How am I best sorting my Windows 11 laptop ready to sell?

JamesUK

JamesUK

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Hi, I have a Dell G5 5500 laptop that I am selling, as I recently got a new one.

In the time I had my Dell laptop, I have upgraded the SSD, so in the process, don't have the recovery image etc
I was wanting to do a clean install and have the setup at the point where the person can put their name etc in, what they want to call their profile, like it would be when you just get one new.

But that is where I feel a bit stuck, because I don't have the Dell recovery image now, none of the build in Dell software would be then included if I do it that way.

During a fresh installation of Windows 11, how do I know when I am at a point where it can stop the installation, so when the person gets it, they just finalise it to their liking?

Would you, just not bother with the Dell built in software, and sell it as I have mentioned above?

Regards
James
 

jellybeard999

jellybeard999

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I presume there's nothing critical to national security on there?

Unless you are massively concerned that someone is going to try to recover your data, a factory reset will be fine

Give your PC a Fresh Start - Microsoft Support

Fresh Start in Windows 10 lets you perform a clean reinstallation and update of Windows while keeping your personal data and most Windows settings intact.
support.microsoft.com support.microsoft.com

Select no to keep files, data, apps etc and once it's done it'll reboot to the windows user setup screen. Shutdown/hold power button to turn off and you're done.
 
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Craterloads

Craterloads

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As above really.

Mind you I sold a MacBook earlier this year which was returned. The guy logged out of everything and uninstalled anything he put on. I reinstalled chrome getting MacBook ready to be sold again and wham it logged into his Google account. Literally every password he had was stored and visible, crypto website logins, bank account login and password etc.

He’s lucky I was feeling honest that day messaged to notify him and then wiped and reinstalled os.
 

Removed User 345456

Removed User 345456

Removed User 345456

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TBH no-one uses bundled usually bloatware/trial software that any prebuilt system comes with, so you'd be saving the new owner time/hassle :)

I'd just nuke it and put everything on clean :) Mention you've done so ready for the new owner if you want. If they really want the rubbish that's usually bundled, I'm sure they can download it themselves, but I've yet to ever hear of someone wanting pre-bundled rubbish ;) So don't even worry about it mate.
 

Nasher

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coupe69 said:
As has been mentioned a vanilla copy of Windows will be absolutely fine. Nobody wants the bloatware shipped with OEM images.
Click to expand...

First thing you should do with a new PC is wipe the drive and put a clean OS on it tbh. There is all sort of crap on OEM images.
 

JamesUK

JamesUK

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Thanks guys, I have reinstalled windows 11 on it now, just to make sure, i turned it off at the point after it installed, it then asked me to set my country.
This is the right point to turn it off isn't it ready to sell?
 

kakarott

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JamesUK said:
Thanks guys, I have reinstalled windows 11 on it now, just to make sure, i turned it off at the point after it installed, it then asked me to set my country.
This is the right point to turn it off isn't it ready to sell?
Click to expand...
Did it ask you to install windows again? Trying to avoid doing that.
 

Mcnumpty2323

Mcnumpty2323

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Best way to sort it before selling
Either as quartz said
Keep the ssd and put a new one in
Or do a secure erase before reinstalling windows
Either with ssd manufacturers tool
Though in the past I used corsair toolbox
And checked if stuff was recoverable and it was
So I always double check now
Some motherboard you can secure erase in the bios
Usually I use parted magic
It's got a great secure erase tool for both ssd and m2

I would never sell anything without secure erasing it first
 

2013

2013

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Just backup what you need and do a factory reset or wipe the partition and re-install, you could do a secure erase before reinstalling windows to be extra safe.
 
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