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peterr

New Member
Hello Win 7 x 64, i5, 6 GB ram,
Thank you for having me on your forum. Eraser has been highly recommended.
I was looking at some posts and one asked about 64 bit but I did not see the reply.
I am exchanging my machine with a new from a company and would like to do more than format.
My skill level is only fair as I am in my 70's but willing to give it a shot.
If Eraser can erase my hard drive, could you please get me started. I ask becase I do not know where to download to, and how to create the cd-r I need.
I think I do not unzip the download and I let this download choose the directory it will reside in.
Then probably follow the prompt to either burn a cd-r or a flashdrive. From there I would probably follow prompts from the program on the removable media to erase the pc or C: as I only have one partition along with a recovery one and a utility one.
I look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your patience. Let us hope I have done this right in checking the box below.
Thank you
Peter
 
Eraser works natively with 64 and 32 bit Windows. The relevant version is automatically installed from the common install file.

I recommend that you install the current stable release (6.0.8 ), and that you read the FAQ topic "Getting to know Eraser 6", which answers most of the basic questions. But please don't do that until you have answered my questions below.

As Eraser works with Windows, it cannot fully erase the hard drive on which Windows is installed. For that, you would need a utility such as DBAN (for which there is a companion forum), but I hesitate to recommend that in your case, because DBAN has nor been updated for some years and does not work on some systems.

If you can give me an idea of what kind of machine you are part-exchanging (laptop? desktop? how old?), I can offer advice as to the easiest way of making it safe to part with.

David
 
Hello David
I have a Dell XPS 8100 Win 7 and after a lengthy chronology of problems and field techs, I am receiving a new Studio XPS 8300 as the 8100 is no longer made.
There was a chronic problem with video which Dell techs could not solve so the new machine will have an Nvidea card in lieu of an ATI card.
Like most people, I would like to send a blank pc back.
I could format but that is not really a safe alternative.
It is going back soon therefore have to come to some resolve sooner than later.
Peter
 
Yes, DBAN would be the correct tool, but that would require some tweaking and hacking on your part, as it doesn't work too well with newer computers.

Alternatively, you can format and reinstall Windows, and run a Free Space erase on the new-clean Windows drive. That is not a perfect solution, but it should be sufficiently clean for most (the necessary "cleanliness" would be determined by yourself)
 
As it is a branded machine, there may well be a utility to restore it to factory condition. If there is, you could use that (it will format the drive), then (as Joel says) use the Eraser free space erase to make your machine safe. I agree with Joel that this is not 100% solution, but it comes pretty close, and I recall that people have reported issues with DBAN on Dell machines.

David
 
Hello
You all have been so patient and courteous n my first encounter.
I can't thank you enough.
I will run the factory settings tool and the free space cleaner and modify and paswords or sensitive data.
Do you actualy sekect "free space" in Ccleaner or Revo. I notice there is the hoice of putting C: in the box to delete.
It is tempting but I am leery without corrorboration.
Thank you all,
Peter
 
With the procedure Joel and I have recommended, there is little point in using a tool such as CCleaner (useful though it it is for daily use) when you are restoring the machine to factory condition.

The CCleaner free space wiping tool is interesting (not least because it works rather quickly), but it is not as far as I know documented, and so it is impossible to form a view as to how effective it is. Personally, I would not include a free space erase in a routine CCleaner run. I do use CCleaner with the single pass wipe option for erasing computer clutter, but I use Eraser for free space erasing, because I know what that does, and also because it gives me more options.

David
 
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