Protecting Personal Information

[sunshine79]

How can you really erase all personal information from your computers hard drive? I want to donate my old computer but I do not want to have anyone see any personal information that may still be on my computer. I have done a factory restart on my system but someone told me even though I erase files they are still on the computer and that someone who knows what they are doing can retreive those files. Is this true?

 

[tremmor]

Yes.......it can be retrieved sometime.
Easiest way if ya know the model number and manufacture of hard drive.
Query 'low level format' or other freeware 'military wipe'.

the manufacture should have software for all models and low level format.
freeware.