How To Wipe A Linux Laptop
If you’ve got a Linux-based machine, wiping any of the hard drives – internal or external – is a slightly fiddly process that involves using the command line.
Open up a command line terminal and enter ‘sudo fdisk -l‘. This will list all the storage drives currently connected to your machine. Find the drive you want to wipe, and note the drive’s device path.
Next, run this command – ‘sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=1M‘ – via the terminal, making sure to substitute ‘/dev/sdb/‘ with the target drive’s correct device path. This method is known as ‘zeroing’, and wipes the drive by overwriting every byte of information with zeroes.
There is some debate as to whether or not this is more secure than overwriting the drive with random bits of information, but it’s usually quicker and is perfectly sufficient for protecting your data from the average buyer.
How To Really Erase All Personal Data From Your Laptop Tablet Or Phone
Our gadgets are an extension of our most private thoughts and feelings, and the idea of someone being able to access our late-night texts, family photos, or old tax forms is just plain disturbing.;
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- By Tucker CummingsDealnews.com
Our gadgets are an extension of our most private thoughts and feelings, and the idea of someone being able to access our late-night texts, family photos, or old tax forms is just plain disturbing. That’s why it’s so crucial to properly erase all of the personal data from your device before you sell it, recycle it, or pass it along to a friend or family member.
But getting your device squeaky clean isn’t always as easy as it seems. One CNN report highlighted;the ongoing issues Android users are having with resetting their devices. Phones made by Google, HTC, LG,;Motorola, and;Samsung;have all been known to retain personal data, even after being completely wiped.
Our guide will help you do the best possible job of deleting personal data from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. We’ll cover best practices for;iOS,;Android, and;Windows;mobile devices, as well as tips for MacBooks and Windows laptops.
How to Erase Personal Data From Your Smartphone
iOS:;To remove all settings and information from your iOS device, go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.;Apple;has a helpful;guide on prepping your device for resale, which outlines steps for clearing your device either remotely or while it’s still in your custody.
Reset The Dell Laptop From Windows 10 Settings
Consider wiping a Dell laptop by resetting it when all other troubleshooting methods have failed. When logged into Windows 10, you can start from Settings.
Select Start and type reset in the search bar.
Select Reset this PC system setting from the search result. Alternatively, go to Settings>Update & Security>Recovery.
Under Reset this PC, select the Get started button.
The Reset this PC dialog will start the process of reinstalling Windows 10. You’ll see two options. Select Remove everything to wipe the Dell laptop clean and reinstall Windows 10. This step is the nuclear option, as it removes your files, all custom settings, and any apps your PC manufacturer installed. Alternatively, select Keep my files to reinstall Windows 10 and keep your files.
Next, Windows offers two choices on how to download the OS. Select Cloud download if you’re connected to the internet. Cloud download is helpful if your local copy of Windows 10 is corrupted. Select Local Reinstall to reinstall Windows from your device. This option makes for a faster install that doesn’t require an internet connection.
Next, the Additional settings screen appears to help you make more choices about your data. Select Change settings.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process. The PC cleans data, and then Windows 10 is reinstalled. It can take an hour or more for the process to finish, and your computer will restart a few times to complete the fresh installation.
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Overview On Wiping A Hard Drive
It’s common to most users to sell or give away computer or hard drive when they want to dispose of old device or upgrade to new ones. You may have already formatted the hard drive or deleted files on it in order to erase sensitive personal data and avoid becoming the victim of identity theft.
However, the fact is that wiping out a hard drive is not as easy as deleting data or formatting hard disk. Simply deleting files by Shift + Delete or emptying the Recycle Bin does not permanently clear data, as deleted files can easily be recovered by recovery software. Formatting a hard drive does not completely erase data either. Though operating system cannot see deleted or formatted data and the drive looks empty, average users are able to get back lost data easily with the help of hard drive recovery software.
If you view tech forums or comminutes online, you can see lots of users looking for an easy way to clean storage devices, and here is one of them:
“What is the best way to clean the hard drive of my laptop? I’m going to selling it to someone but want to ensure all personal files are securely erased. What I want to do is cleaning hard drive completely and reinstalling Windows 7 . Everything on the hard disk has been backed up to my external hard drive, I’m hoping one of you here can tell me how to clearing PC step by step? I know how to install Windows from CD but have no idea how to safely wipe hard disk. Many thanks!”
How does hard disk wiping works?
What Is A Factory Reset
A factory reset factory reset means deleting anything that wasn’t on the device after it came out of production, so this will definitely make it impossible for you to practically access programs or files on your computer.
It’s important to know what a factory reset actually does, though. It puts all applications back into their original state and removes anything that wasn’t there when the computer left the factory. That means user data from the applications will also be deleted. However, that data will still live on the hard drive.
Factory resets are simple because they’re programs included on the computer when you first get your hands on it. It’s useful to reset errors with an operating system or helping restore the computer’s functionality or speed.
There are limitations, though. Factory resets leave data in the hard drive, so those pieces will live on until your hard drive is overwritten with new data. In short, the reset can give you a false sense of security. A complete erasure would actually look more like degaussing , or actually smashing up the hard drive to bits.
Context is still key. If you only ever really played games or finished school work on your computer, there’s probably little risk in using a factory reset as your primary form of data wiping.
How to Factory Reset a Mac
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Reinstall Windows From Your Install Media From Inside Of Windows
This method is a last resort. The Reset this PCmethod is easier and quicker. That might not be an option for you, so lets goover how-to re-install Windows from inside of your current Windowsinstallation. The one upside to this method is that you should not have toenter your Windows product key for it to work.
Insert your Windows installation media. Navigate to it in File Explorer and open it. Then look for your Windows installation media. Open it and look for the setup application and double-click on it.
The User Account Control window will open asking if you want to all this app to make changes to this device. Click Yes.
A small window will open showing the Windows logo and will proceed to say that it is preparing. It will count percentage of readiness.
Next, the Windows 10 Setup window will open. It reads Install Windows 10 and that it will go online to get updates. If you wanted, you could click on Change how Windows Setup downloads updates. For our purposes, click on the Next button.
It may quickly go through a few screens, like Getting updates, Restarting Windows 10 Setup, Checking your PC, Were getting a few things ready, and then stop on the Applicable notices and license terms screen. Feel free to read it and click on Accept.
It may quickly go through a few more screens such as Choose what to keep, Making sure youre ready to install, and then it will stay on Getting updates for several minutes counting the percentage done. This can take a while.
Selling Your Laptop Make Sure That All Your Sensitive Data Is Gone Before It Reaches Its New Owner
Laptops can reveal a lot about a person, and were not only referring to how well they are maintained. In fact, these popular devices are a minefield of information about their owner, and can oftentimes be used against them.;
Anyone who has ever had their laptop stolen can understand the immense trouble that follows. Filing a police report and having to spend a few hundred pounds on a new device are often only the tip of the iceberg, especially if the stolen laptop contains;sensitive information such as phone numbers, addresses, and credit card details. If the laptop was taken while it was unlocked and you allow your browser to remember login details, the criminals can also easily gain access to your banking account or any social media platforms. This could pose a real risk of not only financial theft, but also identity theft, with criminals potentially using your personal information to commit fraud or other crimes.
Given all these threats, no one wants their laptop stolen. However, this kind of personal data can also be obtained by strangers without having to steal it. For instance, you might be selling your old device, or returning it to your companys IT team, who in turn will give it to a new joiner. This is why its always important to wipe your laptop before you let go of it for good and no, were not just talking about wiping the screen with a cloth.
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Android:;Due to the fragmentation of the Android platform, there are lots of different ways to go about deleting your data. Each different “skin” of Android may have a slightly different menu for resetting your device.
For example, to do a factory reset on a new HTC 10, you would go to the Home screen and tap the Apps icon, followed by Settings > Backup & reset. Then you’d select “Factory data reset.” You’d also want to select the option for “Erase SD card,” if using one. In contrast, the factory reset procedure for a Samsung Galaxy S7 would have you go to the Apps screen and take these steps: Settings > Backup and reset > Factory data reset > RESET DEVICE > ERASE EVERYTHING.
When in doubt, check your owners manual or the manufacturer’s website for the recommended protocol for your specific device.
It’s probably a safer bet to wipe your phone personally, and not trust the clerk at your local carrier store with the task.
It’s also smart to wipe your device using the suggested factory reset options outlined in your owners manual, but then follow up that “deep clean” with a Google search for “how to erase + ,” and follow that additional advice as well. This search will pull up more tips on properly deleting data, as well as alert you to any known issues with incomplete deletion that other users have experienced. Ideally, the comments section of those posts will have some workarounds for any known issues.
How to Erase Personal Data From Your Tablet
How To Wipe Your Main Windows 10 Drive
If you want to wipe the drive containing your Windows 10 operating system, youll need to perform a system reset .
To do this type Reset this PC into the Windows search bar and click Enter. This will take you to the menu for resetting and restoring your computer. Then select Get started under the Reset This PC section and in this new window, click on Remove Everything. This will begin the process of wiping all of your personal files, apps, and Windows settings from the computer.
Note that if you have other drives installed on the computer, it can wipe them as well.
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Windows 95 With A Backup Cd
If you are encountering issues during the setup process, you can add additional switches to the setup command line. These switches are on our Windows 95 setup switches page.
How Do I Wipe My Hard Drive Clean And Reinstall Windows Faq
Does emptying recycle bin permanently delete files?Does a factory reset delete everything on the computer?Keep my filesShould I wipe my hard drive before recycling?How to unlock a computer without a password?
Here you need to prepare a password reset disk and follow the steps below to unlock computer without a password.
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How To Wipe A Laptop Hard Drive In Microsoft Windows 81 And 10
Wiping a hard drive is relatively straightforward on Microsoft Windows laptops. The procedure is more complicated if you want to securely wipe a laptop so we recommend following the recommendations above.
Otherwise, follow the steps below:
Fix Minor Issues Of Laptop
If your keyboard is missing any key, then it is the time to fix it. As it will really lower the price of your laptop in case of missing keys. And, fixing it wont be any loss for you, as you will be getting it back with the profit.
Even if your laptop is overall in good function, but only missing a key, its going to make a bad impression. As the buyer will look first and use later, so the looks are really important, in this case. This is an important step in, How Do I Clear My Laptop Before Selling It?
It is best to use a soft clean cloth to remove the screen. As the screen specifically is dirty with all the fingerprints and smears so it is best to wipe it down. But as I have mentioned before, wipe it gently and be extra careful.
And, then finally, with the clean cloth, wipe all of the laptops, especially its cover. This is definitely not something to ignore. As you will be taking the pictures of your laptop and uploading them online for selling. So, for pictures to be good, the laptop needs to be in good condition.
After cleaning your laptop, you need to take really nice pictures of your laptop and write a detailed description of it to upload it online. But you need to know what the right price is to write for your laptop. To check the price, as it varies according to laptop condition, demand and model, check it on Amazon and other online retailers.
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How To Wipe A Hard Drive On An Hp Laptop
What To Do Before Wiping A Hard Drive
Some preparatory work should be done before wiping computer hard drive in order to make sure the disk wiping can be completed without interruption or causing extra issues.
- Ensure battery is full. If you want to wipe a laptop, you should make sure the battery is well charged or connected to power. If power goes out during disk clearing, it might spell disaster to the drive.
- Backup your data to a different hard disk. When you wipe your computer, everything on it will be lost, thus you should back up any files you want to keep to another hard drive. You can clone hard drive or just copy & paste files to that disk.
- Remember to save software serial numbers. Those applications you bought will be lost after wiping your PC, and you need to reinstall them to new hard drive. Do not forget to record each program’s serial number so that you can activate them after reinstallation.
- Prepare a bootable disk. If you are wiping computer’s main hard disk, you’ll have to carry out the task without booting system, such as under WinPE. In that case, a bootable USB drive or CD is needed.
Once everything gets ready, you can start erasing computer hard drive or external disks. The rest part of this instruction will show you how to wipe a hard drive, external disk, SD card or flash drive via different ways.
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