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Donating A Computer - 9/24/2008 1:08:50 PM
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karlie
Posts: 16970
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: Central California
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I am upgrading to a new computer soon and the old one is being given away to a ministry in our church. How can I make sure the hard drive is clear of any and all personal information? I've kept emails, financial and tax info, along with some confidential info for a ministry I am involved with. I'll transfer and delete the files when I get the new one, but I know traces are left behind.
I doubt anyone will go looking for anything like that, but since we don't know exactly who will have access to the computer, or where it will end up if they upgrade, I'd rather be on the safe side.
Blonde alert...use layman's terms and instructions 
_____________________________
1 day of coal...364 days of fun. I'll take my chances!
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/24/2008 1:11:38 PM
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Miss Giggles
Posts: 4271
Joined: 4/18/2005
From: MI
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You either have to use a program like Drive Clean or donate it without the hard drive and take a hammer to the hard drive. Formatting doesn't remove everything. They can buy a hard drive cheap
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/24/2008 1:14:08 PM
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karlie
Posts: 16970
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: Central California
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quote:
donate it without the hard drive and take a hammer to the hard drive. Formatting doesn't remove everything.
That's what I was thinking I may have to do.
Are programs like Drive Clean Effective?
_____________________________
1 day of coal...364 days of fun. I'll take my chances!
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/24/2008 3:31:12 PM
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karlie
Posts: 16970
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: Central California
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Thanks so much! 
_____________________________
1 day of coal...364 days of fun. I'll take my chances!
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/24/2008 9:39:31 PM
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Ion_21
Posts: 41
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There are several programs that can do this. I know DBAN works but view this video on PC World. You can get some other useful information as well. I hope this helps. Have a great day.
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/25/2008 1:42:29 AM
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PolarBear
Posts: 633
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Moving to San Antonio!
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You can easily clean a drive for free with a Linux live CD like Knoppix. Get to a terminal and type ('#' represents a root level prompt):
# fdisk -l
to check the hard disk device(s). Look for a line like this:
Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
The /dev/sda is what you are interested in. Older systems may have /dev/hda (IDE/PATA drive). Then,
# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda
Now, this is not a "cryptographically secure" deletion -- if someone was super-determined, they may be able to get the drive to a special facility which, with a great amount of trouble, may be able to detect slight variations in the magnetic bits to figure out what was there before. But it *should* prevent the computer itself from being able to read it. Plus after you re-install the operating system, much of it will be wiped anyway. If you're giving it to a church, I highly doubt they're going to go after tiny magnetic variations (which are unreadable to the computer) to figure out what you were up to.
In case zeroing out the drive isn't secure enough, I think there are also free cryptographically secure drive cleaners for Linux, but I've never used one.
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http://victorymuseum.org
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/25/2008 1:13:25 PM
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Kellgaste
Posts: 451
Joined: 9/18/2008
From: Wyoming
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Hello Karlie,
I would recommend pulling the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) out of the system that is being donated and then Degauss (Taking a Big Magnet to the HDD Platters (What the Data is stored on) and erases them)) the HDD to make sure the Data is "cooked", then bash it with a hammer (Good way to get out some fustration as well <chuckle>) or use a Bandsaw to cut it into tiny pieces (Also a good way to get out fustration <cackle>).
Reason for these "extreme" measures is due to the sensitive nature of the data on I would make sure it is truely irrecoverable (Just watch some CSI to fully understand what is out there to pull data off of stuff and you will shiver). I am paranoid like that, Big Brother and All :P.
Hope this helps!
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RE: Donating A Computer - 9/25/2008 11:30:16 PM
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karlie
Posts: 16970
Joined: 4/10/2005
From: Central California
Status: offline
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Hey, thanks everyone!! This helps a lot
_____________________________
1 day of coal...364 days of fun. I'll take my chances!
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