skip to main content

Cleaning out an old computer

15 years ago

Guess I gotta bite the bullet and get a new desktop. What I would like to know is-is there a way I can clear out the old one so that whatever is in there can't be found by anyone else? Besides running over it with a truck I don't know how to do this. I'm wondering if there is a CD I need to buy to clear it out or what. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. BTW keep it simple--you know---like my mind. LOL

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

genes
15 years ago
Take out the harddrive and sell it or give it away that way...the person who buys it is responsible for having his own Operating system and he/she can purchase a hard drive to go with it..you can possibly still use the harddrive you removed as a backup on the new one
DA_Mccoy
15 years ago
I am not a total fan of KK as she at times tends to be a little cavalier with her answers. However, this same question was in her newspaper column today.

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: Kim Komando
Related Discussions
Cleaning old straw out of hayloft
Q
Comments (5)
For sure wear dust masks! We were in a similar situation back in the 60s, we tossed the old loose hay and straw down to the 1st floor and loaded in manure spreader and applied to the field.Garden area would be good too. It can be easily spread off a hay wagon or whatever may be handy. Do a good check of the flooring before you start, many older barns have bad areas which could present real dangers.I have seen tractors and/or wagons go thru floors and fell trhu one myself years ago.
...See More
Help on Cleaning out a Computer.
Q
Comments (7)
you could create a new user, log into that user, then delete the original user. this will remove all the my documents and pretty much anything stored in the D&S directory for that user. in win2K it's a bit more difficult than XP, but same applies. basically click on start>settings>control panel. then click on users and passwords, then advanced, then click advanced again, then click on the user folder, right click on the right pane, add user, give the user administrative rights, then log off and back on as the new user, then repeat above, but delete the user you were logged on as before. it's not totally gonna get all your data out, but it will take care of your email and a few other bits of stuff. John
...See More
cleaning out old pipes
Q
Comments (18)
I know this is really old, but I can't not say this. Supply lines are not and will not be made of clay. As someone posted earlier those are sewer lines. Tree roots make their way into clay sewer lines all the time. Yes, they can be lined to prevent storm water and roots from making their way into your sewer line, but the point of this is to keep the non-pressurized waste water flowing OUT of your home and not backing up into your floor drains or elsewhere. If a tree root somehow made it's way into a supply line (the water coming IN to your house), you would have quite a mess in your yard as the 50+ psi in the municipal water system would shoot water all the way up to the surface of the ground and out. It's very unlikely that you could be unaware that the main water supply (service) line into your house has broken. I've never heard of a tree root breaking through a metal supply line. They do break, but typically not because of roots. They fail because of corrosion, bad fittings at the city shut off valve (b-box), freezing or the earth shifting underground and shearing the pipe. Sewer lines get clogged with tree roots all the time and our country is full of clay lines that have cracked/separated/collapsed/failed over time. Nowadays various forms of plastic are a more typical material to use for installing sewer lines because they are not expected to degrade the way that we now know that clay will. I too am interested in whether it's possible to clean out clogged galvanized lines without replacing them, but it doesn't seem like a reliable method of doing this exists. I'd like to know what the original poster ended up doing.
...See More
Cleaning out old Pex tubing that has been laying around?
Q
Comments (1)
Get a garden hose adapter and flush it out with water
...See More
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
I agree with the info on Kim Komando and have often recommended the use of DBAN
Darik's Boot And Nuke

If you choose to keep the OS you can or if you use DBAN you can then just reinstall the clean OS with nothing else on it.
User
15 years ago
You can download and install Linux ... then give the computer to someone who needs it.

It does a decent job of wiping out Windows and installing a fresh OS. It wouldn't be good enough for the NSA or a forensic expert, but it doesn't leave lots of crap lying around either.
mike_kaiser_gw
15 years ago
What I would like to know is-is there a way I can clear out the old one so that whatever is in there can't be found by anyone else?

We really need to ask who is "anyone" and what kind of information they could possibly recover. Are we talking about classified materials that might be used by enemy government? If so, you need to physically destroy the drive.

Otherwise, something like Boot and Nuke works just fine. Understand that it destroys ALL the data on the drive including the operating system. If you have the original disc, then you can reinstall Windows or just give it to the new user.
joe_mn
15 years ago
format the drive. reload windows. fun easy task. i do it every other year or so. you might be surprised how nice your unit runs when finished. might even consider keeping it. winxp practically does it for you. put in cd and follow prompts.
kudzu9
15 years ago
I agree that formatting the drive and reloading the OS can make the computer run better, but it is not an effective way to destroy all the old data and prevent recovery.
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
15 years ago
Some geeks babbling on a general discussion forum said that the hard drive should have a rather fascinating magnet that is quite difficult to remove. I check the local senior center thrift store daily for a cheap hard drive as I am have been fascinated with magnets since about 1942 (Or so I was told by my elders that the fascination started about then.)

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Cleaning Out: The Right Way to Get Rid of Electronics

By Vanessa Brunner

Learn how to dispose of worn-out electronics in a safer, more Earth-friendly way

KITCHEN STORAGE Get It Done: How to Clean Out the Pantry

By Becky Harris

Crumbs, dust bunnies and old cocoa, beware — your pantry time is up

FURNITURE Old Furniture: Clean, Reupholster or Replace It?

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

A veteran upholstery cleaner weighs in on the options for found, inherited and thrift store furniture

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Your Fridge, Inside and Out

By Bonnie McCarthy

Keep your refrigerator clean and fresh, while you gain storage space and lose those ‘UFOs’

LIFE We Can Work It Out: Living (and Cleaning) Together

By Alison Hodgson

Run a household without fussing and fighting with these ideas for how to work together on household chores

HOUSEKEEPING Get It Done: Clean Out the Linen Closet

By Becky Harris

Organized bliss for your bedroom sheets and bathroom towels is just a few hours away

BATHROOM DESIGN Out With the Old Tile: 8 Steps to Prep for Demolition

By By Any Design Ltd.

This isn't a light DIY project: You'll need heavy-duty tools and plenty of protection for your home and yourself

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Grout — Stains and All

If your grout is grossing you out, this deep-cleaning method will help it look new again

DECORATING GUIDES Use It or Lose It: How to Get Rid of Old Keys

By Vanessa Brunner

Clean out your junk drawer by getting rid of keys in an earth-friendly way

ART The Best Ways to Care for, Clean and Store Art

By Laura Gaskill

Keep your treasures on canvas and paper in top shape with this expert advice from two gallery directors

Sponsored

More Discussions

Tired of MS Office 365 Monthly Fees?

1