Can Eraser clean everything but the Operating System

T

top7

New Member
I have two old computers I wish to sell (a common thing I am sure), but I don't want to let the hard drives go until they are safe/secure. However, to sell the computer, prospects want to see it operate. I don't want to completely wipe the hard drive, which I am told Eraser can do, and then have to reinstall the operating system and all the drivers, expecially since I don't know how to do that.

Question 1: Is there a way to wipe out everything in one fell swoop (files, cookies, software, all the other programs I have installed over the years, data, etc.) without affecting the operating system and the drivers so the computer will still work?

If this is possible, I would appreciate the instructions to accomplish this, or at least point me to the options within Eraser.
 
Go through your documents folder and delete everything you don’t want to leave there. Uninstall all programs that you wish to remove etc through windows add and remove software.

Remove passwords from automated password options such as firefox.

Remove e-mail accounts from Thunderbird / Outlook etc.

Delete any dial up accounts.

Install and run Ccleaner with all options enabled.

Install and run Eraser to clean free space.

This should pretty much have you covered but it would be better to DBAN your disk and reinstall.
 
Thanks! I have already run the clean free space, but was afraid it wasn't getting all the areas that I needed. Any you brought up a few of those in your reply. I did the add/remove, deleted files, etc., but didn't delete email accounts or run a cache cleaner (I assume that's what Ccleaner is).

If I understand this correctly, and this was part of my original issue, once the program/file has been removed or deleted, the eraser will overwrite it because it sees it as being "free space" once deleted??? The remaining programs and OS will remain.

Sounds like DBAN is the best option, but I have never installed an OS. Never been through partitioning, formatting, and installing windows. Just seems a little intimidating.

Maybe I'll get brave with the oldest system and use it as a learning tool.
Thanks again!
 
If I understand this correctly, and this was part of my original issue, once the program/file has been removed or deleted, the eraser will overwrite it because it sees it as being "free space" once deleted??? The remaining programs and OS will remain.
Click to expand...

Yes that’s right. :)
 
Yep, DBAN is the best and safest option.

Joel
 
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