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Vista clean install question

  • 08-02-2011 07:38PM
    #1
    Stephen P
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,891 ✭✭✭


    I have a PC running Vista Home Edition. When I bought the disc a few years back it was the upgrade disc as I was upgrading from XP.
    I'm now in the process of selling the PC and would like to wipe the HDD so the PC is "like new".
    Is there a way of doing this with the upgrade disc? Or what is the best way to do a clean install? I've already deleted all my personal files but would still like to have the PC clean, the HDD is a 160GB and there's 80GB used, I can't seem to find the other 80GB, I don't have any big applications installed so maybe the clean install would bring the HDD back to near enough 160GB??

    Thanks for any advice :)


Comments

  • #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 95,149 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    you can't ever completely clean windows as it and the apps squirrel data all over the gaff , in undocumented files and the registry etc.

    wipe with something like dban and then do a clean install

    try to make the XP recovery disks first if you still have the option , I think you can do the vista install without it but messy and it could go pearoid


  • #3
    Stephen P
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,891 ✭✭✭Stephen P


    Thanks for your advice.
    I'll try to find the XP disc and install that then upgrade to Vista.
    Any potential buyer would probably rather the system had a fresh install.


  • #4
    RoyalMarine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,824 ✭✭✭RoyalMarine


    sanatising a disk means writing all 0's to the harddrive, then all 1's to the harddrive then random data (0's and 1's) to the harddrive.

    there are lots of programs around that can do this.

    then install windows vista.

    this guarantee's there is no trace of any of your data available.


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