I have purchased a 2nd hand computer which I intend to give to a nephew. How do I check the hard drive?

Question

This is to ensure that it has not been used for illegal or any wierd internet activity

Answer 1

Click on search for xp and find in the start menu for anything before I think and set it for what your looking for then just click search or find. I would recommend just re installing the OS and taking everything off the drive.

Answer 2

Hi dear friend
i recomend you to format your hard drive so all data will be removed and you don't have to worry anymore,but if you want you can use also some antispy,antivirus softwares to check the PC or just search the hard disk for special file types such as abnormal *.exe or adult content pictures.

Answer 3

Just format all the drives before handing over to your nephew.
Select the folder right click on the mouse and select format and select yes.

Answer 4

Find all your drivers and software and software keys now and develop a plan on how you will reinstall them.
http://blog.angrypets.com/2006/01/ultimate_prefla.html
http://www.thefuhrmans.com/reformat_hd.htm
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/l0910/32l10/32l10.asp
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Wipe the drive use any of these three:
All data on the drive will be erased.

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102-0.html?forumID=5&threadID=194873&messageID=2115918
"You can find out the manufacturer of your HD and then attempt to download the formatting tool created by that manufacturer for their HD's. Most HD Mnufactuer have a Zero Fill Low level formatting tool available to erase their HD products. This will clean any existing OS files from your system as well as any viruses other files etc.."

Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) free
http://www.download.com/Darik-s-Boot-and-Nuke/3000-2092_4-10165154.html
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=61951&package_id=58479&release_id=439240
DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

Active@ Kill Disk - Hard Drive Eraser (Free version/ $29.95 enhanced version)
http://www.killdisk.com/
Active@ KillDisk - Hard Drive Eraser is powerful and compact DOS software that allows you to destroy all data on hard and floppy drives completely, excluding any possibility of future recovery of deleted files and folders. It's a hard drive and partition eraser utility.
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Format and Reinstall Windows

When you format enter "fdisk /mbr" . That re-writes your master boot record. (Thus overwriting any boot sector viruses) then run fdisk to delete all partitions, then
recreate the partitions.

Then start reinstalling you software.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=49909&messageID=593967

Reformat and install. (Cleans drive loses all data)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
http://www.whitecanyon.com/reformat-the-hard-drive-in-windows-xp.php
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/l0910/32l10/32l10.asp

Load all drivers and software.

Answer 5

You can always scrub the disk with Derik;s Boot and Nuke.
http://dban.sourceforge.net/

This will clean off anything that was there so you can start fresh and clean.

Answer 6

USE THE BOOT CD (HIRENT BOOT CD DOWN IN WWW.9DOWN.COM )
USE TOOL HARDWARE UNKNOWN ! tHAT'S OK!
P/S : mY e IS BAD ! SO SORRY!