How To Remove Sensitive Information From Laptop

[5teady_2012]

Okay boss

Do what you see is fit, you have a couple of opinions to go with on this one...

lol, all im saying is, the ideal and straight to the core thing to do is obviously just change the passes on the sites, that way there is nothing they have to worry about, unless they are trying to hide layers and layers of dirty vids lol

 

[minxfishy]

Yeah Im a porn freak

I shall change passwords, delete the account and if I can restore back to factory settings. That will have to do, I dont want to go playing with the hard drive, because if I wipe it, I have no way to restore it. I doubt I will even get much for a laptop with a cracked screen, so long as my ID and bank account is protected, I dont think I have much to worry about. Thanks for the input everyone

 

[kaivalagi]

Okay boss

Do what you see is fit, you have a couple of opinions to go with on this one...

lol, all im saying is, the ideal and straight to the core thing to do is obviously just change the passes on the sites, that way there is nothing they have to worry about, unless they are trying to hide layers and layers of dirty vids lol

I know where you're coming from, and apologies if I came across rash, I didn't mean to....

I've had a bad case of office politics to contend with today which is holding up a major project and this had put me in a bad place for a while...cold beer time now though

Yeah Im a porn freak

Yeah, all those naked fish you have pics of

 

[Darkstar]

The previously linked app will demolish data too and it's free, ghost is now owned by Symantec so will cost money

Symantec Ghost is imaging software, not for erasing information.

 

[kaivalagi]

The previously linked app will demolish data too and it's free, ghost is now owned by Symantec so will cost money

Symantec Ghost is imaging software, not for erasing information.

I think it might have a erasing feature these days, but yeah it is primarily an imaging package..it saved my bacon a few times

 

[Tech-Frog]

1. Delete all your "sensitive files", passwords, user accounts etc.. as normal.
2. Use any backup software and backup your windows installation.
3. Using some specialist software, you may have to use a LiveCD of sorts for this, wipe your hard drive using a some kind of zero-fill or random write method, this writes over anything left making it near-impossible to recover.
4. Restore your computer with the backup you made earlier.
5. Finished

Otherwise, I could probably have my hands on your e-mails, passwords and porn collection in around 5-10 minutes.

Also, the reason behind buying a laptop with a broken screen is that you can fully repair it for around £40 and half an hours work.

 

[Darkstar]

I think you fail to understand the O/P's level of IT knowledge.....or the actual severity of the problem.
If it was a catholic priest asking this question, then your answer might be more appropriate...

 

[minxfishy]

Well I changed all my passwords (on the new laptop obviously) erased history etc etc, deleted my email settings and then removed the actual email program, then being the clever (not) person I am, read the instruction manual (1st time ever ) which gave full instructions to restore everything back to factory settings, which I then did, voila! And if someone really wants to read all my wonderfully exciting emails, so be it, 99.9% of them are from TFF PM's, so Im sure they will be thrilled with those interesting fishy facts and conversations

Thanks for the help everyone