Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Jim Ray" <jim AT neuse.net>]

I will wipe it for you if you buy me a beer :-)

Regards,

Jim Ray, President
Neuse River Networks tel: 919-838-1672 x111 cell: 919-606-1772 skype:
neusedotnet

The ONE(tm) Plan from Neuse River Networks 
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-----Original Message-----
From: internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of
cmccarthy1 AT nc.rr.com
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 6:02 AM
To: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
Subject: Re: [internetworkers] Wiping a Hard Drive; Backup Options

Hi Folks,

Thanks much to everyone for all of the advice!

I may just replace the hard drive-- that would the ultimate in security.
You never know where a donated PC may land, and I do know that identity
thieves prowl yard sales, classified ads, and places like Goodwill
looking PCs that still have "useful" information on them...

Thanks again!

Colleen



---- "Scott G. Hall" <ScottGHall AT BellSouth.Net> wrote: 
> Scott wrote:
> > On Aug 28, 2010, at 4:57 PM, <cmccarthy1 AT nc.rr.com> wrote:
> >> I want to give a PC to someone, but want to wipe everything off the
hard
> >> drive before I do it.  I think that the Norton Ghost product can do
this
> >> and also offers a backup option.
> > 
> > For Windows uses I would suggest the built in Windows 7 backups. You
> > could easily back up your files to an external USB hard drive using
the
> > Windows 7 backup feature. It's configurable so that if needed you
can
> > select the folder where your outlook .pst files are and ensure it
gets
> > backed up.
> > 
> 
> I'm going to disagree.  Never use Windows 7 backup -- it is horribly
> unreliable and next to impossible to restore anything (see news around
the
> internet).  Your best best is to boot to a live Linux CD and run
"wipe" or
> "shread" or "dban".  See this article: "Wiping your disk drive clean",
> http://www.linux.com/archive/feature/135944,  and this article:
> "How to securely erase the hard disk before selling ones computer",
>
http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2006/06/how-to-securely-erase-hard-disk-be
fore.html
> 
> If you want to backup the disk before wiping it, the same Live Linux
CD
> allows you to use Linux's "dd" command to completely clone the
original
> harddisk to another disk, with far more recoverable results than
Norton Ghost.
> Or you can use "rsync" to copy selective files to a second harddisk
> (Make sure to copy off everything under {orig.harddisk}/Documents and
Settings/)
> 
> HOWEVER!: Best method would be put a fresh harddisk in the PC (you can
> get 500GB ones for ~$40), removing the original harddisk, and using
the
> original recovery CDs to install the original OS on the new harddisk.
> (You might need to boot into recovery mode and create these CDs before
> you install the new harddisk)  Then get an external USB drive case and
> mount the old harddisk in it.  This way you don't have to worry about
> wiping, and the files on the old drive would be available to just
about
> any machine you chose.
> 
> An older harddisk has some time and wear on it.  A newer harddisk is
just
> a more reliable solution to the person you are giving the PC to.
> 
> -- 
> Scott G. Hall
> Raleigh, NC, USA
> ScottGHall AT BellSouth.Net
> ---
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