How can I clean all my activity before selling my laptop?

[AlexWindows88]

Good afternoon! if you want, you can answer me in Russian language because I am not fluent in English.

I am planning to sell my laptop in a future, and interested of your recommendations for cleaning all my activity with HDD empty space cleaning. I saw here 

3 steps a user my to do before selling a PC: 1 - to transfer important documents (and of course to exit for example from Google account and delete Password manager from browser addon), 2 - Clean user's activity and 3 - HDD wiping.

And 2nd and 3rd steps are important for me. The problem is my Comodo block Auslogic Boost Speed downloading, so I am interested in CCleaner. As I understand, I must to choose Custom Clean and check all point in two tabs (Windows and Applications) 

And if I also check Wipe Free Space point, the program automatically will begin to wipe HDD?  

But, before pushing Analyze, I also must to come to Options - Settings. choose Custom Clean, choose 7 passes for HDD wiping, and mark points: Wipe Alternate, Wipe Clusters ad Wipe MFT? 

And only after this, at the end, I can back to Custom Clean and push Analyze?

HDD wiping takes very much time, is it will be good if I can turn off the laptop to Hybernation mode (and don't cancel wiping) and continue to wipe next time?

 

And I also want to offer an ides to developers - add a possibility to delete links unrecoverabely in Recent folder C:\Users\Username\appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows\recent  - here is the problem what no one wiping program makes deletion in this folder, this folder keeps links to files in another mode as I understand, and remember last 10 openings for every file format (for example a user need to open 10 several documents, also 10 folders and 10 .pdf files and this will give a possibility to owerwrite past objects which names will not be shown by Recuva deep scan).

And, can you, developers, create an instruction/option which will be called for example "Clean activities before selling a device" for CCleaner where will be also explained what links in hidden Recent folder also will be owerwritten with their names deletion?

Thank you!

Edited September 27, 2019 by AlexWindows88

[Andavari]

I wouldn't go through all that.

Guaranteed approach (but it will cost you some money (better than someone restoring your files):
Buy a brand new small 120GB or 128GB budget priced SSD like a Kingston A400 SSD, Adata Ultimate SU800 SSD, etc., they are dirt cheap. Then install Windows onto it, and you're done. Keep the original disk drive that was in the computer for yourself. Let the buyer of the computer upgrade to a bigger disk drive if they wish. A fast booting computer with an SSD is a good selling point that may actually help you sell the computer -- nobody wants a slow booting hard disk!

Optional free approach:
You could securely wipe the disk if it's a hard disk with DBAN. Note DBAN as the name implies will nuke the disk drive, you will have to install Windows onto the drive after it finishes: https://dban.org/

[AlexWindows88]

2 hours ago, Andavari said:

I wouldn't go through all that.

Guaranteed approach (but it will cost you some money (better than someone restoring your files):
Buy a brand new small 120GB or 128GB budget priced SSD like a Kingston A400 SSD, Adata Ultimate SU800 SSD, etc., they are dirt cheap. Then install Windows onto it, and you're done. Keep the original disk drive that was in the computer for yourself. Let the buyer of the computer upgrade to a bigger disk drive if they wish. A fast booting computer with an SSD is a good selling point that may actually help you sell the computer -- nobody wants a slow booting hard disk!

Optional free approach:
You could securely wipe the disk if it's a hard disk with DBAN. Note DBAN as the name implies will nuke the disk drive, you will have to install Windows onto the drive after it finishes: https://dban.org/

Thank you for your reply. I don't have a confidential information so I don't need to change HDD/SSD, and I am interested if manipulations in CCleaner will be enough + log out from Skype (with cleaning Skype received files unrecoverably before CCleaner actions) + log out from Telegram Desktop?

[Andavari]

10 hours ago, AlexWindows88 said:

Thank you for your reply. I don't have a confidential information so I don't need to change HDD/SSD, and I am interested if manipulations in CCleaner will be enough

1. If you have the Windows install files/disc/USB flash drive; It would be easier in my opinion to format the drive, and reinstall Windows - do the Full Format when reinstalling Windows. It's a clean start for the buyer of the computer without possibility of errors or other issues.

2. Let Windows automatic updates install.

3. Install any manufacturer drivers that Windows automatic updates didn't install.

4. Install CCleaner, and then Wipe Free Space on the drive. Done, and easy!

[dragontattoo]

Thanks for this information. It useful