I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive and

reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and sp2?

Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

"Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:5BF4EADA-B3FE-4A7E-A6D4-B08D641172EA@microsoft.com...

>I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

> transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

> anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

> including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive

> and

> reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and

> sp2?

> Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

What I would do is format the drive. I would not install anything on the

drive; that is a job for the new owner.

Jim

Thanks for the suggestion, that thought had crossed my mind! But I figured it

would add value with xp sp2 already installed and running, especially for the

non computer savvy buyer.

You need to do a thorough, secure erasure of the disk first. Formatting may

still leave some of your personal information accessable. There are

numerous news reports and studies of the kinds of information that can be

gleaned from second hand disks, even after formatting and reinstalling base

software.

 

Here's a new player in the game, with good credentials:

http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/Hughes/subpgset.htm (Disk Drive Secure Erase link on

the left side)

 

After that, I would reinstall XP, use a generic user name, and get it fully

updated with SP2 and current updates. As you suggest, that makes it more

appealing to someone wanting to use it immediately.

 

Val

 

 

"Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:5BF4EADA-B3FE-4A7E-A6D4-B08D641172EA@microsoft.com...

>I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

> transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

> anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

> including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive

> and

> reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and

> sp2?

> Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

I disagree with Jim for a couple of reasons. First, with no system

installed, how do you demonstrate that the computer works? I also think it

is a good selling point to say that there is a fresh system install with all

updates. Second, just formatting the drive is totally inadequate

protection.

 

After the system and updates are installed, defrag the hard drive. Then use

software to overwrite the "blank" space on the drive that still contains

data that can be retrieved with inexpensive software. Here's a freebie:

Eraser: http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

 

--

Regards

 

Ron Badour

MS MVP 1997 - 2007

 

 

"Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:8F0A8A06-EE1D-4809-A672-68C842E781AB@microsoft.com...

> Thanks for the suggestion, that thought had crossed my mind! But I figured

> it

> would add value with xp sp2 already installed and running, especially for

> the

> non computer savvy buyer.

To add to others, after wiping the disk and installing XP w/all updates, gather up

all of the documents and disks that were provided with the machine to transfer over

with the sale.

 

--

 

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }

Conflicts start where information lacks.

http://basconotw.mvps.org/

 

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

 

"Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:5BF4EADA-B3FE-4A7E-A6D4-B08D641172EA@microsoft.com...

>I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

> transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

> anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

> including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive and

> reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and sp2?

> Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

"Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:5BF4EADA-B3FE-4A7E-A6D4-B08D641172EA@microsoft.com...

>I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

> transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

> anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

> including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive

> and

> reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and

> sp2?

> Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

 

If identity or data theft is of any concern to you, formatting is nowhere

near sufficient, and inappropriate.

 

Removing and recreating the partitions and formatting repeatedly will still

leave data that can be recovered by the determined.

 

The *only* way to be sure you have prevented others from getting this

information is to deny them physical access.

 

Better to spend the $50 to get a new 80-gig drive and install XP to that,

and keep the old drive. You can either use it for reference, for extra

space or physically destroy it to the point where the platters are

shattered.

 

The security from this approach is easily worth the price of the drive, and

you will probably be done faster than with using wipe utilities (which may

cost a significant percentage of the price of the drive).

 

If you plan to sell a functioning system, install the new drive, install XP,

and then motherboard drivers, and then basic device drivers. Then activate

Windows, and then install SP2, and all updates. You will have to verify

the Windows install to do the IE7 update.

 

There is no point whatsoever in installing SP1, as it's covered by SP2.

 

This is fairly painless if you have a highspeed internet connection.

Download SP2 as one file from here, perhaps burn it to CD and install it

offline:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

It's 266 meg but I have found this method to be faster and more reliable

than the online installation.

 

Don't install any apps from this point; just create a bare, functioning,

up-to-date Windows install. The only thing you might want to install for

the purchaser is something like AVG Free anti-virus.

 

HTH

-pk

On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 01:30:07 -0400, "Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null>

wrote:

> "Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:5BF4EADA-B3FE-4A7E-A6D4-B08D641172EA@microsoft.com...

> >I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

> > transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

> > anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

> > including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive

> > and

> > reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and

> > sp2?

> > Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

 

> There is no point whatsoever in installing SP1, as it's covered by SP2.

>

> This is fairly painless if you have a highspeed internet connection.

> Download SP2 as one file from here, perhaps burn it to CD and install it

> offline:

> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

>

> It's 266 meg but I have found this method to be faster and more reliable

> than the online installation.

>

> Don't install any apps from this point; just create a bare, functioning,

> up-to-date Windows install. The only thing you might want to install for

> the purchaser is something like AVG Free anti-virus.

 

 

Personally, I wouldn't go to any extra trouble to install any updates,

anti-virus, etc. (unless a buyer requested that you do so). I think

all you should do is have Windows installed for the purpose of

demonstrating that the computer works (as Ron Badour pointed out). If

you sell the computer to anyone who knows what he's doing, the first

thing he will do with it is reinstall Windows anyway. That's what I

would do if I bought it. I would have no confidence that the previous

owner had installed it correctly, and I'd want to redo it myself to be

sure.

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

> On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 01:30:07 -0400, "Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null>

> wrote:

>

>> "Brian K" <BrianK@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:5BF4EADA-B3FE-4A7E-A6D4-B08D641172EA@microsoft.com...

>>> I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have

>>> already

>>> transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer

>>> with xp

>>> anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove

>>> everything,

>>> including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the

>>> drive

>>> and

>>> reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1

>>> and

>>> sp2?

>>> Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

>

>

>> There is no point whatsoever in installing SP1, as it's covered by

>> SP2.

>>

>> This is fairly painless if you have a highspeed internet connection.

>> Download SP2 as one file from here, perhaps burn it to CD and

>> install it

>> offline:

>>

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

>>

>> It's 266 meg but I have found this method to be faster and more

>> reliable

>> than the online installation.

>>

>> Don't install any apps from this point; just create a bare,

>> functioning,

>> up-to-date Windows install. The only thing you might want to

>> install for

>> the purchaser is something like AVG Free anti-virus.

>

>

> Personally, I wouldn't go to any extra trouble to install any updates,

> anti-virus, etc. (unless a buyer requested that you do so). I think

> all you should do is have Windows installed for the purpose of

> demonstrating that the computer works (as Ron Badour pointed out). If

> you sell the computer to anyone who knows what he's doing, the first

> thing he will do with it is reinstall Windows anyway. That's what I

> would do if I bought it. I would have no confidence that the previous

> owner had installed it correctly, and I'd want to redo it myself to be

> sure.

 

Excellent advice.

 

I suppose the exception would be to do the extra leg work if and only if

the PC is being given to a close friend or family member who knows you

are handy with computers (and this would be done as a recognized

courtesy). Otherwise, I agree with Ken: just perform a basic install.

Brian K wrote:

> I recently purchased a new computer with vista, and since I have already

> transfered all my files and settings I don't need the old compuer with xp

> anymore. I'm thinking of selling it, but i want to remove everything,

> including personal files, programs, data, etc. Should I format the drive and

> reinstall xp, or is that too drastic? Also, should I reinstall sp1 and sp2?

> Thanks for any advice, suggestions!

 

 

 

To protect your personal information and data from any future users

of average skills, you should, at the very least, format the hard drive.

You can do this using the original Installation CD. Simply boot from

the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the opportunity to delete,

create, and format partitions as part of the installation process. (You

may need to re-arrange the order of boot devices in the PC's BIOS to

boot from the CD.)

 

HOW TO Install Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;316941

 

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

 

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

If you wish to do a more thorough job of protecting your personal

data, WipeDrive

(http://www.whitecanyon.com/wipedrive-erase-hard-drive.php) meets U.S.

DoD standards for securely cleaning surplus unclassified hard drives,

and could be used before formatting and reinstalling the OS and

applications.

 

 

--

 

Bruce Chambers

 

Help us help you:

http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary

safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

 

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

Thanks guys for all your help and advice. I'm pretty clear now on what i need

to do and how to go about it. Thanks again!

 

You guys seem very knowledgible, perhaps you can help me with another

problem I have posted in the msn discussion thread:

MSN and WMP 11, trouble streaming videos 6/18/2007 7:18 PM PST

 

Thanks! ;-)