Dell Returns. Privacy Respected?

So I'm returning the xps 1530 tomorrow because I ordered a replacement. Should I format the one I am returning? I've done some online purchases and bank transactions via internet on that first one.

 

I reformat mine just in case. It's a big company and so even if they have rules on that sort of thing, I don't risk it.

 

The thing is I'm having trouble reformatting... I put in the media disk but i just see a blinking type set on a black screen once i select an option for media partition and what not.

 

They must destroy the data. Its policy.

 

no online purchases and bank transfer are not stored in your laptop if the sites/bank you are dealing with have 12bit ssl protection...(Most of them do have.. I dont know what the regulation in your country.. But in India banks online site MUST have 128 bit ssl encription protection).. But if you are not sure.. You can delete cookies and cache memory of your browser.. it will be more than suffices if you didnot store this details manually in your laptop..(like you have stored your cradit card details in a notepad or so)

 

You could always run a magnet over the hard drive a couple times...but that would completely destroy the drive and make it unbootable. Dell would then have to go in and put the boot sector on the drive again and your info would completely be gone.

 

If you still have the Dell backup partition on your drive you should be able to jam F8 at startup to go into a recovery mode ("Repair computer" I think) that will let you reformat without using a disc. This is what I did on my first m1330 that is going back. There's more information in the big thick manual that comes with the system.

 

IT doesn't matter. After everything checks out on your computer making sure you included all the proper parts, it goes through a diagnostics test to make sure everything is in check. Then as in part of their reimaging process, the drive is first wiped using miliatry grade drive erasing. Then the drive is imaged again with their factory image.

Besides...just reinstalling windows, or using the recovery console does not delete files...

 

Put a magnet to your drives? Are you freakin' insane?

I hope you don't listen to some of this advice.

If you're worried (and I personally am when returning/selling HDs), use DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke). It's free, open source and completely wipes the drive in <24 hr

 

I wonder what methods you use to solve other common notebook issues?

 

I can't confirm if this is true or not, but regardless I wouldn't trust it. Even if it is policy that doesn't mean that the employee will do it...

Also, formating is useless. Formatting doesn't actually erase the drive. As a result, a malicious individual could run a utility like ActiveUneraser and find any information on your drive...

I recommend you do what I do when I ship out HDs to be replaced or whatever needs to be done...

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

This program will run 10 passes on default whiping your HD and writing junk data to every sector and redoing it. Making the job of data recovery extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Do be warned though... It will delete EVERY connected drive. I think the newest version supports USB as well. So make sure every drive you don't want whipped is disconnected from the computer before booting into DBAN.

 

OOooo....and when your computer screen gets dirty, you could run it through the dishwasher!! That'll fix it right up!

 

Couldn't you wait until the new one comes in, and switch the hard drive from one to the other, if they are the same size and speed? You would need to phone MS to re-activate Windows.

 

Its a privacy law i believe.

 

Here in Canada, privacy laws are heeded like Moses obeying the 10 commandments. You just don't screw around with that stuff here because you can be fined out the wazoo if it's proven that you've breached those laws.

 

No matter what software methods you use to erase the hard drive, your data can still be recovered though not easily.

The best method is to dismantle the hard drive and remove the disk platters. Destroy the platters with pestle until it is finely powdered. You can now safely trash the powder. This is the method used by US military.

Do check with Dell before you attempt this method!

 

^^ I'm with Stupid.