Whether you are donating, recycling or giving your old PC to a friend, simply deleting the files on your hard drive isn’t sufficient. Even if a file doesn’t show up after you delete it, the file data can still be retrieved with a data recovery program. Here’s how to delete your data in five steps.
1) Deauthorize your computer – Some programs like Microsoft Office365 only allow you to install software on a limited number of computers or limit the number of PCs allowed to access your files. Be sure to deauthorize your old computer from these types of accounts before uninstalling the programs.
2) Delete browsing history – Depending on your settings, your browser may have stored user account information for various websites. In Internet Explorer, click on the cog wheel in the upper right corner to open the menu, click the safety option and choose delete browsing history. Repeat this for any other browser you may have used.
3) Delete and overwrite sensitive data – File Shredder is a great free program for Windows PC users. Older Mac users can choose the Secure Empty Trash option after deleting your files. Newer Macs and PCs with SSD drives will need to encrypt the drives. For Windows PCs with SSD drives go to Settings > About. Toward the bottom, you’ll see either an option for Drive Encryption or Bitlocker Settings. Follow the prompts to encrypt your drive. For Macs, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > FileVault and select Turn On FileVault. You’ll then select a password and select Restart.
4) Uninstall your programs – Some programs, such as Microsoft Office, may contain personal information such as your name and address or other details.
5) Wipe your hard drive – After deleting your data on your PC, do a factory reset to permanently remove all of your files and software. A good program for wiping hard drives is Eraser. For Macs, you’ll want to erase and reinstall OS X. In the menu bar, choose Apple menu > Restart. Once your Mac restarts, hold down the Command and R keys. Select Disk Utility, then click Continue. Select your startup disk on the left, then click the Erase tab. Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the Format menu, enter a name, then click Erase. After the disk is erased, choose Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility. Select Reinstall OS X, click Continue, and follow the onscreen instructions.
For more information on solutions for running your businesses’ technology more efficiently, visit our website or contact Megan Meisner at mmeisner@launchpadonline.com or 813 448-7100 x210.
