How do I erase all info on my comp?

rainbow

Mon, Jun 04 2007, 11:23 am

I have a Dell laptop and now I need to know how to erase all the info I have on it.

I have my manuscript saved on word, it is passworded. All my word documents are passworded. Do I need to un-password them in order to save them on a usb thingy?

Is it a big job to erase EVERYTHING? I don't want to leave any info on this computer.

Last edited by rainbow on Mon, Jun 04 2007, 2:38 pm; edited 1 time in total

MrsLeo

Mon, Jun 04 2007, 11:43 am

If you want to save your files you can just select them and copy them to your usb (considering all the files will fit). You will have to unlock your files first I think.
Most dell laptops come with a restore option:

Using Dell PC Restore by Symantec

NOTICE: Using PC Restore permanently deletes all data on the hard drive and removes any applications or drivers
installed after you received your computer. If possible, back up the data before using PC Restore. Use PC Restore
only if System Restore did not resolve your operating system problem.

NOTE: Dell PC Restore by Symantec is not available in all countries or on all computers.

Use Dell PC Restore by Symantec only as the last method to restore your operating system.
PC Restore restores your hard drive to the operating state it was in when you purchased the computer.
Any programs or files added since you received your computer—including data files—are permanently
deleted from the hard drive. Data files include documents, spreadsheets, e-mail messages, digital photos,
music files, and so on. If possible, back up all data before using PC Restore.

To use PC Restore:
1 Turn on the computer.
During the boot process, a blue bar with www.dell.com appears at the top of the screen.
2 Immediately upon seeing the blue bar, press <Ctrl><F11>.
If you do not press <Ctrl><F11> in time, let the computer finish starting, and then restart the
computer again.
NOTICE: If you do not want to proceed with PC Restore, click Reboot in the following step.
3 On the next screen that appears, click Restore.
4 On the next screen, click Confirm.
The restore process takes approximately 6–10 minutes to complete.
5 When prompted, click Finish to reboot the computer.
NOTE: Do not manually shut down the computer. Click Finish and let the computer completely reboot.
6 When prompted, click Yes.
The computer restarts. Because the computer is restored to its original operating state, the screens that
appear, such as the End User License Agreement, are the same ones that appeared the first time the
computer was turned on.
7 Click Next.
The System Restore screen appears and the computer restarts.
8 After the computer restarts, click OK.

su7kids

Mon, Jun 04 2007, 11:49 am

I'm afraid there is no way to do it.
You can remove your information and save it for yourself, but a good tech person will be able to find it.

Often they don't even bother.

You could, however, remove the information and find an industrial size magnet and put the computer next to that, and that should scramble it all. But there are places, hidden, where information is kept, because in case of a crash, your stuff is most often retrievable.

Good luck.

MrsLeo

Mon, Jun 04 2007, 12:14 pm

rainbow wrote:

I'm kinda worried about the possibility of me forgetting to back-up certain info before doing system restore. Is there some kind of itemized list? I did go through my list of programs but my fax console did not show up there. Glad I remembered the fax console, it's got all my incoming faxes.

If you have enough backup space you can copy your whole c drive onto an external harddrive.

Or you can go thru each thing in your c drive and see wat u need

MrsLeo

Mon, Jun 04 2007, 12:35 pm

rainbow wrote:

Thank you so much for all the info!

How do I back up the c drive? I'm clueless.

You would back it up the same way that you would back up any other folder. Go to "My Computer", open "Local Disk C", Ctrl+A will select all the files there. Right click on the selected files and click "send to" and then choose the backup harddrive that you are backing up your files to.

When you do the restore thing make sure there are no external harddrives or usb flash cards connected cuz they might get erased too.