Wiping my pc clean

gemma · #1 (**permalink**) 08/04/08, 12:03

Im selling my desktop pc very soon and I would like to kno how I can wipe off everything on the hard drive so it can be like when I 1st got the computer. Its on windows xp.

Windows Guru · #2 (**permalink**) 08/04/08, 12:47

Is there a Restore disk that came with the computer? If so just use that to restore it to its original state.

**Ash** · #3 (**permalink**) 08/04/08, 13:10

Hello Gemma,
Firstly - welcome to CompuForums. We provide our computer help for free, so we would highly appreciate it if you could help us. You can do this by answering other people's questions, or if you are not so technically-minded, post in our general lounge forum. Alternatively you can purchase a premium membership to help contribute to the rising running costs of this site. If you can't help us then we can't help you. This system allows us to continue to provide free computer support.

As Dr. Computer has pointed out, you can just run the recovery disks, or on some machines, the recovery partition. However - if you've ever stored sensitive data that you wouldn't share publically on the machine, consider running Boot 'n' Nuke on the drive. It can take a while, but it would make it pretty hard for most people to extract any sensitive data [e.g online banking passwords saved in your password, family photos, etc.].
It's free and you can get it from: Darik's Boot and Nuke (Hard Drive Disk Wipe)

gemma · #4 (**permalink**) 08/04/08, 14:04

I think there was. But I must of lost it.

Brian5000 · #5 (**permalink**) 08/04/08, 14:04

I've used autoclave before, which looks to be the predicessor to Darik's Boot and Nuke. I works great by overwriting your drive several times so the information of it is completely unrecoverable. Then, through on a fresh installation of windows and sell the computer, worry free.

Warning: If this program works the same, then the higher settings (3 passes) took 1.5 days to complete on an 80GB hard drive. Just be prepared for that.

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