Windows 10: Prep for Donating My Computer

What can I do to protect myself before donating my computer?
*Smile

:)

 

I would like to know how to completely wipe my computer clean.I have got a new laptop and wish to donate this one.

This sounds great. Are you looking for a charity to donate the machine to?

 

Can't get past Prepping Device to install Windows 10

Notified that Windows 10 was ready to install but when I click OK, let's continue, what's suppose to be a 10 second prep of my computer just keeps running and running. Anyone have an idea why? It shows it's been downloaded but I can't get past that Prepping
Device.

 

Wipe the hard drive with a program like MiniTool Partition Wizard Free

Best Free Partition Manager for Windows | MiniTool Partition Free

 

If you did real sensitive stuff, like banking and other very important things with your computer, then I suggest you take the hdd out and smash it up ,donate it with out the hdd...100% safest way

 

I would download a ISO of Windows 10 to a external HDD. Then I would use a program to securely erase all files on the HDD with the OS. I have used a program called Eraser. Then I would do a clean install of Windows 10 in a local account. If you have very sensitive data on your HDD then I would take the HDD out and donate the computer like that or replace the HDD with a drive that doesn't have any personal info.

 

The whole purpose of this exercise is to wipe clean my C: drive and restore the Windows 10 OS so I will be protected when I sell my PC. I think the new owner should be entitled to an OS but I don't want my personal files available to them. This is my plan:

• I will create a Windows 10 System Image file on an external HDD F: It will not contain any personal data files or purchased software.
• I will then create a System Restore CD.
• If I reformat my HDD C: (to wipe it clean), how do I restore the System Image File I created on F:? I'm concerned with how the computer knows where to boot from.

I'm not really familiar with the in-workings of Windows 10 or if 'reformat' will actually wipe-clean the C: drive.

Thanx in advance for any help I can use.

 

no ,just doing a regular format is not enough security, the files are still there waiting to be over written by new files,and can easily found with software by the new owner .. , either use one of the secure tool mentioned above of remove and replace the drive with another one if you are really concerned

 

Before considering removing hard-drive, DBAN is just one utility of many that can secure-wipe hard-drive. I seriously doubt the new owner will be geekish enough to be able to smoke out anything after the entire HD has been zero-written from Track 0 to LastTrack.

 

If I use DBAN instead of Format, does my plan seem to work? I'm still concerned about the "stripped" computer booting from the System Restore CD.
My objective is too turn my old PC over to someone with the hard drive containing Windows 10 and nothing else.

 

If it was me...
Since I have a Windows 10 install USB that boots into Kyhi's recovery drive, I would wipe the hard drive with MiniTool Partition Wizard's utility for secure erasing the hard drive, do a clean install of Windows 10, create a local administrator account called TempAdmin with no password. Make sure all the drivers are installed and the hardware is working correctly (at least no exclamation points or unknown devices in device manager). Create a system recovery DVD if the computer has a DVD burner and sell it that way.

 

Just wipe the drive or do like I do and give it a brand new harddrive and keep the old one.

 

Yes, your plan, as outlined earlier, if using DBAN in place of even full-format, will work. Again, I think the new owner will be too busy putting his/her own software and data-stuff to even care about what used to be on the hard-drive your stuff to launch extensive sector by sector reconstruction.

 

How do I get my copy of Windows OS onto the new HDD? I don't have the original CD?

 

Windows 10 ISO Download - Windows 10 Forums