Wiping files from an old Windows computer

[DrClaude]

TL;DR Summary

How does one wipe personal files from an old Windows Vista computer?

I have an old laptop running Windows Vista Home Basic that I will give away/throw out. Before doing this, I would like to wipe it clean from all personal files and data. Searching the Internet, I have found many sets of instructions on how to do it, but it seems that none apply to my particular setup (there is always a step where I go "but I don't have that option on my computer").

Can anyone help me (short of thrashing the hard drive)?

Note that the computer does not have a CD drive, and anyway I don't have any Windows CDs (the computer was bought second-hand).

 

[Wrichik Basu]

If you can load a live Ubuntu USB, you can use scrub as mentioned in this article:
https://linuxhint.com/completely_wipe_hard_drive_ubuntu/

 

[Vanadium 50]

To be clear: you want to keep Windows on the machine, but remove all applications and all data. Right?

 

[DrClaude]

To be clear: you want to keep Windows on the machine, but remove all applications and all data. Right?

Ideally, yes.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Ideally, yes.

In that case, my system won't work. However, since the hardware is old, and Windows Vista is long out of security updates, you can consider scrubbing the hard drive fully and then install Lubuntu or Linux Mint, one that can run on older machines.

 

[pbuk]

Ideally, yes.

Ideally, no. A third hand laptop running Vista is a gift with negative value. If you really want to give it away do this:

since the hardware is old, and Windows Vista is long out of security updates, you can consider scrubbing the hard drive fully and then install Lubuntu or Linux Mint, one that can run on older machines.

 

[DrClaude]

I think I will try for a scrub. Thanks to all of you for your help.

 

[hutchphd]

If you are throwing it out, a three pound sledge hammer would do the job in about 17 seconds. Of course the FAA airplane "black box" guys might still be able to read your altitude and rate of descent

 

[FactChecker]

If you are throwing it out, a three pound sledge hammer would do the job in about 17 seconds.

Those drives are really tough! I recommend using a pick. It will still take significant effort. That being said, using software to wipe out a large drive takes hours, so it is still a lot faster to physically destroy it.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm not going to argue that you want the wrong thing. Maybe it's a gift for you mother-in-law. I'm actually impressed that after 15 or so years the laptop is still working. I guess those newfangled dual core CPUs last a good long time.

The basic strategy is to erase the disk and reinstall. If you have a recovery partition (and the laptop's manual will tell you) this is simple. Press Alt+F10 (or whatever it is for your system) during boot and follow the prompts. Alternatively, if you can boot from USB use Rufus or something similar on your desktop to copy your Vista install disk to a USB stick, and boot the laptop from the stick and reinstall. selecting the option of formatting the drive before reinstalling.

In both cases you will likely need your Windows serial number - it is on the COA.

I would do multiple dry runs before actually writing anything to disk.

 

[sophiecentaur]

The magnets in the HD are useful. They'd make a more useful gift than the Laptop.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Some other comments:

You should download and apply the Vista service pack as soon as you can once you reinstall.

This process will work your 15 year old hard drive harder than it's been worked in years. (True pretty much any way you go about this). The odds of this surviving are good - maybe 80 or 90% - but not 100%.. It is unlikely this will break your drive but it may let you discover that the drive broke years ago but you never used that broken area.

I don;t know the specs of this laptop, but after 15 years even most chromebooks will blow it away. When you plug the USB stick in, it will double the value of the laptop.

 

[Tom.G]

The magnets in the HD are useful. They'd make a more useful gift than the Laptop.

Sure are... it's just that it takes a few uncommon screwdrivers to get to them. They are refrigerator magnets here, but be careful as they raise blood-blisters on you fingers if you get between them.

 

[Rive]

When you plug the USB stick in, it will double the value of the laptop.

Sad but true.
Though I keep some old laptops at home as reference for old software. But even with some lightweight Linux they can't really deal with even common internet things :(

For these references I usually get an SSD, and (if possible for cheap... I mean: free) some more RAM, and then a clean OS... In this case it would be an XP (or: win7, if requirements fits).
Then it would get a nice box on the shelves, and a yearly checkup.

 

[DrClaude]

I finally decided to go with destroying the hard drive. It was easier to remove than I had thought.

Thanks again to all. I will now close this thread.