One thing you can use is a file shredding tool. I have one built into
another tool I used that is called CCleaner. Ity is easy to install and use.
Not only does it clean out stuff like old cookies and temp files with its
main window, but you can look under tools and find a file shredder. The main
cleanup functions can also be setup to shred stuff before it deletes them
off the system. It may be simplest to set CCleaner to use DOD 3-pass or NSA
7-pass, then place whatever you want to dispose of in the Recycle bin and
use CCleaner to cleanup the system (which empties the Recycle Bin as part of
the process). I am certain you find other file shredders with a quick search
in Google. Shredding the free space is also not a bad idea once you shred
files and defragment the system afterwards, just for added insurance.

-----Original Message-----
From: Personal Computer Hardware discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Russ Cox
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 3:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [PCBUILD] Save Win XP license?


I have acquired from someone a "crashed" computer that I was able to
resurrect. The computer is running an OEM copy of XP and has the license
code sticker on it. I'd like to ensure all the previous owner's files are
unrecoverable.  If I scrub the drive, I will lose the Win XP license.  I
don't think I can install from another copy of XP because the license # is
synched to the Win XP CD and I don't have the original XP CD. As I remember
from a previous discussion with Microsoft, they just say to use the original
CD to reinstall XP. I do have other copies of XP, but I don't like to waste
the perfectly good license for this machine.
Is there any tool that will overwrite the free space on the hard drive to
make sure the old files are unrecoverable? That should keep the current OS
and applications intact.

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