i am trying to delete all files so i can donate my computer to salvation
army. i have windows xp sp2, i want to delete everything except the operating
system (xp sp2), is there anyone who knows a quick, thorough method??
--
learning is living, i live to learn...

"blankdisk" <blankdisk@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:4C88E1CF-16E5-4F7F-8B61-C145E89393F3@microsoft.com...
>i am trying to delete all files so i can donate my computer to salvation
> army. i have windows xp sp2, i want to delete everything except the
> operating
> system (xp sp2), is there anyone who knows a quick, thorough method??
> --
> learning is living, i live to learn...

Repartition, reformat & re-install Windows.

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:56:00 -0700, blankdisk
<blankdisk@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>i am trying to delete all files so i can donate my computer to salvation
>army. i have windows xp sp2, i want to delete everything except the operating
>system (xp sp2), is there anyone who knows a quick, thorough method??

Replace hard drive.
Reinstall Windows.
--ron

It's impossible to properly clean a computer for donation without
reinstalling the operating system, files and bits of information are
hiding in too many places to find and delete them all and deleted files
can be easily recovered with simple file recovery utilities.

Wipe your hard disks with a utility like this:
http://dban.sourceforge.net/ then reinstall the operating system.

John

blankdisk wrote:
> i am trying to delete all files so i can donate my computer to salvation
> army. i have windows xp sp2, i want to delete everything except the operating
> system (xp sp2), is there anyone who knows a quick, thorough method??

blankdisk wrote:
> i am trying to delete all files so i can donate my computer to salvation
> army. i have windows xp sp2, i want to delete everything except the operating
> system (xp sp2), is there anyone who knows a quick, thorough method??


To protect your personal information and data from any future users
of average skills, you should, at the very least, format the hard drive.
You can do this using the original Installation CD. Simply boot from
the WinXP installation CD. You'll be offered the opportunity to delete,
create, and format partitions as part of the installation process. (You
may need to re-arrange the order of boot devices in the PC's BIOS to
boot from the CD.)

If you wish to do a more thorough job of protecting your personal
data, WipeDrive
(http://www.whitecanyon.com/wipedrive...hard-drive.php) meets U.S.
DoD standards for securely cleaning surplus unclassified hard drives,
and could be used before formatting and reinstalling the OS and
applications. There are also several freeware utilities available for
this purpose, although they don't meet the DoD standards. Google is
your friend.


--

Bruce Chambers

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Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot