SillyDog701 Message Centre

[James]

I have a set of disks that I made when I purchased my computer that will reset it to factory settings and essentially reformat (I'm assuming this is what is done) the computer. My question is a simple one: does this wipe the computer clean in order for me to donate it to a school or would I need to do something in addition to this? Thanks.

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James
It's later than you think.

Firefox 3.5.3, IE 8

[Mandrake]

The restore disk will wipe the hard disk clean and restore the OS just as it was when you bought the PC. If you have any sensitive documents or records on your PC that you absolutely wouldn't want anyone else to see, it might be worth your while taking more drastic measures to wipe the hard disk. The restore disk will format the hard disk once, but it's still possible to gain access to old files after a single format. Something along the lines of ten complete formats should ensure the data is gone for good.

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[James]

Since a format takes close to half an hour with these eight disks that I created, and the "only" thing that I want to make certain is completely eradicated is my passwords, how would I go about "shredding" that file? Where is it found for IE and for Firefox and for Opera? I assume I would first shred those files and then do the format with the disks. Thanks.

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James
It's later than you think.

Firefox 3.5.3, IE 8

[James]

In another forum someone mentioned getting Eraser from Source Forge found here:

http://www.heidi.ie/node/6

I assume the logical sequence would be to run this and then do the format with the eight disks. True? I've never run an eraser program before. Do you have to specify where it erases or does it simply erase all files and folders by writing over them multiple times? In other words, do I need any specialized knowledge to use this utility?

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James
It's later than you think.

Firefox 3.5.3, IE 8

[Mandrake]

Eraser will work just fine. That's much easier than completely wiping the disk clean. So yes, you could use Eraser to securely delete the files that you don't want anyone else seeing and then use the restore disk to reinstall the OS.

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[PaulD]

"... how would I go about "shredding" that file?" [emphasis added]

May I review some disk-data fundamentals? A file on disk may be updated in one of two (and a half) ways:
- in-place (same location). This is possible only when the file contents (or a portion thereof) are being replaced. This typically is the method used for a data-base, where data in a record are being changed. Only the cluster involved is re/over-written. This is a "record rewrite" operation. (In principle, a database may be enormous, and a total file rewrite is both unnecessary and time-consuming.)
- (1/2 way). If a file is being expanded - either a database record size is being lengthened, or a new record is being added to the file (any type of file) - the file, or portions thereof, will be written to a new location. This is a "file append" operation. New clusters are allocated somewhere else on the disk. The file management system ensures that there is linkage between the old sections and the new ones.
- new location. This must be used for a file copy, and the most common method if a file is small. The internal process details are interesting but somewhat boring. The result is that the file is moved to new cluster(s) on the disk, the old location is indexed as free space.
- Note: a file Delete does nothing to the space occupied by that file. It only removes the directory entry to that file, and reassigns the clusters to the free pool.

The Defrag operation 'squeezes out' the free space and 're-contiguizes' all the clusters that relate to each file. This is where performance is improved, since all the sectors for a file are adjacent - no disk-dance is needed.

So? "Shredding a file" would require that not only the 'present' file location be scrambled, but that all the old locations likewise be located and erased (assuming that the sectors have not been reused). How many old locations are there, and where are they?

A Defrag before your Format will help, since it will rewrite some low-address clusters. But multiple over-writes of the unused sectors - overwrites with varying bit patterns - are necessary to thoroughly randomize the magnetic domains.

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[Antony]

[PaulD]

So, James - the best answer is to buy an Apple (via Antony, of course!), pull your hard disk and install it in the Apple, and run one of the n-pass Erase functions. A truly win-win solution.

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[James]

Hi Paul (and guys and gals)

Well... my wife and I each bought new computers: Dell XPS desktops. Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q9300 2.50 GHz and 4.00 GB RAM. Got the 20" flat screen monitors that came with the bundle. Came with Vista Home Premium (good enough for us) and ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT video card.

Included some nice bundled software (i.e. Photoshop Elements 6, Roxio, McAfee Security Suite 24 months). The Google sidebar with gadgets is also pretty cool.

In other words... we're having fun! LOL

As for our older HP PCs, we erased a few files and did the reformat using the disks I created when I purchased those computers a few years ago. There isn't much by way of information on them and the few critical passwords that might be dug out will be changed anyway. I'll likely sell these to co-workers or donate them to the school. Thanks for your help.

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James
It's later than you think.

Firefox 3.5.3, IE 8

[Antony]

Congratulations on the new computers. I hope you and you wife will have great time using the new machines.

(Just don't forget the new passwords once you change them.)

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MozInfo701 | MacCentre701 | AntBlog701 | don't steal music.

[James]

Ha! I knew there would be a catch, Antony! I've got to start thinking of a way to remember them.

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James
It's later than you think.

Firefox 3.5.3, IE 8