How do I wipe out the info in this used lap top?
Someone gave me a lap top. How do I wipe it clean and start new?
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Is it Windows? And if so, what version (XP, Win 7, Win 8, etc)?
If you have the pass word, you can do it from the partition which is tapping f7 or f8 while the lap top is in boot up stage,you will see a restore option and can go from there, it will reinstall the OS.
Or you can do it from the recovery disk if you have it.
If you restore the OS, you lose the programs.
So another question – does it have any programs, like Microsoft Office, that you want to keep?
I have to sign off, so assuming you have Windows, here you go.
A) If you want to keep the installed programs, or you have Windows 7 or XP
1) Create a new user
2) Make it an admistrator
3) Sign off (or reboot), sign in as the new user
4) Delete the old user
B) If you have Windows 8 or 10 and DO NOT need the programs (this is an awesome feature)
1) In Windows 8, go to Settings
2) Choose ‘Update and Recovery’
3) Choose ‘Recovery’
4) Follow the instructions on the screen
1) In Windows 10, go to Settings
2) Choose ‘Update and Security’
3) Choose ‘Reset this PC’
4) Follow the instructions on the screen
Take the hard drive out back and shoot it
@jaytkay I show Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft Visjal C++ Redistributable….Looks like I don’t have Excel or Word, etc.
I went to control panel / user accounts. I can make changes to the account but I don’t see a way to make a new one.
Hm. It looks like it might be wiped clean already. I changed the user name to my name, and now I’m the administrator.
Good. I am glad the person was smart enough to factory reset before handing it off.
(Stuff like that always worries me)
Huh, @jaytkay! How did I miss that?
Thanks. The lap top isn’t near me, but I’ll get back on it when I wake up.
.
@Seek well, he forgot to log out of facebook before he got rid of it!
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