How do you erase a peeeceeee?

[Frances144]

I am giving an old laptop and and an old peeeceee to charity and need to erase everything.  How do I do this?

I think they run Windows XP.

[chriskleeman]

Hi Frances,

Look at This

It's a how-to video along with a link to a free program to do just what you're asking about.

HTH,

Chris K

[Highmac]

QUOTE(chriskleeman @ Jul 1 2010, 03:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Frances,

Look at This

It's a how-to video along with a link to a free program to do just what you're asking about.

HTH,

Chris K

I can recommend the sledgehammer approach as a stress reliever. Worked for me. 40MB HD v 14lb sledgehammer = no contest....

Unfortunately, it won't leave the HD any good to pass on to anybody else, so probably best to use one of the less brutal methods....

[Frances144]

I gave up!

Ruddy thing wanted its original disks!  Where are they?

So, eldest daughter just deleted files and we leave it at that.  There is nothing on either of the peeeceees but it was the principle.

Every time I turn a pc on, I just want to chuck it in the nearest bin.

Why do people put up with the endless ruddy messages asking this and that every ruddy minute?

[Paddy]

QUOTE

Why do people put up with the endless ruddy messages asking this and that every ruddy minute?

Because they've never used a Mac!!!

I was fooling around with a PC laptop today in Radio Shack while waiting to get a cell phone for son #1 who is working in the US this summer and what a horrible track pad/click bar! They tried to build both right and left click into this narrow bar on the edge of the track pad closest to the user - so the middle didn't do anything, and you'd have to train yourself to use your left thumb to do a normal left click, or reach across the darn keyboard and trackpad with your right hand. It was very awkward...and that's just the hardware!!

[Highmac]

We've got a builder friend coming round next week to put a wall up for us; he was speaking to Caroline yesterday on the phone and mentioned that his laptop had died (turned out to be a Dell). She said we'd show him our new MacBook Pro (we're boring everyone with this! )

Think I'll confuse the heck out of him by booting it up in Windows    

[Xairbusdriver]

QUOTE

Think I'll confuse the heck out of him by booting it up in Windows

Excellent idea!

[gunug]

http://www.datakillers.com/?OVRAW=hard%20d...EFwgk3RaUMOq5Ts

I hesitate to recommend this outfit but they do have a good reputation for "complete destruction" of computers.  I think the dogs and horses should be safe.  I have also taken apart a hard drive or ten and recycled the shiny platters into a nice sun chime:



Each hard drive can have more than one platter and some are very flashy.  It takes a set of torx head screwdrivers and possibly a phillips or two:





I've also seen a friend take a drill press and destroy the platters with a well placed hole or two!  
I feel sledge hammers are beneath your dignity m'lady!

[LR827]

gunug, I love the wind chime! Great idea!

L.

[gunug]

If you are dismantling a hard drive you will find a lot of Torx (* slotted) screws and they will generally come loose pretty easily if you pick the correct Torx driver.  I have no trouble usually finding one (the shop I work in probably has a dozen or more sets of these); if you are too big, or too small, you will have trouble with getting them free and maybe will strip the head or slip a lot.  Also watch out for rounded drivers (usually used in cars and such) as they won't take up properly and you will get no where with them.  

Some of the Torx screws (also called "security" Torx) have a raised part in the middle and need this kind of driver:

This "security Torx" screw looks like head on:

You can use a "security" Torx for non-security screws but not the other way around.  You can also use the "right" size of hex driver but you'll end up ruining the tool or stripping out the screw sooner or later! The best thing you can have is a nearby friend with lots of tools!  I have a friend who might as well be named MacGyver (MacGruber?) because of all the tools he carries around in his car trunk and pockets!