Posted April 19, 2013 I was reading another post and it got me to thinking... I have a friend staying at my house in June when I leave town which means I need to clear out my computer of all pics, downloaded info, log in's past information that could possibly be saved. . .just in case. Now, since I am computer illiterate I am hoping someone will be able to explain step by step how to do a defrag or how to get all the info out on my computer and laptop! Much appreciated 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 You need goto your download folder, or the folder you downloaded your pics too and delete them. Internet History If you have I E go to internet options -- Press "Delete" button on the generals tab Defrag Go to All Programs -->Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defrag Go to All Programs -->Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Clean Up 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 For step by step we would need the browsers you use and the operating system installed on the computers. If you need help finding the version of operating system installed we need to know if it is Mac or Windows. If it's a Mac just run over it with your car a few times, throw it in the fireplace and that will take care of it. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 On safari, go to history. Go to the bottom and click on "clear history." Then go under the safari tab to "Preferences" Click on "Show Cookies" Click "Remove All" Click "Done" This will prevent web sites "automatically" popping up in your browser and pretty much eliminates all your history. I do this all the time to eliminate traces of TOB 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 If you have XP or newer OS make them their own profile and mark yours as private so they cant snoop your shit. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 If you have XP or newer OS make them their own profile and mark yours as private so they cant snoop your shit. That's a good suggestion but very easy to hack if they know a little about computers. It takes less than 10 minutes to get into a password protected computer. Even if you delete all of the files you don't want them to see it is still very easy to recover those files. If you are very paranoid about it the only real solution is to not let them use your computer. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 You could find all the files and back them up on a DVD/CD or the cloud. Knowing that some free software could bring them back from the intergalactic bit bucket. Or, Best Buy has some $200 computers you could leave for your house sitter. Possibly less on Newegg.com 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 I usually just pull the entire hard drive out and lock the damn thing in a safe. Bitlocker comes with Windows 7, I believe, if you have that OS, it will encrypt your entire hard drive. Trucrypt is even better as there is no backdoor into your system the way the other commercial products setup for law enforcement. Trucrypt was a free download if I remember correctly, but make sure you read the info on it well. You forget the password your system is fucked forever. No backdoor... Honestly, I'd just pull the damn hard drive out completely and put it back in when you return. Most computer components are plug n play. Easy to pull. Easy to put back in. For laptops .... a login password? I don't know. I'd say setup a user login for your friend and give her the password to THAT login. Make the username something obvious ... ie [Name]'s Computer. Unfortunately without some kind of PGP encryption on your system, the only way to completely eliminate the ability to get into your data is to remove the component that stores that data. The Hard Drive. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 Cheapest I've found are off-lease, corporate machines at www.discountpc.net. They're in Dove Valley across the street from the Broncos HQ. Agree with Sennagig - pull the hard drive and lock it away. For peace of mind, I'd go that way. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 That's a good suggestion but very easy to hack if they know a little about computers. It takes less than 10 minutes to get into a password protected computer. Even if you delete all of the files you don't want them to see it is still very easy to recover those files. If you are very paranoid about it the only real solution is to not let them use your computer. She said it was a friend not a goddamn NSA hacker. FYI it takes about 30 seconds to crack the Windows password, your 9 minutes and 30 seconds too slow. If you want ultimate security you'll TrueCrypt the boot drive and then double crypt the data drive with TrueCrypt and Bitlocker and use 24-36 character passwords. Just hope your boot sector doesn't ever become infected or corrupted then your fcked. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 Cheapest I've found are off-lease, corporate machines at www.discountpc.net. They're in Dove Valley across the street from the Broncos HQ. Agree with Sennagig - pull the hard drive and lock it away. For peace of mind, I'd go that way. I agree with keeping it simple. If it's essential that your friend (who it seems will be house-sitting for you when you're away) not find out what you use your computers for (I think you have both a desktop and laptop), I suggest hiding your computers away out of sight, and buying a new cheap computer for your friend. (For a desktop, you only need to hide away and replace the main "box". You can let your friend use the existing peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, modem.) By the way, since you asked I am hoping someone will be able to explain step by step how to do a defrag here is my explanation: STEP 1. The purpose of a "defrag" is to re-arrange the files on your hard drive in a way that allows the files to be accessed more efficiently. The purpose of a "defrag" is not to hide your information from a friend who will be using your computer. So don't bother with it. Hope that doesn't seem rude - but if you're computer illiterate, now (just before your friend visits) is not the time for a crash course in how to conceal personal info on your computer. That's why a simple solution, that doesn't require technical knowledge of all the ways information is stored on your computer, is best. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 Hope that doesn't seem rude - but if you're computer illiterate, now (just before your friend visits) is not the time for a crash course in how to conceal personal info on your computer. That's why a simple solution, that doesn't require technical knowledge of all the ways information is stored on your computer, is best. This. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 Ditto. Hell! Backup your data to an external drive, secure erase your user account contents, delete the account, put the drive in a safe place (eg bank vault). Or put stuff to the cloud (eg DropBox, Google Drive). Restore your account when you get back. If you don't have some secure erase software on your computer, download some. As someone else said, not dealing with NSA here, or other 3-letter agencies, as house guests. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 Get one of these bootable jumpdrives, learn how to use it, and you'll never have this worry again.......regardless of whose computer you're using. Best 200 bucks (or less) you'll ever spend. http://www.ironkey.com/en-US/ 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 ... Or, Best Buy has some $200 computers you could leave for your house sitter. Possibly less on Newegg.com ^^ THIS ^^ Or at least the concept - replace the computer if you absolutely have to leave one for your house sitter. Then lock yours away someplace. If you basically trust your guest, a simple foot locker would suffice, if not - take it to the bank. As several have said, now is NOT the time for a crash course in technology. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 If you trust your house-sitter and don't believe them to be a hacker then I would think setting up a "guest account" would suffice. Just set up a new account on the computer with its own password. Then your stuff should be protected. Maybe I'm not being paranoid enough but personally I'd never trust someone to watch all my worldly possessions who I thought would hack my computer. Just my $0.02. Q 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 19, 2013 If you trust your house-sitter and don't believe them to be a hacker then I would think setting up a "guest account" would suffice. Just set up a new account on the computer with its own password. Then your stuff should be protected. Maybe I'm not being paranoid enough but personally I'd never trust someone to watch all my worldly possessions who I thought would hack my computer. Just my $0.02. Q Totally agree and you beat me to the punch. If you trust them to house sit I can imagine they can be trusted to just use a guest account and leave your files alone and it's really easy to do. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 20, 2013 I usually just pull the entire hard drive out and lock the damn thing in a safe. . By and far the best advice. Then I would buy a cheap hard drive and install free OS on it. Then they are fooled into thinking that nothing is wrong and prevents them from copying your hard drive to get stuff later. If you are going to leave the hard drive in it go into the bios and disable boot from USB and CD/DVD and passoword encrypt the ability to make changes to the bios. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 20, 2013 Thanks for all the great advice. Turns out another provider friend saw this post and is a whiz with computers, awesome! So, she will physically help my illiterate ass! Thank you so much for gathering info for me <3 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 21, 2013 I will defitnetly fall back on this in a couple months when I need it again <3 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted April 21, 2013 Just want to come in and recommend TruCrypt as well, for any files that you want to keep private,and not necessarily for your current situation, but the future as well.. As the other poster said...there is no other way in. There was a case in Denver not to long ago, where the police tried forcing someone to hand over their password, and the judge ordered she had to unlock it and then give it up. But passwords are easy to forget..... 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
