permanently cleaning passwords from computer?

rudeboymcc · 5 Apr 2007 at 19:25

Hi. I'm about to sell a laptop but i don't want to format the whole disk (because i don't have recovery disks and sellin it without windows won't be as easy).

this laptop's only been used for internet really so i've used some passwords on it (like bank stufF).

what program is there out there to delete my internet password files?

nicktay2605 · 5 Apr 2007 at 19:27

You mean to wipe the registry etc? I might be wrong here but I think CCleaner will do that, better double check that though.

rudeboymcc · 5 Apr 2007 at 19:36

i've already used Ccleaner on everything. SHould this be enough to then sell the laptop on to a stranger?

nicktay2605 · 5 Apr 2007 at 19:39

Whenever I have used CCleaner it definitely wipes all my stored usernames and passwords. However, I'm not sure if they would be totally wiped, like I said seek another opinion on this as I don't know how thorough CCleaner is.

Cupra · 5 Apr 2007 at 21:20

rudeboymcc said:
i've already used Ccleaner on everything. SHould this be enough to then sell the laptop on to a stranger?

when is old mine i did a format and put windows back on.. the safest way to go tbh

Cyber-Mav · 5 Apr 2007 at 21:32

can easily recover data off that laptop even if you formatted it twice.

just hope you didn't have an outlook pst file or other important documents on that lappy. can recover them easily if one wishes to put some time in to it. just depends on who u selling it to.

therealnerd2 · 5 Apr 2007 at 21:47

To be fair, you have to go extremely far to stop someone who "wishes to put some time in to it".....

rudeboymcc · 5 Apr 2007 at 22:01

well i know there are ways to permanently delete files (isn't 4 writes over the data enough?). I'm guessing what I'm looking for is a program that writes anything to all *** empty hard disk space, then deletes it, and then repeats the process a few times.

problem is the laptop has a broken lcd and so i can't recover it because the external monitor only comes on after windows is booted.

so I have to do this whilst keeping windows xp in tact.

I'm not worried about outlook files, or any other documents, just the internet files.

Surely passwords for banks aren't saved on the computer thoguh? Everytime I go to barclays the only thing saved is the username, then i have to enter a password and a memorable word (some letters at least).

so that shouldn't be a problem. but if i ever entered say a credit card number on a website, is there a chance that it's saved on the computer?

IAmATeaf · 5 Apr 2007 at 22:25

I always use killdisk to wipe the disk a few times just to be safe.

If the lappy has an OS sticker on the bottom why not wipe the disk and re-install the OS?

rudeboymcc · 5 Apr 2007 at 22:30

rudeboymcc said:
problem is the laptop has a broken lcd and so i can't recover it because the external monitor only comes on after windows is booted.

so I have to do this whilst keeping windows xp in tact.

IAmATeaf · 5 Apr 2007 at 22:45

Surely the external monitor is switchable too via keyboard, not known a laptop which supports external VGA which can't/won't display on the external whilst it boots up.

rudeboymcc · 5 Apr 2007 at 22:53

Well I've got a Sony vaio C1s and all the external monitor and tv stuff (vga and s-video) is done through software that only runs when windows starts. the Fn+F7 shortcut which works in windows does nothing when it's booting up.

I guess some external ports aren't permanently on.

RaiderX · 6 Apr 2007 at 15:42

its usually Fn+ the number key with a pic of a monitor on