How do I delete everything off a laptop?

[traipsingalong]

I have a very old laptop that I will either Ebay or put on Freecycle, but before I do that, I want to make sure I've deleted all our files and photos etc.

What is the best way to do this? Do I just go into Windows Explorer and delete by hand, or is there a better way?

Thank you.

If it's partitioned you can restore it to factory settings. what make and model is it?

It's an old HP. Not sure if it's partioned - we lived abroad for some years, and during that time, it got really slow, so we took it to the local computer man to fix it, and he re-installed Windows, but with a dodgy copy (because it always told us after this that 'your copy of Windows may not be genuine' every time we started it up) so if it was partitioned, I doubt it is now!!

There's a windows application called eraser that lets you securely delete files on a laptop/pc. Free to download if I remember right.

Can't download cos it no longer connects to the internet... Or could I download onto new PC and copy across?

You just need to format it - easiest way is to reinstall windows (You can do this using discs or downloaded files copied from another machine) as that will sort everything out for you or it's possible just to go onto "My Computer", right click on drive C and click "format".

"There's a windows application called eraser that lets you securely delete files on a laptop/pc. Free to download if I remember right."

Another vote for Eraser eraser.heidi.ie/download.php This and other programs are the only way to reliably remove all traces of data.

Deleting and formatting WILL NOT stop a determined person from recovering data, the sort of person who may buy secondhand computers on eBay from unsuspecting sellers who think they have got rid of sensitive data.

Assuming that you can boot from CD, download ultimate boot CD on another PC, write it to a CDROM, boot the laptop from that CDROM and follow these instructions to run DBAN, which will securely erase your data.

try tapping f11 on start up and see if there is an option for restore manager.

If not then start laptop normally and use the search box to look for restore manager

Format, windows machines never delete everything.

If you haven't got your windows discs anymore you can just download free linux live for CD, dvd or usb stick and use that. To format and then install itself.

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