Solved
Discarding Dell Computer with failing motherboard
Dell has Windows 10. Do I just unistall Webroot on the menu, and then download "Full Wipe" to wipe my computer clean? Thanks for help.
Best answer by gremlinkurst
There are several ways to do this "correctly," but there is one sure-fire, time-tested method that will NEVER fail: Go old-school, neolithic-tech, on the computer. All you need to make ALL your data inaccessible—even to men-in-black homeland-style security agencies with James-Bond-type resources at their command, is a screwdriver, a decent nut-driver / bit set, and a two-pound (almost one kilo) ball peen hammer.
Physically remove the hard drive, open it up, and remove the real pretty-looking guts of the device. The target of your goal looks like optical disks made of chrome. Fell free to drink a couple of beers while you spend about ten minutes just beating the Hell out of them. Nobody's getting ANYTHING off those things—trust me.
Of course, if you're really paranoid, you can get truly ridiculous and pull the klystron tube¹ out of a defunct microwave oven and leave the mirror-like disks on it overnight.
¹Large heavy electromagnet responsible for the bulk of the weight of a microwave oven, which—even without a power supply—does an admirable job of data-scrambling.
Howver, if you simply MUST go high-tech, I recommend East-Tec Eraser, a highly-customizable secure deletion utility capable of defeating all available recovery methods—DOD-defiant deletion methods.
Physically remove the hard drive, open it up, and remove the real pretty-looking guts of the device. The target of your goal looks like optical disks made of chrome. Fell free to drink a couple of beers while you spend about ten minutes just beating the Hell out of them. Nobody's getting ANYTHING off those things—trust me.
Of course, if you're really paranoid, you can get truly ridiculous and pull the klystron tube¹ out of a defunct microwave oven and leave the mirror-like disks on it overnight.
¹Large heavy electromagnet responsible for the bulk of the weight of a microwave oven, which—even without a power supply—does an admirable job of data-scrambling.
Howver, if you simply MUST go high-tech, I recommend East-Tec Eraser, a highly-customizable secure deletion utility capable of defeating all available recovery methods—DOD-defiant deletion methods.
Hello kstudying
Welcome to the Webroot Community.
You will want to delete the computer from your online Web Console.
Log in and select PC Security. Click on the computer that you're discarding and choose the Commands tab. Then select Deactivate from the menu. This will remove Webroot from the PC as well (if it's online).
???
Yes, you can also delete Webroot from the PC in Control Panel/Programs.
I'm not sure what you mean by "download "Full Wipe" to wipe my computer clean"
If the hard drive is still good you can reuse it in another system or as an external hard drive, too.
You can also reuse the license from the discarded PC again on another computer/device. Just do the following:
Please follow the steps closely!
Hope this info helps, :)
BD
Welcome to the Webroot Community.
You will want to delete the computer from your online Web Console.
Log in and select PC Security. Click on the computer that you're discarding and choose the Commands tab. Then select Deactivate from the menu. This will remove Webroot from the PC as well (if it's online).
???
Yes, you can also delete Webroot from the PC in Control Panel/Programs.
I'm not sure what you mean by "download "Full Wipe" to wipe my computer clean"
If the hard drive is still good you can reuse it in another system or as an external hard drive, too.
You can also reuse the license from the discarded PC again on another computer/device. Just do the following:
Please follow the steps closely!
- Make sure you have a copy of your 20 Character Alphanumeric Keycode! Example: SA69-AAAA-A783-DE78-XXXX
- KEEP the computer online for install to make sure it works correctly
- Download a Copy Here (Best Buy Subscription PC users click HERE) Let us know if it is the Mac version you need.
- Install with the new installer, enter your Keycode.
- Let it finish it's install scan
- Reboot once again
Hope this info helps, :)
BD
There are several ways to do this "correctly," but there is one sure-fire, time-tested method that will NEVER fail: Go old-school, neolithic-tech, on the computer. All you need to make ALL your data inaccessible—even to men-in-black homeland-style security agencies with James-Bond-type resources at their command, is a screwdriver, a decent nut-driver / bit set, and a two-pound (almost one kilo) ball peen hammer.
Physically remove the hard drive, open it up, and remove the real pretty-looking guts of the device. The target of your goal looks like optical disks made of chrome. Fell free to drink a couple of beers while you spend about ten minutes just beating the Hell out of them. Nobody's getting ANYTHING off those things—trust me.
Of course, if you're really paranoid, you can get truly ridiculous and pull the klystron tube¹ out of a defunct microwave oven and leave the mirror-like disks on it overnight.
¹Large heavy electromagnet responsible for the bulk of the weight of a microwave oven, which—even without a power supply—does an admirable job of data-scrambling.
Howver, if you simply MUST go high-tech, I recommend East-Tec Eraser, a highly-customizable secure deletion utility capable of defeating all available recovery methods—DOD-defiant deletion methods.
Physically remove the hard drive, open it up, and remove the real pretty-looking guts of the device. The target of your goal looks like optical disks made of chrome. Fell free to drink a couple of beers while you spend about ten minutes just beating the Hell out of them. Nobody's getting ANYTHING off those things—trust me.
Of course, if you're really paranoid, you can get truly ridiculous and pull the klystron tube¹ out of a defunct microwave oven and leave the mirror-like disks on it overnight.
¹Large heavy electromagnet responsible for the bulk of the weight of a microwave oven, which—even without a power supply—does an admirable job of data-scrambling.
Howver, if you simply MUST go high-tech, I recommend East-Tec Eraser, a highly-customizable secure deletion utility capable of defeating all available recovery methods—DOD-defiant deletion methods.
Thank you. I did uninstall Webroot per directions from you. I am using Eraser right now. I am planning to follow your directions on taking a hammer to the hard drive. Thanks for your help.
Thank you. I successfully uninstalled Webroot from my old computer. I put Windows 10 back in with option to get rid of all personal information on the reset. I am using Eraser right now. I plan to figure out how to open the computer and destroy the hard drive with a hammer to make sure no information is left behind somehow. Thank you again.
Hi kstudying,@ wrote:
Thank you. I successfully uninstalled Webroot from my old computer. I put Windows 10 back in with option to get rid of all personal information on the reset. I am using Eraser right now. I plan to figure out how to open the computer and destroy the hard drive with a hammer to make sure no information is left behind somehow. Thank you again.
Glad you got it sorted out. :)
If I may suggest another method besides the BFH option. You could get a free disk utility that writes all zeros to your hard drive, essentially erasing it. The hard drive could then be re-used, recycled, or discarded. If you do go with the hammer, please wear eye-protection. :p
Peace,
BD
Thanks for suggestion on wearing eye wear. I have never burned a CD, but I may try that option first as a learning experience as I saw that method mentioned on the internet. At least I know that I can always still destroy the hard drive which I had never known before. I am not that great on technology so I have appreciated all knowledge you have shared. Thanks again.
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