Thinking of Replacing Your Computer.....Think Carefully

Chances are, your system runs software that keeps logs of every site you browse on the Web, every document you work on in any application, and every user name and password you type. What program is doing all this spying on you? It's called Windows.

Because of the sensitive information your Windows logs invariably contain, it's a good idea to purge them regularly. But if you're giving your PC away, it's essential. Of course, Windows isn't the only software that can betray you if you donate your hard drive--old financial documents are a dream come true for identity thieves. And even if you drag those old tax returns to Windows' Recycle Bin, plenty of utilities can retrieve them. The only way to ensure that you've taken out the trash for good is to use hard-drive-cleaning software.

Of course, you'll still want to securely delete all the non-Windows files on your hard drive, especially any documents you created. Eraser 5.3 is a free piece of software that performs just that.  It works by overwriting files with other data multiple times (four options let you choose how many overwrites take place) to ensure that the data can't be recovered. No need to get too technical in this article, but you simply drag any files or folders you want to delete into Eraser's window, and then click Task, Run.

Here's the link to download  the software

If your system's next owner doesn't need your Windows installation, your best bet is Darik's Boot and Nuke (free). Boot and Nuke does exactly what its name suggests: Once you've installed the appropriate files on a bootable floppy or copied them to a CD, just boot the computer with the DBAN disc to wipe the hard drive completely clean. Its advantages are speed and ease of use, but DBAN can't delete individual files, so it's suitable only when you want to get rid of all the data on an old hard drive.

It's quick and simple.  And it's certainly worth the few minutes of time it takes rather than to deal with the consequences.  It's good to find a new home for your old PC. Just make sure the machine doesn't tell any of your secrets once it gets there.