If I were to give this computer away as a hand-me-down, I'm worried about security issues with regards to old data on the hard disk (credit card numbers from stuff bought on ebay, emails, etc). Is there any software or process that will let me wipe everything clean (after a backup) and leave only the OS?

I have heard that the only way to be completely sure is to replace the hard disk - is this necessary? It is a Maxtor 2B020H1 (20GB, 5400rpm, Ultra-ATA/100). Although 4 years old, the SMART status is ok and it has been completely reliable. It should still be large enough for just word processing and internet. If a new HD is needed, any recommendations? Thanks.

Download a diagnostic tool from maxtor. I think it's called maxblast. Use it to do a low level format of the drive. That will render any data beyond most people's ability to recover. I believe something else called killdisk might be another option. Something that will overwrite zeros 6 or 7 times is supposed to ensure a result. You will then have to do a clean instal if you want to sell it with operating system intact. I don't know of anything that will guarantee deletion of files without a complete format.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach him to fish and his wife will never forgive you.

Leaving the OS is not really practical. The only safe way is to delete everything.

The only way of preventing a disk being read is to bung it in a forge and melt it down - even smashing with a hammer is not beyond recovery; on the other hand it would cost more to do than your credit card data is worth.

In practice, unless there is something very sensitive, it is quite adequate to delete the files, empty the waste bin, and use one of the data destroyer programmes (I think one comes with Norton)that overwrite all blank spaces a set number of times, and run this until you get fed up. (Do not defrag until afterwards).

The chances of your disk falling into the hands of somebody with the time, knowledge, facilities and inclination to dig around for your personal info are pretty slim, especially if you have taken these precautions.

This is most interesting as I obtained 4 desk
top units from a 2nd hand place, no one would buy them because someone had went into the bios and changed "auto" so that the units would not come up.

Having gotten the bios entry keys from Computing.net a few years back, I hooked one
up and started applying all of the bios entry codes for main units and the "DEL" key did the trick, changed it to auto and voila a working computer unfortunately back in the 3.1, 95 era, not very big hard drives, I bought all 4 for $15 a piece, got them home and:

GOVERNMENT COMPUTERS FOR A DIVISION OF NEW ORLEANS, ALL INFO VISIBLE, SS #S, ETC. GOVERNEMENT COMPUTERS.

Now I am an honest person, but can you imagine a thief looking for CC #s and SS#s!!!!

I f-fdisked and formatted all of them and put windows 95 on them and made them useable children's computers to learn basics on.

********After thinking about it years later, I should have gone to the City of New Orleans and asked for negotiated a contract to rid their computer hard drives when being tossed of all data.

I 0-write mine with Maxblast about twice a year and place a Ghost image back on them, It takex MAX Blast about 2 hours to 0-write my 40 gig Quantum Fireball Drive, I do this as a security measure as my bank info was stolen once when I first got on the inernet.

I am very leary and considering taking a course in internet and networking secrity and
understand your concerns.