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Hi all.

I'm getting a new PC and want to give my old one to a charitable organisation. However, I've heard that with just formatting the hard-drive personal details such as credit card details etc. can still be retrieved.

As anybody used the software WipeDrive before and how good is it?

By the way, my OS is Windows ME.

Thank you for any help.

Re formatting your hard drive, then re install windows is the way to go, BC wipe or any disk wipe will not format your HD merely write over files, as your giving it away to a charity, they are hardly likely to scrutinize the previous contents, however they may sell it on.
SO! format the drive, then re install windows, dont forget to save essential drivers such as the cd drive for installation.
The only other way to g,ntee complete privacy is to just give them the computer and you keep the drive, then taking a 20lb hammer destroy it and throw it in the sea on a deep sea fishing trip..
hope this helps..
Liz (always fly Ryanair......NOT)

A lot of computers that are given to charities end up in Nigeria so you can guess what happens with any personal data thats left on the hard drive.

Yup, scare yourself with this

That's scary stuff. I may just take the option of taking the HD out and throwing it out.

Thanks for the advice all.

I'd go with the hammer option.

Pj

you could try one of thoses programs
a couple are free and one is a trial version



free version of a harddrive wiper




hope those help

The real worry when handing over an old computer, is your person details, like log-ins, and bankpasswords, and wether people might recover them.


Unless your some super criminal of James Bond proportions, erasing your harddrive 32 times, with random numbers, isn't really needed.

Format C: and repeat a few times, then re-install windows will do the trick, for the average man in the street.