Quickest way to wipe XP computer

eth0_

Hi, i've sold my laptop and am giving it to the buyer tomorrow, question is, what's the easiest way to get XP back to looking like a clean install? I don't particularly want to format and re-install, and my step back points only go back to January. Help!

Pimp Ninja

Go through add/remove programs in the control panel. Remove everything.

Go into your mail programs, delete all emails, sent items, and empty the deleted items folder. Go to the account setup and remove any accounts.

Go to Start -> Programs -> Accesories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup
Select everything click OK
This will clean recycle bins, and temp internet files .. etc.

Control Panel -> "User Accounts," Create a new user. Make sure that you create them as a system Administrator.

Reboot the machine and log in as the new user.

Go back to user Accounts select the old account and select "delete the account" from the list. It will then give the option to Delete all files, and this will remove all the files associated with the account.

Go co c:\Documents and settings\
delete the folder named after the old user (if it is still there). This will delete anything that is left of the old user profile, documents, favourites, mail settings etc...

Go into System Restore and create a new restore point.
Go back into the Disk Cleanup tool (mentioned above) Go to the "more Options" Tab and then hit the Clean up button at the bottom for System restore. This will delete all but the new restore point that you have just made.

Hopefully that should have most of the stuff cleared off. there will be other little things like your internet connection. Start settings Control Panel Network & Dialup Connections. Click and delete..

Anything else specific, give us a post here, and I'll see if I can help...

Bard

Take off and nuke the planet from space. It's the only way to be sure.

If you want to be completely sure that all traces of you using the computer are removed then reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows. It'll be faster than doing 'all of the above'.

Pimp Ninja

Actually Bard.. the above should only take about 20 mins if you know what youre doing.. Think about it..

Deleting all mails and removing accounts -> 2 Mins
Uninstalling all installed applications -> 10 mins
Disk Cleanup -> 2 mins
Create new administrative user reboot and log in as new user -> 1 min
Delete old user account and delete profile folder -> 2 mins
Create a restore point and delet all old restore points using Disk cleanup -> 2 mins
Delete any internet connections -> 1 min


Easy as pie tbh...

dahamsta

I gotta say I'd have to put time aside and go for reformatting the drive. I'd never hand a machine off to anyone without reformatting*.

adam

*I'd never hand a machine off to anyone anyway, but that's not the point.

daveg

Format c:

Tis the only way. As was said previously it doesn't take that long to reinstall. I always like to have a fresh image (ghost) of my c: drive on one of my partitions.

Take off and nuke the planet from space. It's the only way to be sure.

LMFAO

Typedef

Hmm.

Here you go prettiness : http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/itpro/managing/restore.asp

dahamsta

Typedef, flirting with eth0_ is a banning offense on MS Apps / OS.

adam

ColinM

The only way you can be absolutely sure you have removed all your data from the hard drive is to use a low-level format (zero-fill) utility to "wipe" the drive. This is completely operating system independent and will write over the entire drive including boot sector and partitioning information. Maxtor have a good utility called Powermax, available for download at http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm which also includes other hard drive diagnostic utilities. Running the application you download will create a floppy boot disk for you containing the Powermax utilty. This utility is not restricted for use on Maxtor drives only - it should work with any relatively modern IDE hard drive. Even after wiping the drive once, it is theoretically possible to recover the drive's contents (using forensic data recovery software). Therefore, it is suggested that you wipe the drive 5 times (according to US Military security standards) for total peace of mind.

Capt'n Midnight

...there will be loads of stuff left in the Registry eg: serial numbers and personnal info..

You could also do a find by date to search for other files left behind (ie. most files newer that the OS) and then based on your recognising the file or the folder delete them. (The old rule of not deleteing something unless you are sure you know what it is applies.) I've often found loads of stuff I forgotten about.

At times like these I really miss the good old windows 3.x idea of a "document" - it would be so nice to just search and destroy them while leaving all the programs and settings intact - but that's progress...

Document types (not comprehensive - just food for thought)
*.DO?
*.XL?
*.RTF
*.WRI
*.BA?
*.DW?
*.PAB
*.MDB
*.MSG
*.VCF
*.CSV
*.TXT
*.PDF
*.CRD
*.TIF
*.JP?
*.URL
*.HTM
*.WBK
*.CMD
*.Zip
*.pst
*.ost
*.idx

etc. etc..

Typedef

girls.

eth0_ should have 'at least' one restore point from the time of installation.

This is the 'ideal' way to complete the task desired.

Formatting the hard disk and reinstalling the OS is almost as unnecessary as a low-level format (aka writing zeros the the hard disk).

For shame... give the girl a break.*

*That said : Installing Linux is 'the best way' to pass on a functional usable system.. ahem

tribble

most modern laptops come with a system restore disk to "remaster" the pc to it factory state.

modern (current) compaq - has 3! cd's
modern hp (current) - 1 cd
modern packard-bell - 1 cd
modern toshiba - 1 cd or floppy

i do this in work all the time -


tribble

tribble

oh - if you're really paranoid use something like the linux based Darik's "Boot and Nuke" - too lazy to link you - google for it:)

tribble

ps - this may mess up a system restore on some older laptops which came with only a system restore floppy (with the data stored on the hd in a hidden partition)