How to clear memory from computer (1 Viewer)

[David Smith]

I have a traditional computer i.e. screen on the desk and the box underneath. I am thinking of going over to a 'lap top' type and selling the old one.
What is the best way of
1. transferring the information to the new one?
2. clearing the memory totally so no-one can access any of it ?

If it matters the computer is windows XP home.

Thanks

 

[Corax67]

Hi David,

Depending on the capacity of the hard-drive than you may find the easiest way to transfer the data across is to pick up an external USB hard-drive caddy, which will allow you to remove the drive from your desktop and simply plug it into the new laptop. These can be picked up for around £10 or so.

As for wiping the drive then a highly regarded piece of free software is DBAN which can be found here:

http://www.dban.org/about

and will ensure that the next user will not be able to read any of your data.


Karl

 

[bartolli]

or you could buy an external harddrive and connect it via usb to your computer and copy your harddisk onto that.

Any software that you want to keep will probably have to be reinstalled on yr new laptop.

You might also find that some of your old software won't work with microsnot's latest OS, necessitating purchase of new!

 

[Duke Leto]

Depending on how much you have it may be a USB flashdrive will suffice, if you have a camera then you can use the memory card as an external hard drive, you don't say how much you want to transfer. I assume you'll leave the o/s intact and just remove "my docs"

 

[David Smith]

Hi David,

Depending on the capacity of the hard-drive than you may find the easiest way to transfer the data across is to pick up an external USB hard-drive caddy,
As for wiping the drive then a highly regarded piece of free software is DBAN which can be found here:
http://www.dban.org/about
Karl

or you could buy an external harddrive and connect it via usb to your computer and copy your harddisk onto that.
Any software that you want to keep will probably have to be reinstalled on yr new laptop.
QUOTE]

Thanks
I do have an external hard drive (250GB) which I use for backing up files........when I can remember to do so.......will that do it??

, you don't say how much you want to transfer. I assume you'll leave the o/s intact and just remove "my docs"

I don't know how to get the actual ammount of info/files in GB/MB (whatever the language is).......can you advise please?

I assume you'll leave the o/s intact and just remove "my docs"I'm afraid that is a foreign language to me:-C

 

[Duke Leto]

Judging by your responses its difficult to offer assistance, you have a 250Gb external hard drive which is more than adequate. Without knowing where all your files are it would be impossible to determine if you get em all. If you use email then there are more files you need to consider. If I were you consider buying a new harddrive and replace your original. Only if you have the original operating system discs as these will be required to rebuild the pc. Keeping the origional is the ultimate way. If you do have everthing backed up the then you could reformat the hard drive and reload windows. I suspect you'll need the help of a more pc savy friend to carry them out.

 

[JSER]

You don't clear memory you clear files, memory is either RAM, ROM EEPROM or EPROM, you are talking about hard drive "storage".

What OS do you have.

Also remember you can not and never will even with a low level format stop anyone like me accessing what was on your hard drive, I have been into IT since CP/M.

Want to stop access to your old hard drive, buy a 5lb hammer.

Also when you buy a new drive if you want to keep the old OS provided it is not an antique (Win 95/98. XP) then buy a Seagate, 1Tb or 2Tb are standard now, I have twin 2Tb drived you will also get a DVD allowing you to simply plug the new drive in and copy the complete old drive over.

If all you want to copy over are text/photo/music/wp/dtp etc just buy a 16Gb pen and save it all to that then transfer to the new drive later.

As with all IT users I assume though that you have kept weekly backups NOT using microsoft or any other backup software, if your collection is on CD or DVD (my backups go back to 1998) then simply restore them to the new Windows 7 computer.

 

[Duke Leto]

JSER sorry to contradict you but there are security and government approved software readily available the will make the files irretrievable on a hard drive, basically once you've deleted everything you run them and they write 1's and 0's several times to all the free space which includes all the space which has been deleted. Once this has been carried out what ever was origionally written is unrecoverable.
Norton security used to offer a government wipe as part of it's package many moons ago.

Do a search for killdisc it's a program that US defence quality

 

[Orionthehunter]

David, if you get stuck I can come round and help you out?

Regards

James

 

[luke01903]

format

click on my computer, right click on disk c and click format disk. It erases all from pc!!! dont do it if you dont need to!!!

 

[iveljay]

Depends how paranoid you are but a Government wipe optionally followed by a format is generally adequate for most domestic and business use. Allow plenty of time for the wipe.
You may hear that it is theoretically possible that a disc fault may have automatically remapped the disc so that the wipe cannot reach all sectors, however, someone would really have to want your data to bother to look.
Reformatting on its own is better than just deleting but still not secure against the likes of JSER, hence the wipe.
Personally I tend to keep the old disc for a bit until the new system is running and has had at least one tested back-up before sticking it into an empty caddy with the right interface - wiping it - then drilling holes through it.
For the truly paranoid - some organisations have machines that will shread the hard disc unit whole. The heat causes them to ignite - spectacular.

 

[Mono]

Hard disk platters make nice coasters.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

The only way to totally guarantee that no one gets hold of the old data on your hard drive is to physically destroy. Hard drives can easily be removed from the base unit for destruction. Unscrupulous people can reverse even formatted and wiped drives.

CB

 

[iveljay]

The cost of attempting to recover information from a properly wiped drive is truly daunting. If you are holding information of sensitivity that makes the cost of recovery worthwhile the disk should be fully encrypted in the first place.
As CB correctly notes, some of the recommended ways of ensuring total destruction of data (allowing for mistakes) have commenced with wiping and finishes with the discs themselves being shredded to confetti sized pieces, the magnetic surface mechanically removed or totally incinerated.
A good relatively simple discussion on the subject is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_remanence
The section on Feasibility of Recovery is useful. I have read some of the research papers listed and can recommend them for insomnia. I can also recommend textbooks if you get hooked.

Personally wiping and drilling is as far as I will go for my stuff, but its down to the individual at the end of the day.