I have to return a computer. How do I scrub it?

[iemanja]

The irritating one drive, without my permission, decided to download all kinds of work files AND MY TAX RETURNS onto this new computer. I unlinked onedrive from the computer, but it didn't remove the files. How do I make sure everything is deleted permanently?

I'm returning the computer because it is defective.

[Timewas]

1. format the hard drive

Or if it came with a renewal disk or partition then take it back to original, formatting will erase it all

[iemanja]

2. No disc

How do I format the hard drive?

[Timewas]

3. Do you have a disk

For any windows OS you can use that in the dvd drive

If is not a windows computer then I don't know


Or if you have a friend that can loan you any windows installation disk then just do a new install with that

[iemanja]

5. There is no DVD drive

Most computers don't have them anymore. It is a windows computer.

[TheBlackAdder]

23. 2 things I do. Either remove it and smash it with a hammer or get East-Tec Eraser and do a DoD+ wipe

[sl8]

4. There are quite a free few diskwipe programs out there.

I always used to use DBAN on PCs before they left our facility, but that's going back a few years. Still available, though.

Here are three programs that MajorGeeks recommends:
https://m.majorgeeks.com/content/page/3_apps_to_wipe_your_hard_drive.html

[iemanja]

6. Thank you

I'll check that out.

[iemanja]

7. Question

I don't what to destroy everything because what was on the computer when I bought it needs to be there. I just want to delete my files. Do you think the second option in the article you linked will do that?

[moniss]

10. Wherever you bought it

should not give you grief if you return it fully wiped because it is a defective machine anyway and they will send it to wherever it came from/fix it themselves and will have to reinstall the OS anyway.

[sl8]

21. I'm not positive, but I doubt it.

Sorry I'm late, I didn't notice your reply.

Those wipe programs looks like they work on a lower level then the filesystem, which would mean that everything goes.

You may want to search for secure erase program instead of the diskwipe programs. I've used CCleaner (free) on my PCs and was happy with it. I hesitate to vouch for it unconditionally, but I think it will do what you want.

[padfun]

8. Delete all of the files in the following three Folders

Dont remove the Folders, just the files in there

Documents
Downloads
Desktop (Do it from the file folder window, not actually from the desktop. That way, the original shortcuts will still be there)


This wont completely make it to the original state and there will still be some hidden files as well as registry entries, but it would take a computer person to find them and if they are that good, they would know how to undelete anyway.

The real two best ways are listed above. Format the Drive but that clears everything. Or run the original install from the disk.

There is one other way but you need to press F12 at the splash screen and follow prompts to recover the disk. The original install will go on at that recovery.

[iemanja]

9. 0K, TY

[intrepidity]

11. Boot into command prompt

Then format c:/

[getagrip_already]

12. Formatting doesn't do much.. data can easily be recovered...

You want a method to write over each block of storage several times.

There are utilities out there to do it. But formatting wont really erase data.

[iemanja]

13. After I deleted all the files from file manager

and got a prompt saying they would not going into the recycle bin because they were web only---after I did that, I saw an option to shred the folder using McAfee. Do you think that will do it?

[getagrip_already]

20. Not familiar with the tool, but

Shredding sounds like a term I would expect.

[iemanja]

14. I reread the return policy

They make not take it back because it says you have to return the defective item within the return window, which is 15 days. This is Best Buy. They have a holiday return policy, but you need a gift receipt. I'll find out tomorrow how they'll handle this.

[iemanja]

22. They let me return it for a full refund

absolutely no problems, so that was good. I used the McAffee shredder that says it permanently deletes files.

[IbogaProject]

15. New computers have a recovery partition

It has the installer as part of it.
ways-to-boot-into-the-windows-recovery-environment

And there is a similar one on Mac. The mac one is more straightforward.

https://archive.vn/Pf6QT

[iemanja]

16. Your link is dead

Could you find the correct one, please?

[IbogaProject]

17. I tried making it a formal link

It's opening for me.

I got it off of DuckDuckGo and searching for
how to boot into windows recovery partition

I've read makeuseof so I know it's an OK site.

[iemanja]

18. Something is strange

Because I googled the Make Use Of site and even the link to it is dead. Very weird. It happens in both Chrome and Edge. Thanks though. I'll try it again tomorrow.

[IbogaProject]

19. Your DNS might be messing up

Hopefully it is fine tomorrow.

Here is an archive of that page, weird to have to pull an archive on a totally free site.

https://archive.vn/Pf6QT

[TdeV]

24. Eraser

https://eraser.heidi.ie/