This assumes you have a bootable diskette for your system, and that you
have the operating system installation CD available.
Most recipients of new (to them) computers will want to install their
own programs anyway, so I'd just wipe the whole hard drive clean. If
you have a Western Digital hard drive, and have one of their utilities
diskettes which came with it, then you can use the "Diagnostics" section
of the utilities to write zeroes to the disk. This wipes EVERYTHING
off.
Next (or first, if you DON'T have a WD disk), use your bootable system
disk to start the computer, then at the c:\ prompt type 'fdisk,' and
choose 'delete partition' and follow the prompts. Then create new
partition, and follow the prompts. Then reboot the machine, as
directed. Then type 'format c:' and follow the prompts. This part will
take some time. Then turn off the machine.
Next, reboot with the system disk in place, and choose the option to
start WITH CD-ROM support. Insert the operating system CD into the
machine, and type 'setup.' Then follow the prompts to reinstall the
operating system. If you're installing Win 2000 or Win XP, you should be
able to just boot the machine with the operating system CD and it will
start the installation by itself (without the bootable diskette). Just
follow the prompts, whichever is the case.
Then donate the machine.
-----Original Message-----
From: PCBUILD - Personal Computer Hardware discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Automatic digest
processor
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2003 12:41 AM
To: Recipients of PCBUILD digests
Subject: PCBUILD Digest - 25 Sep 2003 to 26 Sep 2003 (#2003-268)
There are 3 messages totalling 57 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Cleaning hard-drive
2. Printing Problems
3. What's my best option?
The NOSPIN Group Promotions is now offering
Mandrake Linux or Red Hat Linux CD sets along
with the OpenOffice CD... at a great price!!!
http://freepctech.com/goodies/promotions.shtml
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 12:01:46 -0400
From: Naomi Knudsen <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Cleaning hard-drive
We would like to donate our old computer but would first
like to remove financial and other sensitive information
from the hard-drive. What is the best way to do this?
Thanks.
Naomi Knudsen
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 10:41:07 -0400
From: Paul Hachmeyer <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Printing Problems
I'm not familiar with the Okidata model you have, but we do
continuous form printing here also. Does the printer have
any dip switches or any way to change the lines per inch or
lines per page? If not, you need to capture the print data
string (print to file) and analyze the data. Carriage
returns (cr), page and/or line feeds (lf) have specific
coding and you should be able to verify what the software is
actually sending.
Are there any printer settings on the individual pc's or are
you printing from the network settings?
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 13:46:47 -0500
From: Kay F Gibbs <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: What's my best option?
I have a pentium 233 with MMX and a pentium II 266 with MMX. the pntium
has 10 and 2 GB hard drives. The P II has a 5GB hardrive. I do a lot
of website work and alot of work with photos and art. I also have a
dragon Naturally speaking progran I will using frequently. I just
purchased a new 40GB Maxtor DiamnondMax
hard drive and also an extra 256MB memory stick. I'm also purchasing an
external cd-rw. I currently have an Iomega 100MB external zip drive. I
am running windows 95 on the PII and win95 with a win(*SE upgrade on the
Pentium. I plan on upgrading the PII operating system to win 98SE also,
One of these systems will be used strictly for the internet, with only
the opreating system MSN 8 and whatever software will be required with a
cd-rw for dowloading, etc.
I am trying to decide which system will be best suit
ed for the internet and which will be best suited for my other work.
Other programs I will add to which ever one I choose for my work will
also include Canon Creative, Ulead Photo Impact, Compudraw and a fractal
program.
I definitely need the 40GB drive for these programs but I don't which
system to put it in. If I use the Pentium for the internet, then it's
going to be eally slow as I only have dial-up, but is that going to be
the best bet??? I know many web programs require at the least a PII and
many won't work with less than a PIII now. I was also consdiering
upgrading my Dragon program as well.
Can you advise me on the best thing to do now, short of buying a whole
new system?
Thank you for your input.
Kay
------------------------------
End of PCBUILD Digest - 25 Sep 2003 to 26 Sep 2003 (#2003-268)
**************************************************************
The NOSPIN Group Promotions is now offering
Mandrake Linux or Red Hat Linux CD sets along
with the OpenOffice CD... at a great price!!!
http://freepctech.com/goodies/promotions.shtml
|
