If you want to sell or donate a computer you no longer need, you should make sure that no data of yours remains on the computer's hard drive.
December 8, 2005 (Press Release) --
Creating a Disk to Completely Erase a Hard Drive - Window Washer
If you want to sell or donate a computer you no longer need, you should make sure that no data of yours remains on the computer's hard drive. This is important because of the way Windows handles files that you delete using the normal delete function.
When you delete a file, Windows does not actually remove the contents of the file from your hard drive. Windows only deletes a reference to the file from a table that lists all files on your computer. The table is like a table of contents that tells Windows where files are. Windows says that the file is deleted, but the content of the file still exists until Windows overwrites the same area on the hard drive with new information. Therefore, files that you my think no longer exist can often be recovered with an undelete or recovery program. The Webroot System Eraser makes it impossible for anyone to recover these files, which protects your privacy.
To ensure that none of your data remains on the hard drive of a computer you no longer need, you can create a bootable disk that will securely remove all data, including the Windows operating system, from the hard drive. A bootable disk is a disk that you use to start the computer.
After you create the bootable disk using Window Washer, you must put the disk into computer whose hard drive you want erase and restart the computer. You can then completely erase any hard drive in the computer.
Note: The bootable disk will work in any Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, or XP computer.
To create a disk to completely erase a hard drive:
Start Window Washer, if it is not already open, and display the Window Washer window.
Insert a blank floppy disk into your floppy disk drive or a blank compact disc into your CD drive.
In the icon panel, click Wash Utilities. The Wash Utilities panel displays.
Click Create Eraser Boot Disk. The Bootable Disk Eraser Creator window displays.
Select the type of bootable disk you want to create.
Select the corresponding disk drive from the drop-down list.
Click Start.
Remove the disk you just created. Caution: When you use the bootable disk, it will completely erase everything from the hard drive, including the operating system (Windows), programs, and data. Make sure that is what you want to do before you use the bootable disk.
To use the disk, insert it into the computer you whose hard drive you want to completely erase and turn on or restart the computer. If you created a floppy disk, your computer will automatically use the bootable disk when it starts. The Webroot System Eraser program will start automatically and guide you through the erase process. If you created a CD, your computer may be able to detect that the CD is a bootable disk and use it when it starts. If your computer starts normally, that is, Windows starts as usual and you do not see an option to boot to the CD, you have to make some changes to use the bootable CD. If you computer does not detect the bootable CD, you need to make a change to your computer's BIOS (this is a program that your computer's processor uses to start the computer and to control other functions). When your computer starts, you usually see a message that says to press F5 or F8 or Delete during startup to edit the BIOS. Once in the BIOS, you must change the boot sequence to put the CD drive first in the boot sequence. Consult your computer's manual or manufacturer for more information.
If you want to sell or donate a computer you no longer need, you should make sure that no data of yours remains on the computer's hard drive. This is important because of the way Windows handles files that you delete using the normal delete function.
When you delete a file, Windows does not actually remove the contents of the file from your hard drive. Windows only deletes a reference to the file from a table that lists all files on your computer. The table is like a table of contents that tells Windows where files are. Windows says that the file is deleted, but the content of the file still exists until Windows overwrites the same area on the hard drive with new information. Therefore, files that you my think no longer exist can often be recovered with an undelete or recovery program. The Webroot System Eraser makes it impossible for anyone to recover these files, which protects your privacy.
To ensure that none of your data remains on the hard drive of a computer you no longer need, you can create a bootable disk that will securely remove all data, including the Windows operating system, from the hard drive. A bootable disk is a disk that you use to start the computer.
After you create the bootable disk using Window Washer, you must put the disk into computer whose hard drive you want erase and restart the computer. You can then completely erase any hard drive in the computer.
Note: The bootable disk will work in any Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, or XP computer.
To create a disk to completely erase a hard drive:
Start Window Washer, if it is not already open, and display the Window Washer window.
Insert a blank floppy disk into your floppy disk drive or a blank compact disc into your CD drive.
In the icon panel, click Wash Utilities. The Wash Utilities panel displays.
Click Create Eraser Boot Disk. The Bootable Disk Eraser Creator window displays.
Select the type of bootable disk you want to create.
Select the corresponding disk drive from the drop-down list.
Click Start.
Remove the disk you just created. Caution: When you use the bootable disk, it will completely erase everything from the hard drive, including the operating system (Windows), programs, and data. Make sure that is what you want to do before you use the bootable disk.
To use the disk, insert it into the computer you whose hard drive you want to completely erase and turn on or restart the computer. If you created a floppy disk, your computer will automatically use the bootable disk when it starts. The Webroot System Eraser program will start automatically and guide you through the erase process. If you created a CD, your computer may be able to detect that the CD is a bootable disk and use it when it starts. If your computer starts normally, that is, Windows starts as usual and you do not see an option to boot to the CD, you have to make some changes to use the bootable CD. If you computer does not detect the bootable CD, you need to make a change to your computer's BIOS (this is a program that your computer's processor uses to start the computer and to control other functions). When your computer starts, you usually see a message that says to press F5 or F8 or Delete during startup to edit the BIOS. Once in the BIOS, you must change the boot sequence to put the CD drive first in the boot sequence. Consult your computer's manual or manufacturer for more information.
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