How Do I Wipe Clean an Entire PC That Doesn't Have an OS?

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How Do I Wipe Clean an Entire PC That Doesn't Have an OS? – This is a place for the community to provide tips and advice on How Do I Wipe Clean an Entire PC That Doesn't Have an OS?. This topic was created by Elana Sullivan and the tips are provided by the community. The tips you add here can be your own or referred from another site. The best tips are then ranked at the top when up-voted by members of the community.

Tip 1 - How to Wipe Everything Off a Hard Drive Except the OS

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by Maitri Meyer | permalink

Recycling a computer between employees is faster and more cost-effective than purchasing a new computer. However, it is essential to erase any sensitive business data -- such as payroll information ...

For further reading: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/wipe-everything-off-hard-drive-except-os-56796.html ^[1]

Tip 2 - 4 Ways To Factory Reset Your Windows Computer

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by Barbara Tague | permalink

A reset to factory conditions is the quickest and easiest way to return to normal, whether your system has been running slow or caught a virus. Not only does it get your computer clean, but it will also run at optimal performance. Here are four different ways you can reset your Windows computer. Use the Recovery…

For further reading: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-ways-factory-reset-windows-computer/ ^[2]

Tip 3 - How to Wipe Your Hard Disk Drive Leaving the OS Intact

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by Robin Mandell | permalink

So you want to get rid of your computer. To keep your data secure -- whether it's financial records, business information, or anything else private that you don't want people snooping through -- you'll want to securely wipe the hard drive. This ensures that no one can recover the deleted files. However, you don't want…

For further reading: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-wipe-your-hard-disk-drive-leaving-the-os-intact/ ^[3]

Tip 4 - Beginner Geek: How to Reinstall Windows on Your Computer

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by guerriero | permalink

Reinstalling Windows is one of the easiest ways to fix software problems on your computer, whether it’s running slow or infected by viruses. You should also reinstall Windows before you get rid of an old PC.

For further reading: http://www.howtogeek.com/133254/beginner-geek-how-to-reinstall-windows-on-your-computer/ ^[4]

Tip 5 - How do I reformat my machine if I don't have a Windows CD? - Ask Leo!

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by Daniel Sherman | permalink

Reformatting a machine is a major step that erases everything. Unless you really know what you're doing, you're going to want that Windows Setup CD.

For further reading: https://askleo.com/how_do_i_reformat_my_machine_if_i_dont_have_a_windows_cd/ ^[5]

Tip 6 - How should I erase my hard drive before I give it away? - Ask Leo!

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by Jessason | permalink

Erasing your hard drive before you give it away is important. Exactly how thorough an erase you need depends on your data and level of paranoia.

For further reading: https://askleo.com/how_should_i_erase_my_hard_drive_before_i_give_it_away/ ^[6]

Tip 7 - Starting From Scratch: A Step-by-Step Guide to Reinstalling Your OS

Published: 9 years, 6 month(s) ago | Submitted by Shannon Brandl | permalink

If your computer's running slowly and you've tried everything else, it might be time for a fresh install of your operating system. Here are some tips, tricks, and best practices to get through the process quickly and easily.
Tags: Optimization, Operating Systems, Cleaning, Disk recovery, Clutter, Howto, install, Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Hard Drives, Feature, Top, Upgrades, Defragment, Disk Space, Gizmodo, Lifehacker

For further reading: http://lifehacker.com/5629218/starting-from-scratch-a-step-by-step-guide-to-reinstalling-your-os ^[7]