Selling Old Computer

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Numpty plead again

How do you wipe data from a hard disc without wiping the operating system.

[terrybooth]

It's probably better to do a wipe and reinstall, what operating system is it, Windows 7?

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

7 or 8, it is Nadia's Dell which must have some residual value on ebay.

[Classicrock]

Reformat It rather than delete as the info is still there. Reinstalling the OS should do that.

[_D_S_J_R_]

C Cleaner (freeware) can be used to clear rubbish. Save all important docs then delete and empty recycle bin. C Cleaner has a facility to wipe free space I think and I interpret this as being able to overwrite previously deleted stuff.

Otherwise, save all files and pics etc. to a 'memory stick' and then format and re-install the operating system from scratch.

[terrybooth]

You could simply create another account with administrator status, log in as the new account and delete the old account - that has the option to delete user data.

After you've done that, to check that it really has gone, look in c:\users and delete any folders you might see there.

However, a reinstall from scratch is probably the best way to do it.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I am about to put all my computers in a pile in the garden and pour petrol on them

[Fretless]

That should do the trick, Doc.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Well my distaste of computers has just been reinforced over the last two days, I just don't have the brain for them. It is daft but I can do anything (well almost) hi-fi but a computer just leaves me flumoxed. Anyway she decided on a Acer Chromebook which neither of us could get going or onto the net until Andy Baker came on the phone to help. Then we discover that Google and Microsoft hate each other and Microsoft own Skype and all her friends are on Skype and wont change to the Google one and Microsoft do not *allow* the Chromebook to download Skype

So I found an online fix on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vsJaTXYuio but my eyes glazed over half way through it. Anyone any experience of this, or anyone nearby to Sidcup who can spare a lesson for a computer idiot. For return hi-fi help.

So until then the old computer stays as she will have to use that for Skype until we can get the Chromebook on it.

[Colin Wonfor]

I am about to put all my computers in a pile in the garden and pour petrol on them

Done it got `T` Shirt then fined $100.00 in the U.S.A.
So the next sick PC went of the Forth Bridge with the stupid mobile phone, I hate digital lies. Slide rule any day, but you have to be quick with your hands to play MP3