Preparing a desktop to sell - what is the minimum I need to do for security?

[seaglass]

Do I need to format the hard drive? Or just uninstall programs and delete files?

Would someone buy a desktop with a formatted C: drive?

This is my mom's desktop and she has died, so I don't think there is an issue with stealing her identity. But I want to be safe and not have her personal info available to anyone.

Thanks!

[Sherman A1]

1. I would simply

pull the hard drive out and recycle the remainder of the unit, but that is just me.

[hobbit709]

2. Darik's Boot and Nuke

http://www.dban.org/

I use it to wipe any drive on a computer I refurbish to sell.

[seaglass]

3. And people buy it with nothing on it? For some reason I can't connect

to my wireless network on it so I'm not sure I can get to the internet. I will probably try a hard wired connx directly to my router - pita.

Thanks for the info!

[hobbit709]

4. If you have the restore disks you can reinstall Windoze

If it's an older XP machine you can install some flavor of Linux. you can get more for a working with an OS on it computer than one with nothing on it.
I have the OEM reinstall disks for all versions of windows so if I wipe or replace a drive I can do an install using the product key on the sticker.

[seaglass]

5. It's Vista - I think I bought it for her in 2011 and she has the OEM disks.

Trying to figure out a price for this as I haven't seen any for sale on CL. Thanks again!

[Go Vols]

7. +1

nothing beats dban for cleaning a hard drive

[Warpy]

6. They like to steal the identities of the dead

The dead complain so little.

What I'd do is put in a cheap HD and reload the software. Then take Mom's old HD and drill several holes through it before you throw it away.

[whistler162]

8. Run a few passes of dban on it

and then run the restore disks.

http://www.dban.org/

Condolences.

[seaglass]

9. Thanks I gave up on the dban, I could not get the PC to boot from the CD/Dvd drive. Also

I put it up on CL and no one wanted to buy it.