Probably a stupid question but I am going to have to have a computer repaired. There is personal information on this computer and I really don't want people having ACCESS to the banking information. The computer does not work at all. Is there a way to completely delete everything on the hard drive besides destroying it and getting another? It's not a stupid question at all. Lots of folks, indeed most, have 'stuff' on there computer that no one best find out EXISTS
However, the only way to get rid of it is to erase the entire drive and you don't want to do that. If it's not a huge file with loads of history, BACK it up onto a portable memory insert - then delete the file and hope for the best. Otherwise, just hope it's a reputable dealer and that they don't have purient and/or voyeuristic tendencies. Good luckThe person who responded is semi correct,if you wish to PERMANETLY erase data you have to do more than format,you require a utility that overwrites your HD,at least 6 times,making it all but IMPOSSIBLE to recover any data.http://www.killdisk.com/http://sourceforge.net/projects/eraser/DBAN is another great (and free) choice. It has more thorough erase options than the free version of Killdisk.I just wonder what the IT people are going to say when you hand them an empty machine....