wiping hard drives
As I assess which of my possessions I'd rather not move across the country with me, the two old laptops are going on the purge list. (I've been carrying one around for more than 6 years, meep! The other is my beloved Vita the Orange Laptop, and even though we've been through so much together, it really is probably time to say a permanent goodbye, considering she's just been sitting in a box for a year and, last time I checked, was not exactly running soundly.) But part of the reason I've carried the oldest one around for so long is that I don't know how to wipe the hard drive and don't want to discard it without doing so. Google is giving me probably too much information (and so many people disagreeing with each other!), so I figured I'd turn to the flist for more trusted tech advice.
So: programs and/or techniques you would recommend for preparing these computers to be put in the electronics recycling bag and set out on the side of the road? The computer need not be useable afterwards (though I should say in advance that I have no intention of taking a hammer to Vita, just out of principle!), but as far as I know, both computers are still capable of being booted up and connected to the internet, if it's easier to do it through downloading a program, and I suppose that probably would leave them useable, assuming anyone had any use for them, which seems unlikely. Assume my level of proficiency in these sorts of technical matters is very low; I've always been far too terrified to mess with my computers in any way that might compromise the data (which, of course, is precisely what I do want to do now).
Crossposted from DW, where there are
comments. Comment here or there.
So: programs and/or techniques you would recommend for preparing these computers to be put in the electronics recycling bag and set out on the side of the road? The computer need not be useable afterwards (though I should say in advance that I have no intention of taking a hammer to Vita, just out of principle!), but as far as I know, both computers are still capable of being booted up and connected to the internet, if it's easier to do it through downloading a program, and I suppose that probably would leave them useable, assuming anyone had any use for them, which seems unlikely. Assume my level of proficiency in these sorts of technical matters is very low; I've always been far too terrified to mess with my computers in any way that might compromise the data (which, of course, is precisely what I do want to do now).
Crossposted from DW, where there are
comments. Comment here or there.