Why not just delete personal and sensitive files from ‘My Documents’, then empty my Recycle bin?
Many of the files and documents (including those that are personal) you use on a daily basis are saved in the My Documents folder (for Windows XP; Vista and Windows 7 call it Document Library). However, downloaded files are sent to a different location (this depends on your internet browser settings). Additionally, emails and downloaded files can sometimes be stored as a temporary file in other obscure locations on the disk. What’s worse – a simple deletion doesn’t entirely clear the files from your system. Even after you’ve deleted the file, and ‘emptied’ you recycle bin, traces of the file may still be available to recover. In fact, a quick search on Google reveals there are quite a few businesses that survive by helping people recover data they’ve accidentally deleted from their computer. It goes without saying that a would-be identity thief could do the same. Let’s move on to how to prevent your identity from being stolen from your old PC’s harddrive. Think about how the computer w
