COMPUTER FAQ #29: I’M GETTING A NEW COMPUTER, DO I HAVE TO WIPE MY HARD DRIVE AND, IF SO, HOW MUCH?
Whether discarding your old computer, or just your old hard drive, it’s always a good idea to “wipe” (remove) your personal data off of the drive. Not only that, if you have installed any programs other than those that came with the computer, you should also uninstall those and wipe any data associated with them, otherwise you may not be able to reinstall them on your new computer. How seriously you should delete your data and programs depends on what you stored on your computer. If it’s just a bunch of website “favorites” (bookmarks), then it’s no big deal. Erase your e-mail account, favorites, browsing history and documents, and you’re O.K. If you use online banking or bill paying, erase your web links from your favorites, and also your cookies, which might contain some data. Nothing else is on your computer from those sites. But if you use the computer for business, investing or tax purposes, you might want to consider wiping all information off the entire drive. Just “deleting” the
