I have a new latop set to arrive tomorrow and will be selling the old one.  I have removed all files and programs from the old machine, but have heard that someone who knows how can still bring them back.  Because I prepare taxes I had copies of returns and other confidential information saved on this machine and do not want any of that to fall into the wrong hands.  I would rather not format the drive, just because of the time it will take to re-install and update XP. I am looking for some good tool that will erase the old, but leave XP and the Dell stuff that might be of value to the new owner.  Any ideas will be appreciated.

Spybot has a free file shredder in it that you can set how many time you want a file shredded

Sometimes the answer is so obvious that we just don't see it.  I am sure that Spybot shredder is a great, but I happpen to be using AVG on this machine. Your answer led me to check and I found a shredder there as well.  I just spent about 2 hours shredding and feel much more secure about selling the old machine.  Thanks for the tip.

Pakama --In your first post, you said you removed all files and programs which you didn't want.  Then, what did you shred if these were already gone?  Did you shred the empty space?  I am asking because I want to do a similar thing to my computer before I give it away.

Thanks.
Laverne

I looked back at the original post and realize I did say I had already deleted the files, but that was not totally accurate.  I had started to delete files wen I posted the question.  After getting the response I then just went on a shredding trip through the entire drive.  I found old programs and files I had forgotten about as well as some stuff that really did not need to be in the wrong hands.  I have also defragged the drive two or three times.  I think the last steps I will take before selling the laptop will be to copy over some meaningless files from my primary computer just to fill up the drive and then shred and drfrag it again.

Thank you, Pakama, for your quick reply.  For your information which might be helpful to you, I have a program called Eraser (free download) which erases (or overwrites?) empty space.  In case you are interested, this is the site:

http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/default.php

It also shreds files and folders and has options as to how many passes you want to use in the shredding, which I believe is 1 or 3 or 7.  Just thought I'd pass along that information.  I have seen it recommended on several Forums and have been using it to shred files and folders for 4 years.  I have never tried overwriting the free space, though.

Laverne

That sounds a lot easier than what I was going to do.  I followed the link and completed the downloads.  I will install and erase later.  Thanks.

I don't usually get involved in these forums, but I felt must put in my two-bits worth. This subject comes up from time to time in the professional blogs (I hasten to add that I am not a professional). One recent one is at the address below:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=129&tag=nl.e550
The discussions range from the sublime to the ridiculous or more precisely from the useful to the extremely paranoid, as you will see if you read all the replies to what seems an entirely sensible blog. However, if you have potentially sensitive information on your computer, I would certainly suggest that you take all precautions to scrubbing the HDD as thoroughly as possible, even to the point of having it done professionally. A forensic lab would still be able to retrieve considerable information, but those facilities are not available to most people. I think there are also legal implications if you let other people's personal data (such as financial information with which you have been intrusted) out of you hands.

Dr. Arthur R. Berg

There ia software company called Sysinternal ( recently bought by Microsoft) that has some awesome free software. Included in this is a FREE DoD-compliant secure delete program. The also provide an excellent explanation of security issues.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897443.aspx

I erased the drive with PGP then took it to auto dump and used their electormagnet on it, then had them literally shred the drive. I recycled the remains. Actually, unless the NSA is after you, if you use an erase program of DOD standard it should be sufficient.  If you are a raving paranoid or NSA is really surveilling you use my method.