carlton68 Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 pe7e, depends on how you define the easy way. If you know the files you might just use eraser and delete them. The files will be gone and can't be recovered. But you never can be sure there's not a copy of one or several files in the temp directory, or parts of files still readable in the unused disk space. You might wipe the unused disk space using eraser and it will almost take as long as wiping the whole disk, unless your disk is quite full, and it still leaves the possibility that there are files left over in the temp directory. If you need to make sure nothing beats wiping the whole disk. Overwriting it with random values three times is good enough. Like keekwai recommended, the best (and I say easiest) way would be to transfer all the data you need to the new computer and once this is done start wiping the old one. Wiping takes several hours depending on disk size/speed but doesn't need any user input once started. Afterwards do a fresh setup of the OS (in your case possibly using the recovery CD). Again not too much user input needed, takes between 30 minutes and an hour. That way the new owner doesn't have to worry about any settings you made, the bloated mess the windows registry became after years of using the OS, or your personal data that's still stored on the computer (like passwords stored in IE). Someone recommended to take out the hard drive and let the new owner replace it with a newer/bigger one. Quite a good idea. Say it's company policy and it had to be destroyed, or say the hard drive was having bad sectors and was about to fail. Hand the new owner the recovery CD and let him do the setup. Plus you might buy a cheap enclosure and use the old drive as a small external USB disk. :thumbup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 I've had the same problem pe7e, however mine was porn, lots of it, nothing financial though that needed eliminating, just lots and lots of filthy questionable disgusting porn., DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe7e Posted August 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 I had lots of the same disgusting, depraved, unspeakable filth on mine but after my health scare, the thought of my kids finding it if I'd dropped dead bothered me and I cleared it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted August 19, 2007 Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 Nah -I have a folder marked "Delite if I die" I hope they can understand my poor spelling, DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe7e Posted August 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2007 Thanks to everyone for the advice, it's given me plenty to think over. Just one more quick question: I've got true crypt installed on the laptop so if I mounted the confidential stuff into a 'true crypt' volume, would that effectivly render it safe from all but a determined and skilled examination of the disc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Right,eraser is a nice tool within a Windows OS. But wiping the complete hard drive (including the OS) must be done without the OS running. Carlton, Eraser also comes with a "Nuke Boot Disk" maker to wipe a disk without an OS. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Thanks to everyone for the advice, it's given me plenty to think over. Just one more quick question: I've got true crypt installed on the laptop so if I mounted the confidential stuff into a 'true crypt' volume, would that effectivly render it safe from all but a determined and skilled examination of the disc? I know the US government was pressuring some encryption companies to give them the "key" , of course to stop terrorists , I would bet that they can access anything on your hard-drive if they really wanted too , If its there they must have programs to find it , Just a simple test , they know your HD is 100 gig when new , but now it only shows it as 80 gig , ummmm whats up, And if you are on the wrong side of the line at Immigration you have NO rights to stop them from looking, they can just take your laptop and give it back to you someday.... I would never think they I could hide anything on my laptop from people / governments who are determined to find out whats there , The US constitution is over, given to the terrorist hunters.... OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 True, but the open source encryption software developed in Europe (like True Crypt ) do not comply with the US's request for a back door... And the file is not necessarily hidden, just encrypted. And you can name it anything, so it *could* look just like any other .DOC or .PPS or whatever file. If I were a high level criminal, I would think I could not hide shit from the gummint as they would not be afraid to use any resource available to them. But as Joe Average, are they gonna spend weeks and $100K just to look at *my* laptop? Highly doubtful. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 SD....I agree, but they could just take it , do nothing for a month or 2 and return it (probably charge you for FedEX ) So I am just saying its better not to think they are stupid and would NEVER find whatever you are trying to encrypt. Also the same can be said for any storage devices, from Floppy discs to memory cards.... OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 I save it on 8" floppy disks. Let them try to read that disk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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