #5 · answered by rlh242424 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you must format the Hard Drive and reinstall Windows. If you do not know, i recommend taking it to a TRUSTED FRIEND. Not just someone who said that they would over the internet.
2007-03-10 08:58:38 · answer #6 · answered by Grape Shield 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO. I can recover your data.
I would at the least get eraser http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/ and wipe the free space. This is assuming they want the OS left alone. Another alternative is to clean the entire disk, and then re-install the OS.
2007-03-10 08:45:51 · answer #7 · answered by giraffe 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Nope!
Give it to me, and I will retrieve ALL your personal details on that computer!
Re format the hard drive, or download a good cleaning program!
2007-03-10 08:44:35 · answer #8 · answered by tattie_herbert 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
no it is not safe to sell any one with appropriate program can retrieve any information from your laptop
you need to use a data shredder program
2007-03-10 09:46:29 · answer #9 · answered by Sammour 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
download boot and nuke & nuke the hell out of your harddrive. simply deleting files from your pc doesn't get rid of them, they can be restored.
link to the file below for your convenience.
2007-03-10 08:46:13 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋