LFX64

Ahh I did DoD short, so I'm good. Took about 8 and a half hours. I suppose my PC is ready for selling I'll be sure to post back here in this thread if I have any other concerns, but as of now, thanks for everyones help.

So basically it's secure enough for everybody except the NSA and FBI and shiz like that? No user equipment could recover my credit details? If that be the case, then I'll be happy to sell my PC knowing it is safe and secure from little thief-o'z

No I have it working. Many people run into problems because of media card readers. Since the ASUS Crosshair III Formula ROG board doesn't have the ability to just turn it off, I had to take the side panel of my Antec 1200 off and unplug the media card reader from the board. Since I did this, DBAN works fine. However I do have an issue whereby if I do standard DoD it says it'll take like 16 hours. I cancelled it and ran DoD Short. Will 3 pass be good enough to cover personal details, bank details, etc? Assuming someone who buys the computer intends to snoop around with the intention of finding stuff? It's been overwriting for about 4 hours already and it has about 4 to go with DoD Short (3 pass). My security and details are important to me. I'm at 50%, but should I re-run it again by resetting the PC and rebooting to the disc and then running DoD 7 passes, or again... is 3 passes good enough to leave my personal and financial details unrecoverable? Currently messaging from a super ancient system lol

OK. I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the fact that this so called awesome software that gets rid of your data on your HDD, is in actual fact, a piece of s**t. Entropy: Linux blah blah... errr, no it isn't. It's Windows, so stop going to /dev/sdd and failing all the time. Someone please give me a hand here. Seriously, I would like to sell my computer this century. It was written to the disc correctly, are there any ways to erase my HDD which are relatively simple?

Help? lol

The first disc I made I did with Windows burner, which failed. I also read up on that. The 2nd disc I created which booted, was written down with ImgBurn. I held F8 at start up, booted from the disc drive and selected the algorithms for secure file deletion, had everything set up, hit F10 and it tried to start from /dev/sda1, which I know full well is a Linux route to the HDD, even though I have little experience of how it all works. I have no issues and the bios for this motherboard is great, I have no boot issues other than the fact that DBAN treats my PC as Linux.

Well once it's erased, the only time I'll turn it on is when I check to see if the fans are OK prior to selling. The OS will be gone. I won't bother selling Vista OEM and Windows 7 OEM with it because the people might end up having to call Microsoft for a new serial and end up having to pay. I don't want to risk that. They can get new OEM software for the computer (motherboard) anyway for about ?70, which isn't all too expensive, or, if they wish, they can try out Linux. 7 passes on a 500GB HDD? Damn, that'll take ages. So DoD instead of DoD Short? Why is DBAN saying my computer is Linux? I assume I have the Linux ISO on the disc? Is there a seperate version for Windows? I'd like to get the secure erasing under way as soon as I can. Thanks

OK slight problem. Darin's Boot And Nuke seems to think I'm running Linux. Yep. Loads "LinuxISO" and then tries to start at /dev/sda and fails. I figured by getting the latest software at the website, it'd of pointed out to me if it was a Linux version that I was downloading, but no... it just said, blah blah blah, this is the latest version. Didn't say anything about Windows or Linux. Is there a Windows specific version or could someone point out to me which of the previous versions is a good one? I'd rather spend more time burning failed CD-R's. Also, is 3 passes secure enough for some evil prying bastard eyes who may have thoughts about scanning the HDD after I sell it to them? lol Thanks

OK Thanks.

What should I do? I need to erase my HDD in like a week? Thx

I suppose that is all I will have to do then. Just tell them what's what with the PC and what the deal is with the OS and hope I get a good price. PC monitor goes with it, as well as speakers, keyboard, mouse etc. The mobo and memory are good, so hopefully I get a decent amount for it. So if I was to totally erase (securely ) my entire HDD, what would I go about doing, right now? Instructions? I've done plenty of shopping on here and I've checked my online bank statements many many times. I know, chances are they wouldn't get hold of it, but of course I don't want to take chances, nor share family stuff, personal contacts, etc etc blah blah blah Thanks folks.

I figured, because it's the same PC and the OS is bound to the motherboard, since I'm selling the motherboard why can't the OS, which is bound to it, go along with it - both Vista and Windows 7 HP 64 bit. My concern here though is that because I've installed Vista once and Windows 7 5 times (yep, 5 times), just for the sake of starting fresh, that they will end up having to call MS and then MS might call them up on it not originally being their PC. If I do sell it with the OS being apart of it, well... damn, I just sold them thin air? I don't want to be one of those guys, yano? I don't rip people off. My only other option of course is to sell the PC without the OS, but then the value drops or it's harder to sell. I keep my passwords encrypted on KeePass. Installed on my computer at the moment, but I always drop it on a flash drive if I'm changing OS/Computer or doing a fresh install.

Read back. I said could I sell this system with the OS? The OEM is system builders software, so it is specifically for this system. Everything except the motherboard can be changed, but since I'm selling the computer with the same stuff - motherboard included - I figured is there a chance I can sell Windows Vista and Windows 7 with it? If so, would it actually be tied with my name on the computer? Could I sell a completely formatted computer, Windows Vista and Widndows 7 and have that person install either (or both) and connect to the internet (same motherboard remember) and have their PC registered as Miss Molobollybolbolz or Captain Zanzibar and it be all peachy? I don't want to do that and then if they have issues something my name and details come up for whatever reason should they need to contact MS or something? I know, it'd be increasingly difficult to sell my computer without the OS, hence my asking. Edit. This PC, of the parts I picked, came with no Bloatware and genuine Windows discs, it did not have any naff stuff on it or dodgy recovery CDs or partitions. I do not intend to use the Windows Vista or Windows 7 discs I got with that system, on a future PC or Notebook. The Notebook I am currently looking at getting (most probably) does indeed have Windows 7 Home Premium but relies on a recovery partition. Once I delete the bloatware, I'll be making a recovery DVD myself. This is why I ask whether or not I could sell my computer with the OS's (both Vista and the uprade DVD for Windows 7) with the system, so long as it isn't tied to me, name/address etc in any way, an is only tied by that specific motherboard serial number. Thanks.

I know it's been a week since my reply, but I'm pretty close to choosing my Notebook, therefore I'll need to erase (securely) absolutely everything on the HDD, so it's secure and safe enough to sell to somebody else. How would I go about securely erasing a 465GB HDD (7,200rpm)? I've come across DBAN before but I've never used it. I do have an OEM copy of Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, which came with this system. Which brings me to another point - could I sell this PC with the OEM Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit software? Or will it be specifically tied my name as the person on the computer? Because it's the same system, same motherboard, etc, otherwise I'll just have to throw away Vista (which I used for 2 months - also OEM) and Windows 7 itself. - (if I can, should I sell both Vista and Win 7, or bin Vista?) Thanks folks.

Within the next 4-5-6 months, some time around then, perhaps sooner (a few weeks even), I will be getting a Laptop, due to uncertainties of where I will be living and on how frequently I'll be moving around. For this reason, I cannot take a 30+ kg PC with an Antec 1200 case - which is massive - around with me, nor can I take a 20" 5 kg screen, a set of desktop speakers, a seperate keyboard, mouse and a desk itself. I need a more portable solution. A notebook! I've decided that my only option of getting a notebook would be to sell all of the above and get a laptop. However I am unsure about how I'd go about completely overwriting the data written on HDD. I know you can select Drive Wiper > Drive > EVERYTHING > x-passes > - But how would it do that if it deletes Windows in the process. Does it even get rid of Windows in the process? Of course any previous important information I've had on my drive must be unrecoverable. If it isn't, that's no good. Really I'd like to get a laptop sooner rather than later, so I'd very much appreciate the help, so I can get this underway as soon as possible. Thanks

I've used multiquote before on other forums and I did as you guys said the other day... hit multiquote on each post, then add reply at the botton, yet it only took the first multi-quote I clicked on. No... I had AVI files, I deleted them, checked the HDD space after emptying the recycle bin (without using CCleaner Secure File deletion, because I'm fully aware it knackers out your HDD quicker), an upon checking the HDD space, it remained the same size as if the files were there. After running CCleaner over an apprently EMPTY recycle bin (yes this happens from time to time) I saw it doing the file deletion over the deleted AVI files which were initially removed (deleted / MFT wise) from the recycle bin. I need to know my HDD space, it's no use if it starts saying I have X amount when I don't. FX

Again. I can't figure out how to use Multiquote. :S To the guy who said it'll wear my HDD out quicker. I know it will. But I dislike simply removing it from the file table only for my HDD to read that a BIG ass chunk has gone missing if I don't do secure file deletion. Yep you heard that correctly. A few times I've just emptied the recycle bin Via Windows 7 64 which I prefer to do with such large video files. Once done, I checked my HDD and it read a massive chunk was still missing. This is why I kept doing it. I understand and I already new that once you delete something via Windows it is still there but it's removed from the file table, as if gone, so data can be written over it. I just dislike it reading my HDD as if a chunk is still missing. I know a single pass or three passes or even gutmann wouldn't give me more space (or security for that matter) but again, when I looked at my HDD the other day, I should of had 309GB, only to see I had like 280GB. Wasn't pleased. Checked recycle bin... was empty. Ran a pass over the data, rechecked. 309GB. Perhaps I was over-tired? Likely, I probably mis-read something.

I can't seem to figure out how to use Multiquote properly, but not to worry. Super Fast, I use the most recent version of CCleaner, but I no longer use Defraggler. Sadly with Defraggler large sized fragments, including very large fragments (20+GB), are not reduced or cleared entirely, as well as huge chunks of extra file space being taken up. I got into using Smart Defrag because I tested various Defraggers in 2009, when I got this system. Windows defragmenter, was poor, as was to be expected but because I was using Xfire and recording many AVI video files throughout the day, fragments were huge on my HDD. It slipped my mind about fragmentation until I got my usual Defraggler (used to use it all the time by the way) and after about 12 hours cleaning of a 80gig fragment (yes you heard lol) about 25.5g refused to clear. After re-running Defraggler, the same chunk of data refused to clear. I used Smart Defrag since then and it manages to get rid of pretty much everything, as well as having file placement on the disc. I also find it to be very fast. I normally defrag multiple times within 1-2 week periods but with it being a new system, much more poewrful than anything I'd ever had, I was too busy enjoying the possibilities it offered. In an ideal world, I'd have Piriform for all my maintenance needs. About CCleaner. I had no idea such a feature existed. I suppose because new parameters must be set, I'd of never known it was a feature. Wouldn't mind it being in options but at least I know it is there. Thanks I have Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium OEM with SP1 AMD Phenom II X4 955BE 3.2Ghz AM3 Quad Core CPU 4GB of Corsair Dominator 1600Mhz DDR3 at 1333Mhz as of yesterday because PCSpecialist are crooks and sold me 1600Mhz DDR3 Memory which causes instability because a Phenom II X4 doesn't like 1600Mhz memory, thus the system freezes when resuming from Stand-by when using AMD Cool n' Quiet. (Yes I have AMDs word on it. I will be nagging PCSpecialist and contacting Trading Standards) Got some info here before I went to bed last night... 22,950MB took 2260.196 (38 Minutes) to clean using DOD 3 Pass Secure File Deletion. (More AVIs I had to convert and put on Youtube ) Thanks again folks!

Hi. I'm new here at the Piriform forums, so before I get started I would just like to say I have been using Ccleaner for years. I love it, it's a great little tool and it's not heavy on resources. I even use it on some old PCs! I love it's layout and I hope it doesn't change too much over the next few years. To my idea! Recently, I've purchased FRAPS and I now do a lot of AVI file joining with VirtualDub and various video conversions using HandBrake. I require overwriting (freeing) my precious space after the original source video files are gone. FRAPS source files are HUGE. A few minutes at half-sized capture at 50fps generates 4GB chunks per every 4 to 4 1/2 minute videos. I always like to overwrite these files, but I dislike doing it before I start converting other videos or decide upon playing a PC game. Waiting to overwrite with a single pass, or 3 pass secure file deletion over a 20GB pile, including other random files, such as browsing, system files, other various stored information, takes a fairly long while to overwrite. 20-30 minutes perhaps. This is why I felt compelled to register. I would never like to see auto-clean by the way, I think it'd be a bit of mistake having that, but I think it's best if there was an option which you could use (easy to access, outside of options) that you could set to clean your system and then once the overwriting was done, would safely shut down Windows. This idea would be so useful to me. My current defragger/file optimiser does it. It's always nice to delete the files at the end of the day, but instead of waiting or allowing the system to go into stand-by, just going to bed and let it take care of it for you. That reminds me, if cleaning takes too long on my system, my PC does go into stand-by. My defragger also does this. They do not appear to prevent it. I don't use Defraggler unfortunately, since it causes more fragmentation than it clears, an it doesn't have file placement optimisation. But I do use Speccy Thanks for taking the time to read this. Peace L