Delete all files on HD without reinstall - Windows XP

Hi,
how can I delete all old files on HD without reinstalling entire XP system?

I mean is there any way to make total clean up of HD ?

Thank u for help.

Going to sell notebook and don't want to leave any clue there. But don't want to reinstall OS.

 

Is reinstalling XP on a laptop any more difficult than installing XP on a desktop? It seems that it would take you less time to reinstall the OS than it would trying to track down and destroy all the traces of your personal data by downloading cleaner apps, installing cleaner apps, configuring the cleaner apps, running the cleaner apps, and finally, downloading, installing, and running a file wipe app to destroy the hidden data remnants that remain on your hard drive even after all the cleaning is finished. In any case, if you still want to do this then here's what I would do:

Download CCleaner

Download CCEnhancer

Install both programs. Both are portable so just unzip them and run them. This will clean about as much personal data as can be accomplished through non-OS software.

Download a disk wiping app, install it & run it to wipe out all of the data that survives throughout the free space of your hard drive. I don't use file/disk wiping apps so I don't have a specific recommendation for you and instead only direct you to a page showing all of the file/disk wiping apps available through this site. Maybe someone else can be of more help in choosing one.

Or..... you could just reinstall the OS.

 

Yes I think that reinstalling OS is ok but i don't have CD of XP anymore ... that's a problem.

 

Not really possible. If you consider old files by date, some of those old files might be required Windows system files that have never been updated.

If you are worried, take the hard drive out and sell the notebook without a hard drive.

 

A bit difficult ....

 

Actually, it's not. Depending on the make/model of notebook, there could be a caddy or access panel that would require the removal of a couple of common screws. The caddy can be slid out and the drive removed OR if there's an access panel, it can be removed and then the drive removed by possibly having to remove a couple of common screws or just lifting it out.

Does the notebook have an optical drive? If it does, you could download a utility like MiniTool Partition Wizard Bootable CD (the download link is near the bottom of the page), burn the ISO file to CD, boot from the CD and wipe the drive entirely. Then you could sell the notebook intact except for an Operating System and wouldn't need to remove the hard drive.

 

I meant selling PC without HD ... but it's resolved already, thank you for help.