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I got a new computer, but i was so anxious to hook it up I just took down the old one and packed it up. Now I want to sell it, but I never cleaned it before packing it away. Can I just plug it in and try to clean the disk or whatever before I sell it, or do I have to hook it back to the internet? It will be soooo hard to reattach it, because I would have to completely move and take apart the new one...if there is a simpler way please someone let me know. I know i was stupid for not doing it right from the beginning, but I honestly didnt know. Also, what do i do to clean it, I have all of the disk it came with. It is a 2003 dell desktop, nothing fancy, with windows XP.

2007-08-06 02:51:07 · 11 answers · asked by sweet_thickness72 1 in Computers & Internet Hardware Desktops

11 answers

No it does not. You just need to get it working again and then go through and delete your stuff...

Go to CONTOL PANEL>ADD REMOVE PROGRAMS and delete the programs there.

Make your way to the my documents folder and delete anything there. then run a disk cleanup...then empty the recycle bin ,, it should be clean enough to seel to the average user...

2007-08-06 02:56:34 · answer #1 · answered by newton3010 6 · 0 0

You do not need the Internet to 'clean' your computer. Just delete all the stuff on the hard disks, or since you have the disk that came with the computer, install the operating system and Windows xp as 'new' and it will make the compute lose the stuff on the hard disks.

2007-08-06 02:57:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

The computer does not have to be hooked up to the Internet for you to be able to clean it. Go to http://download.com and do a search for "wipe disk". You will find several free programs that will let you create a floppy disk that you can place in the old computer, boot it up, and the disk will automatically wipe the old computer for you. Depending on the size of the hard drive, it may take an hout or two to totally wipe it. (It overwrites everything 3-5 times, so it takes a while).

Once you have run the wipe disk, it is safe to pass that computer on to someone else.

2007-08-06 02:55:51 · answer #3 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0 0

Actually the easiest way to wipe your hard drive(HD) is to take a powerful magnet and pass it over the old HD a few times and it will erase everything on it. This way all you have to do is remove the HD and use a speaker magnet or any magnet that is equal in strength and pass it closely over the HD. If you can't find a magnet take out the old HD and hook into your new computer change the jumper to slave and then you can go in and delete anything you want or wipe it completely without setting up your old system again.

2007-08-06 03:18:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

No you do not have to connect to the internet. Go to Start, My Documents, (and click on each one, one atr a time 'natch!), and delete them. Then go to Recycle bin, and delete them again. This doesn't absolutely take all your personal info off, as a really good tech/hacker/geek can use a progrm, or two to get your info. The only TRUE way to forever delete sensitive information,(bank accounts, lovers address,[ha!], is to smash the harddrive, then melt it down in a fire. Yep, melt it! Records have been partially recovered by the FBI, and other government originizations from a smashed harddrive!

2007-08-06 03:00:16 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

No you don't need the Internet. The best way is to insert the dell windows xp disk and boot from cd. Then erase your partition on the hard drive and then just reinstall window.

2007-08-06 02:56:42 · answer #6 · answered by xriboost 2 · 0 0

No you don't have to hook it back to the'net to clean it up, but if you need to get a program that will do cleaning for you and if you don't already have that program on the computer you'd like to clean up, that may be a problem. Of course you can always download such applications (if needed) on a different pc and move them to the old computer via by burning it to a cd/dvd or moving it via a flash drive.

2007-08-06 02:55:03 · answer #7 · answered by DannyS 2 · 0 0

Do a Full system restore, back to the factory settings.

2007-08-06 02:55:10 · answer #8 · answered by dan_198660120 3 · 0 0

NO you don't need to connect to the internet, unless you need to download/upldate and software program. (But you could download the program or update on another computer and move it to the one you want to sell/trash)

http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/security/fwerase.html

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,22920;order,1;page,1;c,All%20Downloads/description.html

http://netsecurity.about.com/od/quicktips/qt/erase_drive.htm

http://www.detto.com/sell-your-computer.html

2007-08-06 02:59:31 · answer #9 · answered by Visit FairTax.org !!! 3 · 0 0

you don't need internect connections to restore your computer. all you will need is the software that came along with it. and a windows cd.

2007-08-06 02:54:31 · answer #10 · answered by xxvietxthugzxx 5 · 2 0

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