Preparing Laptop for Sale

[DaveyB]

I am hoping to sell a Toshiba Laptop, more than likely it will be to someone I dont know, I want to know what is the best way to remove any personal info and software from the Laptop before I send it?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Take out the hard disk and replace it with a new one

Or alternatively download the Ultimate Boot Disk, burn a CD from the ISO then use one of the free disk software titles to write a string of zero's to the disk.

A very determined individual may still be able to recover data from a disk so treated but they would have to use a specialist company which would cost them lots of money so it's unlikely.

 

[DaveyB]

I`m sorry but that just went completely over my head, i`m a complete novice.
I only have the laptop which is a DVD rom drive, unable to burn discs, also I have only used it for going online and a couple of games, I just want to make sure that none of my personal data from online is still on there.

 

[muckshifter]

Use the original recovery disk and reset the laptop to factory default.

 

[DaveyB]

OK thanks, I was worried this would not delete my information? So by doing this it will remove any programs and data that was not present when the machine left the factory?

 

[muckshifter]

OK thanks ... So by doing this it will remove any programs and data that was not present when the machine left the factory?

Yes, it should indeed.

It should "warn" you that all data will be lost, do you want to continue ...