I'm getting ready to sell my iBook so I can upgrade to an iMac. What do I need to do to make sure that none of my personal information is left behind on the hard drive?
Question about the clean install - would that remove all of the applications that are on it? Is it legal to sell it with Microsoft Office still loaded on it?
A clean install of the OS will still leave you data on the hard drive. A simple program that extracts data from formatted hard drives would find all your data and restore it.
I would advice you to delete all your data, fill up your drive with random, non-personal stuff (prOn would work) as much as you possibly can so that your personal data is overwritten by the new stuff you copied to your drive, and then reformat and install the OS and sell it like that.
I would advice you to delete all your data, fill up your drive with random, non-personal stuff (prOn would work) as much as you possibly can so that your personal data is overwritten by the new stuff you copied to your drive, and then reformat and install the OS and sell it like that.
Why not use the secure reformat? This should overwrite the drive so nothing is left. From memory you can even set how many passes you would like.
Why not use the secure reformat? This should overwrite the drive so nothing is left. From memory you can even set how many passes you would like.
I'm a little paranoid when it comes to my data.. so I use my own method. However, what you proposed is, of course, another method. Maybe even better/easier/simpler than what I proposed.
I'm getting ready to sell my iBook so I can upgrade to an iMac. What do I need to do to make sure that none of my personal information is left behind on the hard drive?
Thanks for the help.
Don't forget to de-authorize it for iTunes Music Store also if it needs it - a reformat won't notify the iTMS, and they will still count it as "authorized".
I'm a little paranoid when it comes to my data.. so I use my own method. However, what you proposed is, of course, another method. Maybe even better/easier/simpler than what I proposed.
To each his own, I guess.
Just so you know, your method isn't nearly as secure as the secure format. Not even *close*. General guidelines are that anything less than seven consecutive overwrites will allow someone with the right equipment to recover the original files pretty well. Scary, no? That's why secure erase and format do seven passes in a combination of all zeros, all ones, and random.
Overwriting once with another file that has a known structure (images, sounds, movies) is trivial to get around for someone with the right tools.
Just so you know, your method isn't nearly as secure as the secure format. Not even *close*.
Oh I know. I don't even use it myself. What I do is, take out the drive from my Mac, put it into some x86 PC, fire up System Mechanic and do 35 consecutive overwrites (7 is the DoD standard). Then I copy random files to my drive again to the point it tells me there's no more room left, overwrite that stuff 7 times now using System Mechanic, and then get rid of the drive. I usually totally smash it with a hammer, but sometimes I give it to some non-geek friend of mine.
It's usually hard and expensive for *normal* guys to obtain those tools that will recover something that has been overwritten once, but it does happen. That's why I'll advice (yet again ) aturner10 to NOT use my method, but the method posted by CosmoNut right after my first post.
Well, if you want your credit card number to pop up when the other guy searches for something in Spotlight, then I guess you don't need to do this.
If someone wanted to steal your CC number, there are a lot easier ways than digging through your computer. For example, do you have any idea how many ppl can view your number when you use your card at a restaurant?
I'm getting ready to sell my iBook so I can upgrade to an iMac. What do I need to do to make sure that none of my personal information is left behind on the hard drive?
When I sold my G4 iMac I booted it off the Tiger DVD and opened Disk Utility. Then I selected the HD and erased it. I just left the Tiger DVD in the drive when I shipped it.
If someone wanted to steal your CC number, there are a lot easier ways than digging through your computer. For example, do you have any idea how many ppl can view your number when you use your card at a restaurant?
Comments
MAKE SURE YOU DON'T SELL IT FOR $50!
I would advice you to delete all your data, fill up your drive with random, non-personal stuff (prOn would work) as much as you possibly can so that your personal data is overwritten by the new stuff you copied to your drive, and then reformat and install the OS and sell it like that.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
I would advice you to delete all your data, fill up your drive with random, non-personal stuff (prOn would work) as much as you possibly can so that your personal data is overwritten by the new stuff you copied to your drive, and then reformat and install the OS and sell it like that.
Why not use the secure reformat? This should overwrite the drive so nothing is left. From memory you can even set how many passes you would like.
Originally posted by Omega
Why not use the secure reformat? This should overwrite the drive so nothing is left. From memory you can even set how many passes you would like.
I'm a little paranoid when it comes to my data.. so I use my own method. However, what you proposed is, of course, another method. Maybe even better/easier/simpler than what I proposed.
To each his own, I guess.
Originally posted by aturner10
I'm getting ready to sell my iBook so I can upgrade to an iMac. What do I need to do to make sure that none of my personal information is left behind on the hard drive?
Thanks for the help.
Don't forget to de-authorize it for iTunes Music Store also if it needs it - a reformat won't notify the iTMS, and they will still count it as "authorized".
Originally posted by Tidelwav
Damn, you guys act like you're working for the CIA, NSA, or someone.
Well, if you want your credit card number to pop up when the other guy searches for something in Spotlight, then I guess you don't need to do this.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
I'm a little paranoid when it comes to my data.. so I use my own method. However, what you proposed is, of course, another method. Maybe even better/easier/simpler than what I proposed.
To each his own, I guess.
Just so you know, your method isn't nearly as secure as the secure format. Not even *close*.
Overwriting once with another file that has a known structure (images, sounds, movies) is trivial to get around for someone with the right tools.
Originally posted by Kickaha
Just so you know, your method isn't nearly as secure as the secure format. Not even *close*.
Oh I know. I don't even use it myself. What I do is, take out the drive from my Mac, put it into some x86 PC, fire up System Mechanic and do 35 consecutive overwrites (7 is the DoD standard). Then I copy random files to my drive again to the point it tells me there's no more room left, overwrite that stuff 7 times now using System Mechanic, and then get rid of the drive. I usually totally smash it with a hammer, but sometimes I give it to some non-geek friend of mine.
It's usually hard and expensive for *normal* guys to obtain those tools that will recover something that has been overwritten once, but it does happen. That's why I'll advice (yet again
Well, if you want your credit card number to pop up when the other guy searches for something in Spotlight, then I guess you don't need to do this.
If someone wanted to steal your CC number, there are a lot easier ways than digging through your computer. For example, do you have any idea how many ppl can view your number when you use your card at a restaurant?
Originally posted by aturner10
I'm getting ready to sell my iBook so I can upgrade to an iMac. What do I need to do to make sure that none of my personal information is left behind on the hard drive?
When I sold my G4 iMac I booted it off the Tiger DVD and opened Disk Utility. Then I selected the HD and erased it. I just left the Tiger DVD in the drive when I shipped it.
Originally posted by Tidelwav
If someone wanted to steal your CC number, there are a lot easier ways than digging through your computer. For example, do you have any idea how many ppl can view your number when you use your card at a restaurant?
Who says I use my CC in restaurants?