Solve : Format and erase HDD (Free)?

1.	Solve : Format and erase HDD (Free)?
Answer» Hello all, I am a OAP on limited income and my friend gave me his old desktop when he bought a new laptop. He was GOING to do it for me but he passed away 8 days ago. So the help I would like is 1. How do I reformat the HDD and 2. how do I erase all the personal things of his if possible freely. KenBoot to the Windows CD of your choice... In SETUP select delete partition and re-create... Then continue with setup.DBAN will do the job: Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can DETECT, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction. http://www.dban.org/ I am sorry to hear that your friend passed away, may he rest in peace. EDIT: Quote from: patio on August 21, 2011, 09:31:40 AM Boot to the Windows CD of your choice... In setup select delete partition and re-create... Then continue with setup. This does not securely delete data-I have successfully recovered files with Recuva-however it is definitely an easier way...Unless they are wanted by the FBI it will work just fine...Thanks for the info I have just tried dban but when it starts I get error messages. The only disc we have come across is the disc that came with the computer wnd we have not found a seperate windows disk and his partner says he used to reformat and reinstall all the programs again.You are gonna need a Windows OS CD either way...Unless it has a System Restore Partition. What is make & model number of computer? I got a computer the same as you & instead, just uninstalled all the programs I didn't need or want. Then deleted the old USER's profile, which will delete all his docs. Didn't want to go through all the Windows updates for the past 8 years.The make is EI which according his partner he bought from PC World and I think it is EIS304. Just found lookong through tje programmes it has Windows XP so if I get it sorted can I install Windows 7? Where do i find his users profile? Ken Quote from: elaikenn628 on August 22, 2011, 12:50:35 AM The make is EI which according his partner he bought from PC World and I think it is EIS304. Just found lookong through tje programmes it has Windows XP so if I get it sorted can I install Windows 7? Where do i find his users profile? Ken Don't know EI, nothing on Computer World website. Only if it's compatible with Win7: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=20 To delete a user profile I have found out it is a E.SYSTEM computer,www.emachines.com Trying the details tonight.

Answer»

Hello all,

I am a OAP on limited income and my friend gave me his old desktop when he bought a new laptop.

He was GOING to do it for me but he passed away 8 days ago.

So the help I would like is 1. How do I reformat the HDD and 2. how do I erase all the personal things of his if possible freely.

KenBoot to the Windows CD of your choice...
In SETUP select delete partition and re-create...
Then continue with setup.DBAN will do the job:
Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can DETECT, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

http://www.dban.org/

I am sorry to hear that your friend passed away, may he rest in peace.

EDIT: Quote from: patio on August 21, 2011, 09:31:40 AM

Boot to the Windows CD of your choice...
In setup select delete partition and re-create...
Then continue with setup.

This does not securely delete data-I have successfully recovered files with Recuva-however it is definitely an easier way...Unless they are wanted by the FBI it will work just fine...Thanks for the info I have just tried dban but when it starts I get error messages.

The only disc we have come across is the disc that came with the computer wnd we have not found a seperate windows disk and his partner says he used to reformat and reinstall all the programs again.You are gonna need a Windows OS CD either way...Unless it has a System Restore Partition.
What is make & model number of computer?
I got a computer the same as you & instead, just uninstalled all the programs I didn't need or want. Then deleted the old USER's profile, which will delete all his docs. Didn't want to go through all the Windows updates for the past 8 years.The make is EI which according his partner he bought from PC World and I think it is EIS304.
Just found lookong through tje programmes it has Windows XP so if I get it sorted can I install Windows 7?
Where do i find his users profile?
Ken

Quote from: elaikenn628 on August 22, 2011, 12:50:35 AM

The make is EI which according his partner he bought from PC World and I think it is EIS304.
Just found lookong through tje programmes it has Windows XP so if I get it sorted can I install Windows 7?
Where do i find his users profile?
Ken

Don't know EI, nothing on Computer World website.
Only if it's compatible with Win7: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=20
To delete a user profile
I have found out it is a E.SYSTEM computer,www.emachines.com

Trying the details tonight.

Solve : Format and erase HDD (Free)?

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