I am giving my old computer to a friend - they are trustworthy, but how do I ensure that my personal stuff is properly removed from the disk before I hand it over?1 person got this answerI do too

Do a clean install/factory restore of Windows before you give the computer to your friend. You can do a Dept. of Defense-quality wipe* on the hard drive first if you want to be particularly careful but if this is a friend (especially if one who isn't computer-savvy) it isn't necessary. Make sure you give your friend the installation discs for Windows and any software such as MS Office which either came with the machine or you are installing for your friend. *I use the free DBAN program. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What you will need on-hand MS-MVP - Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!