Windows 10: No user account computer

One thing I could also advise besides using the DiskPart tool to simply nuke the primary or primaries as far as all partitions on the one or more drives you will be leaving in while a laptop typically only has the one some can see two would a special security tool that securely overwrites the data with binary zeros where no recovery program can be used later for that other someone to retrieve whatever personal data you have or did have on it. You want a tool that literally nukes everything.

These options however are generally seen provided with 3rd party drive partitioning and imaging softwares. A good 2012 PC World article provides one list of secure data erasers on seen at: Free Tools to Wipe Your Drives Securely | PCWorld

 

I've done this as told in that Seven Forums tutorial countless times, I have always been happy with simply using the Windows setup disk tools and delete all partitions on all disks before installing Windows the final time to the machine I either sell or give away.




Then simply select first disk, click Next and Windows setup formats the disk as as one system partition (plus system reserved in BIOS systems or various recovery partitions in UEFI systems) and install Windows, finally entering Audit Mode to prepare the PC to be sold.

 

But most of the time you know the person it will be going to like a family member or friend not a total stranger since the OP hasn't provided that type of information or whether he ordered online for example while using the laptop being sold. When there was ever any change of sensitive personal data involved you never leave things to chance since the recovery tools available now have been improved over the years!

The one absolute option of course would be replacing the drive entirely if not ruining it by running a magnet over it! Then nothing could even be recovered the drive either! Data and Identity theft are two primary concerns and putting security first these days counts. People are often a bit too lax and can end up with a situation real fast. This is why the advice still has to be given.

 

Anyway, the tutorial I linked to in my first post in this thread shows the procedure. How and with which tool to wipe the HDD is up to user.

 

So far, the quickest and easiest way I've found to wipe my drive is to install Ubuntu, which gives an option to format the drive prior to install. The Ubuntu format removes all disk partitions and was the easiest way I could find to eliminate the "Old Windows" folder. Then re-install Win10 over Ubuntu. I know it seems a roundabout way of doing things, but trying to follow the advice from some people is ridiculous. But now I'm back to tracing the bluetooth problem.

 

Many many moons ago it wasn't FDisk but a Dos zero fill utility that would take a good 8hrs. to see a drive wiped. For simply seeing a drive cleaned off however rather then installing Ubuntu or another Linux distro before seeing a clean install of Windows you could simply use the Gparted option(Gnome Partition Editor) if not some other Windows option besides the Disk Part command prompt method or the drive tools on the Windows media. GParted will format in NTFS as well as Fat 16 and 32 as well as the VFat used for Linux in Ext 4, 5, 6. One shot deal without two OSs being installed just to see one go on.

 

Wow. And to think this whole time I've just booted from the Windows 10 install media (USB or DVD), select custom install, delete all partitions and install to the unallocated space. Takes about 30 seconds. Don't see how Microsoft could have made it much easier to wipe a disk to install Windows to unless they made it the automatic action without the user being asked to do it.

If I want to sanitize a hard drive, I use MiniTool Partition Wizard. It will even give you the option to sanitize the hard drive that it is running on. For example, I have a computer I am taking to Goodwill that had Windows XP on it. I installed MiniTool Partition Wizard in Windows XP. Told it to wipe the hard drive by writing zero's followed by one's. Clicked apply, it rebooted into MiniTool PW, wiped the hard drive, and rebooted to the "insert system disk" message.

 

Once you figure out how to do it, it's all fairly easy. The problem is that the information is buried in a pile of, well, you know. I don't doubt that wiping my hard drive, which as I understand it, cannot be done while the computer is using that drive, is possible from win. Maybe some version of super DOS that will boot from the USB and format a large capacity drive. But for some reason Ubuntu allows a hard drive format from the USB boot prior to install. The same with this "public" user, it's all really simple, now. When some one buys this computer they can add their account, no problem. Now I just have to figure out the ASUS specific bluetooth drivers and BIOS that has to be set and installed for this particular machine, touchscreen, hard disk drive protection, etc. I like the ideal of being able to bring my computer back to life after a possible infection or to just remove junk, like a spring cleaning. I've done this before and didn't have these problems so it might be something in the newer iso. file or an update from MS.

 

I might be missing or misunderstanding something here but nothing could be easier than to do exactly what you told in your first post you want to do.

Boot the PC with Windows install media, press SHIFT + F10 when in the first dialog about languages and formats. Use Diskpart to wipe the disk. Install Windows, enter Audit Mode from the settings screen when installation is ready before creating any user accounts. Download and install all necessary drivers and software like the ASUS Bluetooth you mentioned. Sysprep and shut down. Give the PC to new owner who gets a real new machine OOBE First Run Setup experience, a fully functioning PC with all drivers present but virgin when it comes to user accounts (no accounts exist, not even the Public account you have mentioned).

Exactly as told in the tutorial I linked to in my earlier post.

 

Check this out, when I logged into the machine as a new user (I added myself as a second user in addition to the public user), everything, the bluetooth and wifi, worked. So what I deduce is that wireless is disabled unless the user has a MS account. I tried each of the ASUS drivers, there are three of them, for bluetooth and none of them worked to enable bluetooth under the unregistered user. Weird. I'm thinking of opening a new e-mail account just for using to get computers that I am going to sell up and running.

 

The WiFi is not switched on or off by having or not having an MS account! I don't where you are getting this idea that everything is reliant on having an MS account. The Bluetooth and WiFi are strictly hardware controlled by device drivers and settings in Window or the OS being run.

When setting up a network or internet connection the WiFi then starts receiving and sending packets to the ISP while Bluetooth is enabled by the detection of the external device or peripheral being used such as Bluetooth head sets or a smart phone. Portable speakers for laptops may be Bluetooth as well. In fact if I found usb powered Bluetooth speakers I could replace the present set for the laptop where you need to plug into the headphone jack and one more cord to unravel when going to set them up.

As for securely seeing a drive wiped NavyLCDR touched on just one of the many available for seeing a secure wipe especially when donating if not selling any older system to insure all personal data is gone and not able to be retrieved later since any data recovery service is equipped with the right data recovery tools to bring things you may think are gone for good simply from reformatting or even repartitioning a drive. A tool that repeatedly overwrites existing yet hidden not completely lost data is the more common type of secure erase type program used. That still has to be your own decision there on which route you will take.

 

+1 Night Hawk, agreed!

 

*Thumbs

Understand I'm not trying to knock down Kari's advice either but simply indicating the need for placing security first ahead of other things at times for precautionary measures. That comes from actually having been burned a few times by bogus vendors one a later proven scam site where the perp took the money for the board even replied to an inquiry about not receiving any confirmation and then tried making a $2,600 purchase from Istanbul, Turkey according to the prepaid debit card's security records! Best to be forewarned ahead of time!

Leaving traces and possibly any credit information on a system being sold or donated without first being nuked potentially can leave unwanted doors open as far as how your information can be exploited if recovered by some means. A fresh drive with a clean install with request to have the buyer supply you with the information as far as the new admin account and what programs he wants on by agreement would see to it that every trace of your use and personal information was gone as well as the buyer getting into the fresh install. That will make everyone a happy camper there.

 

Although telling in this thread that I personally am satisfied with Windows setup disk tools, deleting existing partitions with it before installing, in the tutorial and my instructions I tell to use Diskpart to completely wipe the disk beyond "resurrection" before installing OS on a PC to be sold or given away.

It is secure but done with native Windows tools instead of third party programs.

 

Well for the most simply clearing off stuff like downloaded apps and temp folders as well as other clutter is a 1-2-3 with the Disk Part tool or drive tools option on the Windows media would be enough as far as simply seeing Windows go back on fresh or passing the system onto a family member or friend if not coworker who wouldn't want your personal stuff lingering around.

And it isn't the paid for softwares or browsing history you would be concerned about but the stuff dealing with your credit and other personal information you want to see gone forever when either selling or giving away any older system you used for a period of time to prevent any unauthorized access to your banking or credit cards for example. These tools are there to insure that can't happen

With anything personal and sensitive other 3rd party tools can be used to recover files you thought were gone for good. Someone could easily bring the drive in to a professional service for example simply claiming they had accidentally deleted important information in order to see your data recovered instead.Unfortunately in this day and age with Identity theft, phising scams, and other things playing it smart usually turns out to be the best move to make.

And to make matters worse SSDs and flash drives are the most vulnerable to data theft since they can't thoroughly cleaned like you can see done with any mechanical drive. So when you decide an old flash drive is nothing you want don't simply toss it intact in the trash but take a good hammer and smash it to bits! break the circuit card inside into pieces with a pair of pliers if you ever used it to transfer any important files with! A good 2014 article to look over about all this can be seen at: Definitely deleted: How to guarantee your data is truly gone before recycling old PCs and drives | PCWorld