removing info from P.C.

[lostinfrance]

We have been and bought a second hand P.C.but it has on it information left there by the last owner.

    Can some kind person tell me the way to remove it.

[Pierre ZFP]

Can you give some more details? What sort of information?  You can always delete files that are no use to you.

[lostinfrance]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]You can always delete files that are no use to you.[/quote]

They are the above ones

                                    Things that where of interest to them but not me.

[Cat]

To delete files http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/deletefiles.mspx

To remove programs http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/removeprog.mspx

[lostinfrance]

Thanking you both

                           Just the thing i wanted

[powerdesal]

Is it not better to completely reformat the drive and start from a clean PC?

[Cat]

It would be quicker, but then he would have to reinstall all the programs, and he might not have the original disks?

[tj]

Hi

Deleting files using the Recycle bin doesnt actually delete them, and they can be easily recovered, if you want permenant and actual deletion you need a little piece of software like Data Nuker, and does exactly what the name implies, basically the files are destroyed as the program overwrites the disc space with a series of 0's and 1's, binary code which is the basis of computer function.

I mention this since if you want to delete sensitive information this is the only way to be sure its gone and cannot be recovered, well by mere mortals anyway :)

[Nige]

If you format the drive and reinsatll the OS make sure that you have all the drives otherwise you could end up with more problems than you bargined for.

[lostinfrance]

[quote user="Nige"]If you format the drive and reinsatll the OS make sure that you have all the drives otherwise you could end up with more problems than you bargined for.[/quote]

Thanking you

                      There is no way that i go down that road,

                                                                                    Pressing the on/off button is the limit of my P.C. care and maintenance.