How to Erase Data on Old Computer before You Sell It?

PAGE CONTENT:

Ready to part ways with your old PC but terrified of a stranger finding your tax returns or those "experimental" kitchen selfies? Simply hitting "delete" and emptying the trash won't cut it—data recovery tools can easily bring those files back from the digital grave.

If you're looking for how to permanently erase data before selling old computer, you've come to the right place! Here is your playful, stress-free guide to a total digital scrub-down.

The "Don't Forget" Pre-Check

Before we get to the heavy-duty wipe data phase, let's handle the basics:

• Log Out: Sign out of your Microsoft account and any other apps.
• Uninstall: Remove any third-party applications you've installed.
• Back it Up: Save those precious memories and work files to an external drive or the cloud.

Total Data Erasure with Donemax Data Eraser

Before you sell an old computer, please wipe your personal files from the computer. You cannot just delete the files and empty the recycle bin. It will not remove the data permanently. Other people can easily recover the removed files with a data recovery tool. Then how to wipe the data permanently on the computer? To ensure your information is gone for good, we recommend using professional data erasure software like Donemax Data Eraser. It's intuitive, easy for home users, and works on everything from SSDs to SD cards.

To erase data permanently from your old computer with the software, please do as following steps.

Step 1. Download and install the software Donemax Data Eraser on your computer.

Step 2. Run the software and choose "Erase Files/Folders" to shred the existing personal files.

Step 3. Choose "Erase Free Space" option to wipe the deleted or lost data on your computer.

Step 4. If there are data partitions on the computer, you can also choose "Erase Hard Drive" to wipe the entire data drives.

The Fresh Start (System Reset)

Once the personal data is wiped permanently on your old computer, we suggest you also reset the system on the computer. Then you can have a clean system on the drive before you sell the computer.

To get started, go to 'Settings' > 'Update & Security' > 'Recovery'. Then click the 'Get started' button under the 'Reset this PC' section.

Then choose the option to remove everything - settings, files, apps. It will ensure all the data/apps/settings be removed or reset after you reset the operating system.

After the settings are set properly, please click the "Reset" button to continue. Then please just follow the wizard to reset your operating system.

Once the wizard finishes, you'll have a squeaky-clean system. You can now sell, trade in, or donate your old tech with total peace of mind, knowing your sensitive data is gone forever.

Final Thought

Before selling an old machine, it's need to clear the data and make the system clean. You can reset the system directly and choose to remove all data during the process. However, if there are sensitive or important data on the drive, it's not enough. A reliable data erasure software can help you wipe data permanently to protect your privacy information safe.

Donemax Data Eraser is such an effective tool. The software is very simple to use as you can see. With intuitive interface, users can easily operate and use it to shred files or erase data on your computer, SD card, HDD, SSD, jump drive, digital camera, and so on. So if you need to give away, trade in, or abandon your storage devices, you can use Donemax Data Eraser to wipe the personal or sensitive data first.