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Somebody wants to buy my netbook but he doesn't want me to reformat it
- Thread starter Mitochondrion
- Start date
Reformat. Put a new wallpaper on it. Create some txt and other files on the desktop, throw some junk on the drive. If you wanna have fun put some crazy things on it. Voila.
Exactly.
Agreed.
So this is what you do:
If neccessary download some fake family pictures from websites and pictures of pets.
Additionally meet him in the shabby diner around the corner. Wear a hoodie and add some tribal tatoos. Baseball cap etc. Prentend to smoke and just in time finish the ciggarette when he comes in. Speak with very rough voice.
Yeah that's a color guard's worth of red flags my dude. Assuming by reformat you mean "remove my data, reinstall Windows so that it's more or less at factory settings", why wouldn't he still be able to try it out?
Maybe the buyer got his Netbook stolen and wants to see if it was his and don't wants all the files deleted (not accusing you, op. but it happens).
If it was yours, you should wipe and reformat with clean install before selling it.
If it was yours, you should wipe and reformat with clean install before selling it.
This was an episode of Malcom in the Middle.
They found a bootleg The Sims on it and got addicted. Teaching us the dangers of video games.
They found a bootleg The Sims on it and got addicted. Teaching us the dangers of video games.
He's probably just worried about being sold a brick and also doesn't know shit about computers
Wipe it (zero it out), install Chrome or something and choose a non-default wallpaper
Wipe it (zero it out), install Chrome or something and choose a non-default wallpaper
This
Encyption in the loop can help. Encrypt the drive , wipe, encrypt, wipe.
First article I grabbed via Google.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-really-erase-any-drive-even-ssds-in-2016/
Recovering files from a format is not particularly hard.
Personally I used to use one of the zero-out-drive tools for this, but I haven't done it to an SSD in ages. I've been just not selling them.
Or you know, just get a freeware shredder (like Disk Wipe) with preprogrammed rewrite-reformat routines.
If buyer could make use of that, then he wouldnt ask for not reformatted one.
How to do a secure wipe depends on the machine, but you absolutely should do it.
The nice thing about netbooks is that it probably has flash storage, in which case you don't need to go to great lengths to wipe it usually. You just need find the secure erase option somewhere in the BIOS, assuming it has one. Most of the utilities you find for doing secure erase on hard drives aren't any benefit when it comes to flash storage, and in fact aren't even that useful for most modern hard drives because the sector density is so high that attacks that they mitigate against aren't as feasible as they used to be. So, for magnetic storage you can feel OK with just writing 0 to the entire drive and considering that wiped.
The nice thing about netbooks is that it probably has flash storage, in which case you don't need to go to great lengths to wipe it usually. You just need find the secure erase option somewhere in the BIOS, assuming it has one. Most of the utilities you find for doing secure erase on hard drives aren't any benefit when it comes to flash storage, and in fact aren't even that useful for most modern hard drives because the sector density is so high that attacks that they mitigate against aren't as feasible as they used to be. So, for magnetic storage you can feel OK with just writing 0 to the entire drive and considering that wiped.
If it's more than $30 they're the real scammer. I think the usability of a netbook in 2019 is probably less than a $40 Kindle Fire.
I'd guess it is just someone that wants to be sure that the device is working/in good condition... imagine if you wipe it and then he doesnt buy it? Also, maybe he is just afraid of having to reinstall all programs (lots of people have no idea how to do it and most likely would get infected by viruses in the process).
Just wipe it down, log in with a user that doesnt have any accounts logged in, install Chrome, install some PDF reader, download a bunch of useless stuff (wallpaper pack, some random videos, etc) and leave it in the desktop and in the download folder. Seems like it is just someone that doesnt understand much about computer and wants to get a computer that is 'working' in the sense that it is not broken and also has the apps already installed.
Just wipe it down, log in with a user that doesnt have any accounts logged in, install Chrome, install some PDF reader, download a bunch of useless stuff (wallpaper pack, some random videos, etc) and leave it in the desktop and in the download folder. Seems like it is just someone that doesnt understand much about computer and wants to get a computer that is 'working' in the sense that it is not broken and also has the apps already installed.
Do this, or do this then use the laptop a bit to browse random porn sites and shit like that, and save a text doc on the computers hard drive telling him to go fuck himself for trying to get your personal information, but don't use it on your WiFi, take this shit to Starbucks. More than anything this guy's just straight up trying to steal your info.
I think he wants to see it in a "used" form to understand its performance when its full of files and all that, not to steal your data.
From what you've said, he's probably fine with you formatting it after he sees it. Just ask him to clear it up already.
From what you've said, he's probably fine with you formatting it after he sees it. Just ask him to clear it up already.
I wouldn't even move forward with the sale if the buyer requested that. you wildin out if you plan on having this person in your home (if I read that right).
Another public space that works is the local police station (in my area). They'll let you sit in the lobby to sell an item to a stranger from the internet to save you from giving out your real address. Ymmv.
OP
OP
I appreciate your advices and suggestions. I have backup my personal data. All I need do is permanently delete my data and reinstall Windows.
I watched this video. It shows you how to reinstall Windows and then there is this, it shows you how to completely wipe your computer clean but then there will be no Windows. The buyer would have to install Windows.
By the way, the netbook have a hard disk drive. Not a SSD.
I watched this video. It shows you how to reinstall Windows and then there is this, it shows you how to completely wipe your computer clean but then there will be no Windows. The buyer would have to install Windows.
By the way, the netbook have a hard disk drive. Not a SSD.
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