Re#ring Your Old Computer. Created by Sherry Surdam

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Morgan Hoover
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1 Re#ring Your Old Computer Created by Sherry Surdam

2 Did Pete Wood's informa#ve program on what to look for in a PC or laptop, inspire you to run right out for a new computer? No? Well, with Windows 7 on the horizon perhaps you're considering such a purchase in the foreseeable future? If so, you'll want to remove all personal informa#on from your old computer before selling it or giving it away. 6/8/11 2

3 Why? I'll tell you why! Leaving personal informa#on on a computer puts you at serious risk for iden%ty the*! And if you keep financial informa#on on your computer well, we don't even want to THINK about the consequences of THAT informa#on gexng out!! So, how do you remove all this from your computer? 6/8/11 3

4 Probably the best way is to reformat the hard drive and reinstall all the sozware. That's a lot of work. And takes a lot of #me. First you have to reformat the hard drive. Then you have to reload the opera#ng system and any other sozware using the original disks that came with the computer. 6/8/11 4

5 But, what if you didn't get disks with your computer? Most computers no longer come with sozware disks due to cost- cuxng measures. And even if they did, could you find them azer all this #me? Probably not. 6/8/11 5

6 Instead of providing disks, manufacturers create a par##on where they put a clone of the system so that it can be restored to factory defaults if necessary. That's all well and good but do you know how to access it or can you find the instruc#ons telling you how? Again, probably not! 6/8/11 6

7 All is not lost though. If you didn't get disks or neglected to make your own set of disks (highly recommended but frequently not done), or have misplaced the originals, there are other ways. You can delete all personal stuff from the computer that should do it right? No!! 6/8/11 7

8 When you delete a file, the opera#ng system does not really remove the file, it only removes the reference to that file from the file system table. The file itself will stay there un#l another file is wriden over it, and even then it is s#ll possible for an experienced hacker to recover the data in the file. That can make you feel really vulnerable! 6/8/11 8

9 You do have another alterna#ve; use a program specifically designed to overwrite data files securely. There are many of them available, including a very good one appropriately named Eraser. It is FREE! Imagine that! 6/8/11 9

10 As you may know, data is stored on the hard disk in magne#c bits. Eraser is an advanced security tool which completely removes this data by overwri#ng it many #mes. The methods used by Eraser for overwri#ng data are designed to remove the magne#c remnants from your hard disk, making it nearly impossible to recover the data. 6/8/11 10

11 I suppose if one were VERY determined and had the required exper#se, even the most securely deleted informa#on could be retrieved. I really don't think we need to worry about that! It's highly unlikely that anyone to whom we might give or sell an old computer would have that exper#se! 6/8/11 11

12 Downloading Eraser To download a copy of the Eraser sozware, open your browser and in the search area type Eraser. You'll get a page with many website links. When I did so I got the following page 6/8/11 12

13 The first link just happened to be the one I wanted! 6/8/11 13

14 Clicking on it took me to the home page for Eraser. If your search result is different or you prefer a hands- on approach, you can type in the link (hdp://eraser.heidi.ie/). There is a new beta version of Eraser available ( ) but betas frequently have issues so use the beta version at your own risk! 6/8/11 14

15 Click Downloads to view the available stable versions. 6/8/11 15

16 Use the version that's listed for your opera#ng system. 6/8/11 16

17 When you click the Eraser link you will be taken to the Source Forge website. You can ignore the ad for Symantec you see below the header! 6/8/11 17

18 If your download doesn't start automa#cally click direct link or mirror and the download will start. 6/8/11 18

19 You will, of course, get the usual security warning. Click Save. If you have previously saved a download, that loca#on should open for you. 6/8/11 19

20 If not, be sure to make a note of WHERE the file will go or you may not be able to find it! I have a file for Downloads under My Documents. At the very least make a note of the file name so you can do a search for it later! 6/8/11 20

21 Once the download is complete, locate the file and double- click to install it. 6/8/11 21

22 At the security warning screen click Run. 6/8/11 22

23 Then click Next. 6/8/11 23

24 You must click I accept the agreement in order to con#nue, then click Next. 6/8/11 24

25 This screen tells you that all older versions of Eraser need to be removed before you install the new one. If you don't have an old version just click Next. 6/8/11 25

26 You will be shown the default loca#on for your program, usually under Program Files in a file folder using the name of the program. You can, of course, change the loca#on using Browse.. 6/8/11 26

27 When you get THIS screen I recommend you remove the checkmark from this box. 6/8/11 27

28 If you don't, the next #me you right click to empty your Recycle, you will have the HUGE contextual menu you see here!! Who wants to see THIS mess every #me! It's up to you. 6/8/11 28

29 As you might have guessed by now, I found out the hard way! The only thing I could do to get rid of the entries in my right- click menu was to uninstall and reinstall the program. Not a difficult job but a real #me- waster. 6/8/11 29

30 Click Next when you're ready 6/8/11 30

31 Eraser offers to put shortcuts in a folder, appropriately named Eraser, on your Start menu for you. You can change the loca#on or name using Browse. Click Next. 6/8/11 31

32 Finally, it's ready for installa#on! Click Install 6/8/11 32

33 and you're off! You'll see the usual progress screen and, at last 6/8/11 33

34 the screen telling you it's finished and ready to run. If you don't want to run it right away, uncheck this box. 6/8/11 34

35 Using Eraser Locate the Eraser program on your Start menu to get the following: 6/8/11 35

36 The first #me I start an applica#on I like to check out the default sexngs or op#ons. They're located under Edit>Preferences. We'll look first at the defaults for General preferences. 6/8/11 36

37 Since I want to see a report when Eraser is done, I lez the default checkmarks alone. 6/8/11 37

38 I see no harm in leaving the Shell Extension op#on checked since being able to right- click to erase a file is handy. 6/8/11 38

39 These two items will then be on your context menu. Much more manageable than the one you'd have goden when you installed the program. 6/8/11 39

40 I tried to find out what (slow) entropy polling is but had no luck. According to posts on the web, this func#on of Eraser has caused problems for some users. 6/8/11 40

41 That may be why it is unchecked by default. It is probably unnecessary for our purposes anyway. 6/8/11 41

42 Clearing of the paging file (aka swap file) is relevant only to Windows NT and /8/11 42

43 The Set Protec5on area allows you to set a password. I don't know what the result of sexng a password would be. I don't think it's necessary for us. 6/8/11 43

44 If you use the task scheduler to erase, be very careful. It does NOT ask you for confirma#on when the task is run so any task you schedule will take place without warning. 6/8/11 44

45 To be safe, I would remove the checkmark from here so the Scheduler does not start at Windows startup. It is enabled by default. 6/8/11 45

46 Next we have the Erasing preferences. LeZ click Edit>Preferences>Erasing to see the default sexngs. I looked at this area out of curiosity and point it out only to show you the level of security afforded by Eraser. 6/8/11 46

47 The default is to overwrite files 35 #mes! That's the security level recommended by the U.S. Department of Defense. 6/8/11 47

48 The unused disk space default is to overwrite just once with random data and should be adequate. Click OK. 6/8/11 48

49 We are returned to the main screen where we have the usual menu items and a few icons which are shortcuts for various menu items. 6/8/11 49

50 To start cleaning out personal files and folders, click File>New Task. 6/8/11 50

51 You can also click the first icon which is the shortcut for File>New Task. 6/8/11 51

52 Task Proper5es opens where you will outline the job you want done. The default is to erase unused space on the drive. 6/8/11 52

53 At this point I would select the Files in folder radio budon then click the dropdown and migrate to a folder and/or folders you want erased. 6/8/11 53

54 If you are disposing of your computer you will probably want to delete all the folders within My Documents. Select it and click OK. 6/8/11 54

55 I would advise placing a checkmark in the Subfolders box. I don't believe Windows will let you remove the My Documents folder. 6/8/11 55

56 Eraser will remove only the folders and subfolders under My Documents leaving the folder itself as is. 6/8/11 56

57 Since this is for a presenta#on I don't really want to delete my files so I created one to work with Test Folder for Eraser. 6/8/11 57

58 Then I copied some other files into it, selected it and clicked OK. 6/8/11 58

59 Now I'll tell Eraser what I want to do when the task is complete. I can opt to do nothing, Restart, Shutdown, or Sleep. 6/8/11 59

60 Since you are cleaning your computer for disposal you probably won't need to select Keep task on the list. 6/8/11 60

61 The task is ready to perform and shows in the window. I have only one task listed. 6/8/11 61

62 If you want to delete several folders from My Documents but not all of them, you can add addi#onal tasks to this list. The addi#onal tasks can be other folders from My Documents or folders from any other area which contains folders YOU created, such as those in My Pictures. Be Careful!! Verify that the task or tasks reflect what you want erased you get no do- over once the task starts. 6/8/11 62

63 If you have a single task, click the icon for Task>Run or click the menu item Task>Run. 6/8/11 63

64 If you have mul#ple tasks you can choose to run them in one opera#on by clicking the menu item Task>Run All. There is no shortcut icon for mul#ples. 6/8/11 64

65 As usual, a warning screen! This is your only chance to back out. Once started you can Stop the opera#on, but anything already done stays done! Click Yes to con#nue. 6/8/11 65

66 A progress screen will keep you informed. Be pa#ent if you have a lot of folders and/ or files to erase! 6/8/11 66

67 When Eraser is done you'll be offered a chance to save the report. Saving it is unnecessary if you're disposing of the computer. 6/8/11 67

68 Be sure to remove any sozware you purchased for your own use from your old computer using the sozware's uninstaller (if any), or the Add/Remove Programs feature in the control panel. This is par#cularly important for registered sozware. You may or may not be able to use it on the new computer but you won't know that un#l you try it. 6/8/11 68

69 You can now do what you want with your old computer, secure in the knowledge that only the most dedicated of hackers could ever recover any of your data. It is unlikely that a hacker would be that interested in OUR informa#on, but if you are really paranoid your only alterna#ve is to completely reformat the drive, erasing everything, or to destroy the hard disk! 6/8/11 69

70 Happy Compu#ng! 6/8/11 70

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