How to remove files and personal information from computer?
I'm about to give my computer to a lab for repair. I'd like first to remove personal info like browsing history, software installed, various files.
Some of the files I want removed, I accidently already moved to extrnal hard drive, so I can't use a shredded to specifiy them for removal.
Should I use http://www.fileshredder.org/ and go to "Shred Free Disk Space"? can this some how damage the disk performance?
what about removing browsing history and so?
hard-drive security formatting advanced-format file-shredding
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
add a comment |
I'm about to give my computer to a lab for repair. I'd like first to remove personal info like browsing history, software installed, various files.
Some of the files I want removed, I accidently already moved to extrnal hard drive, so I can't use a shredded to specifiy them for removal.
Should I use http://www.fileshredder.org/ and go to "Shred Free Disk Space"? can this some how damage the disk performance?
what about removing browsing history and so?
hard-drive security formatting advanced-format file-shredding
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
1
What kind of repair? If it doesn't involve the disk just remove it ...
– DavidPostill♦
Jan 1 at 19:22
it's an ultrabook, and it does involve it, I'm returning it back as DOA.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:27
Reinstall the OS, then erase free space using cipher in windows.....pcworld.com/article/2464163/…
– Moab
Jan 1 at 21:30
add a comment |
I'm about to give my computer to a lab for repair. I'd like first to remove personal info like browsing history, software installed, various files.
Some of the files I want removed, I accidently already moved to extrnal hard drive, so I can't use a shredded to specifiy them for removal.
Should I use http://www.fileshredder.org/ and go to "Shred Free Disk Space"? can this some how damage the disk performance?
what about removing browsing history and so?
hard-drive security formatting advanced-format file-shredding
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
I'm about to give my computer to a lab for repair. I'd like first to remove personal info like browsing history, software installed, various files.
Some of the files I want removed, I accidently already moved to extrnal hard drive, so I can't use a shredded to specifiy them for removal.
Should I use http://www.fileshredder.org/ and go to "Shred Free Disk Space"? can this some how damage the disk performance?
what about removing browsing history and so?
hard-drive security formatting advanced-format file-shredding
hard-drive security formatting advanced-format file-shredding
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
asked Jan 1 at 19:17
bulkybulky
11
11
1
What kind of repair? If it doesn't involve the disk just remove it ...
– DavidPostill♦
Jan 1 at 19:22
it's an ultrabook, and it does involve it, I'm returning it back as DOA.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:27
Reinstall the OS, then erase free space using cipher in windows.....pcworld.com/article/2464163/…
– Moab
Jan 1 at 21:30
add a comment |
1
What kind of repair? If it doesn't involve the disk just remove it ...
– DavidPostill♦
Jan 1 at 19:22
it's an ultrabook, and it does involve it, I'm returning it back as DOA.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:27
Reinstall the OS, then erase free space using cipher in windows.....pcworld.com/article/2464163/…
– Moab
Jan 1 at 21:30
1
1
What kind of repair? If it doesn't involve the disk just remove it ...
– DavidPostill♦
Jan 1 at 19:22
What kind of repair? If it doesn't involve the disk just remove it ...
– DavidPostill♦
Jan 1 at 19:22
it's an ultrabook, and it does involve it, I'm returning it back as DOA.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:27
it's an ultrabook, and it does involve it, I'm returning it back as DOA.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:27
Reinstall the OS, then erase free space using cipher in windows.....pcworld.com/article/2464163/…
– Moab
Jan 1 at 21:30
Reinstall the OS, then erase free space using cipher in windows.....pcworld.com/article/2464163/…
– Moab
Jan 1 at 21:30
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
If this is an SSD, then you don't need to do anything.
For an HDD,
if you are worried about outsiders recovering your deleted data,
a better utility is the free
Sysinternals SDelete,
using the -c parameter, since it will also clean out the names
of the deleted files in the MFT (Master File Table).
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
add a comment |
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
If this is an SSD, then you don't need to do anything.
For an HDD,
if you are worried about outsiders recovering your deleted data,
a better utility is the free
Sysinternals SDelete,
using the -c parameter, since it will also clean out the names
of the deleted files in the MFT (Master File Table).
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
add a comment |
If this is an SSD, then you don't need to do anything.
For an HDD,
if you are worried about outsiders recovering your deleted data,
a better utility is the free
Sysinternals SDelete,
using the -c parameter, since it will also clean out the names
of the deleted files in the MFT (Master File Table).
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
add a comment |
If this is an SSD, then you don't need to do anything.
For an HDD,
if you are worried about outsiders recovering your deleted data,
a better utility is the free
Sysinternals SDelete,
using the -c parameter, since it will also clean out the names
of the deleted files in the MFT (Master File Table).
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
If this is an SSD, then you don't need to do anything.
For an HDD,
if you are worried about outsiders recovering your deleted data,
a better utility is the free
Sysinternals SDelete,
using the -c parameter, since it will also clean out the names
of the deleted files in the MFT (Master File Table).
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
answered Jan 1 at 19:32
harrymcharrymc
255k14267566
255k14267566
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
add a comment |
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
yes it's SSD, can you explain why shouldn't I worry? are all shredding programs not relevant at all for SSD?
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:34
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
An SSD uses Trim to delete data, which erases the contents of the deleted block on the disk. This will not delete the names of the deleted files, so in case this worries you go ahead and use SDelete. Normally writing that much to an SSD is frowned upon, since it shortens the lifetime of the disk, but in the case of a DOA computer this shouldn't matter much.
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 19:41
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
I don't mind the filenames . that's interesting. so it harder for goverment/labs for example to restore file on an SSD? didn't know that.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 21:16
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
It's impossible as far as I know, as the erasure is done electrically and is final
– harrymc
Jan 1 at 22:20
add a comment |
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1
What kind of repair? If it doesn't involve the disk just remove it ...
– DavidPostill♦
Jan 1 at 19:22
it's an ultrabook, and it does involve it, I'm returning it back as DOA.
– bulky
Jan 1 at 19:27
Reinstall the OS, then erase free space using cipher in windows.....pcworld.com/article/2464163/…
– Moab
Jan 1 at 21:30