-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Two related problems

Thanks for the info.  Recommend any good wiping programs?


-----Original Message-----
From: pctechtalk-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of GMan
Sent: Sat 5/19/2007 10:21 PM
To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: -=3DPCTechTalk=3D- Re: Two related problems
=20
Hi Ralph,
    Yes, it is as simple as just deleting the folders/files that used to =

belong to Win98.  Once they're gone, so is the old operating system.

    However, you might want to do a folder by folder inspection to make=20
absolutely sure that there's nothing in them worth saving.  Many =
programs=20
write their creations in a subfolder of the main program's folder.  =
These=20
are located under the main Program Files folder.  You may also find a =
few=20
things buried within the old Windows folder such as personalized =
wallpaper=20
&/or screensavers you added.  Once you're certain that there's nothing =
left=20
that's worth saving, just delete those two folders (Windows & Program=20
Files), plus the files in the root directory (the stuff that's sitting =
just=20
inside the D:\ drive, assuming this old drive is now D:)


    As for your wife's system, wiping an old drive before donating (or=20
selling) it is a great idea, especially if there's more on it than just =
some=20
MP3 collection.  Unfortunately, the only way to truly wipe the 1s & 0s =
is to=20
connect it to a working system and then run a wiping program on it.=20
Reformatting the drive isn't enough since that only removes the file=20
system's index of the files and doesn't even touch the files themselves.

    Fortunately, it's not difficult at all to connect a hard drive to a=20
working system.  In most cases all you need to do is turn off the PC, =
open=20
the case, connect the drive to a free IDE or SATA cable, connect a power =

cable to the drive, set the drive's Master/Slave jumper and then boot up =
the=20
system.  Since the drive will only be 'connected' to the computer for a=20
short time, I don't bother to properly mount it to the case.  Instead, I =

place a cardboard box next to the opening, lay a clean, dry washcloth on =
top=20
of it and then the old hard drive on top of that.  It isolates the drive =

from any static that might be in the carpet below the PC and it also =
raises=20
the drive up high enough for the cables to reach the drive.

    If you need more detailed instructions or any other assistance with =
the=20
procedure, we're right here for ya.         :O)

Peace,
GMan

"The only dumb questions are the ones that are never asked!"

----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Ralph Krumdiek" <ralphkru@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2007 12:49 AM
Subject: -=3DPCTechTalk=3D- Two related problems


>
> Hi.  I have two related questions.  First, I recently added a 2nd hard =
=3D
> drive to my machine, which is running W2000.  The 2nd hard drive is =
from =3D
> an older machine of mine, which is no longer among us, and that drive =
=3D
> has W98 installed on it.  What's the best way to remove W98 from the =
old =3D
> drive?  I could reformat but it seems to me I should be able to remove =
=3D
> W98 without going that far, but surely just deleting the Windows =
folder =3D
> doesn't completely wipe the disk of W98, does it?  I am not doing a =
=3D
> double-boot so my current machine knows nothing of the W98 install.
>
> 2nd question:  My wife's computer recently died (short in the MB).  We =
=3D
> had a backup (whew!) and restored her data to her new machine.  =
Neither =3D
> of us wants the old drive and I'd like to give it to the local =
computer =3D
> recycle folks, but it's still got the data on it.  Is there some way =
to =3D
> wipe the drive without installing it in a machine first (short of =
taking =3D
> a hammer to it?).  I appreciate any help on either of these problems.=20

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