随着时间的推移，您会在计算机上存储大量数据。如果你想卖掉它们，你永远不应该卖掉它们。存在数据被盗和滥用的危险。至少，你会让人们知道你和你的秘密。最多，您可能会入狱，因为有人根据您留在计算机硬盘上的数据使用了您的身份。但是你确实在卖掉你的旧电脑之前删除了硬盘上的所有数据，或者在将它捐赠给慈善机构之前，对吧？！那么，任何人如何窃取不存在的数据呢？
如何安全地处理旧电脑(Old Computers)
如果您决定扔掉、处理、赠送、捐赠、出售或处置您的旧电脑、笔记本电脑或任何设备，您需要遵循一些准则来确保您的身份和数据安全。在本文中，我们将讨论如何回收或处置旧电脑、笔记本电脑或其他计算设备。
出售或赠送 PC 之前要做的事情
通常的建议是：
- 您应该将文件和数据备份到外部驱动器
- 重置你的电脑(Reset your PC)
- 访问Microsoft.com并从您的帐户中删除此设备。
这可能很好，但是您应该知道一些事情。
删除命令无济于事
(Data)使用Windows删除选项删除的数据并不是实际删除的数据。DOS和 Powershell的“删除”命令或“擦除”命令都不能从硬盘中删除数据。Windows维护一个日志文件（文件系统）以了解它存储特定文件的位置。此文件在MS-DOS中称为FAT ，在(FAT)Windows XP之前为FAT32，从 XP 开始，它称为NTFS. 无论您使用什么操作系统，它都会使用一个文件系统——当您启动打开或写入操作时，它可以检查特定文件的存储位置。在存储新文件之前或将材料添加到现有文件时会查阅相同的文件。当您启动写入或保存操作时，Windows会检查文件系统的可用空间（种类——哪个磁盘的哪个磁道上的下一个可用空闲扇区的地址是什么）！
当您删除一个文件时，Windows或任何其他操作系统只是从文件系统中删除该条目 - 使该地址可以自由写入另一组数据。除非操作系统在该空间上写入任何数据，否则以前的数据就在那里，并且可以使用特殊的取证工具轻松取消删除。那么，我们应该如何处置或出售我们不再需要的新旧电脑。
如何处理电脑？破坏(Spoil)硬盘(Hard Disk)_
想象一下(Imagine)，您需要处理一些不再需要的重要纸质文件。你有什么选择？你可以烧掉它（考虑到纸张的可重复使用性，这是不可行的）。更好的选择是将其切碎，以使内容不再可理解。您可以对硬盘上的文件执行相同的操作。你不应该刻录它，我也不建议你这样做——但可以肯定的是，许多人更喜欢用锤子在硬盘驱动器上打凹！由于TRIM，您也不需要擦除SSD(SSDs)。
您当然可以使用某些软件粉碎文件。Anti Tracks、 CCleaner和Comodo System Cleaner是一些可以一次切碎文件的程序。您可以使用它们来粉碎特定文件。 KillDisk和DP Wiper是磁盘擦除器，因为它们在一次或多次传递中粉碎硬盘上的所有文件。主要区别在于您不需要单独选择每个文件。
格式化无济于事
格式化在一定程度上有所帮助。由于用于在硬盘上存储数据的机制是创建表示 1 和 0 的划痕，因此取证软件仍然可以恢复磁盘映像，从而恢复您的数据。在很多情况下，当硬盘由于某种原因被意外格式化或损坏时，有专家可以为您恢复磁盘映像。始终可以使用相同的技术来恢复和滥用您的数据。
此外，如果您使用快速(Quick)格式，它不会更改您硬盘上的任何内容，除了为该特定驱动器删除和创建新文件系统。CD-ROMs/DVDs/Blu-Ray等）之前粉碎硬盘上的文件。虽然您无法粉碎光学介质，但您始终可以物理销毁它们以防止数据滥用。
如何切碎我的硬盘？
切碎是指在硬盘空间写入一些随机字符，使下面的数据无法恢复的技术。如上所述，有一些软件可以帮助您做到这一点。您用于粉碎（或众所周知的擦除）的通行证越多，您对数据盗窃的安全性就越高。
有几个免费软件可以让您永久删除文件(delete files permanently)。微软(Microsoft)在其解释如何处理旧电脑的页面上推荐了 KillDisk(KillDisk)和DP Wiper 。您还可以寻求经过认证的Microsoft 翻新(Microsoft Refurbisher)商，他们将确保在将您的所有数据从出售/捐赠的计算机中删除之前，再将其提供给其他人。
如果您使用的是智能手机( smartphone)，请确保注销所有在线帐户、删除照片、卸载所有已安装的应用程序，然后将设备恢复出厂设置，然后再将其丢弃。
另请阅读(Also read)：
- 如何正确处理(How to properly dispose of electronic devices)手机、智能电视等电子设备
- 将您的 PC 或笔记本电脑送去维修之前要采取的预防措施(Precautions to take before sending your PC or Laptop for repair)。
How to Securely and Safely dispose of old Computers
Over time, you store plentу of data on your computers. If yoυ wish to sell thеm, you should never sell them as such. There are dangers of data theft and misuѕe. At least, you will have people know about you and your secrеts. At most, you may land up in jaіl becaυse someone used your identity based оn the data you left back on your computer hard drive. But you did delete all the data on the hard drive bеfore sеlling off yоur оld cоmputer, or before donating it to a charity, right?! So how can аnyоne steal data that doеs not exist?
How to dispose Of Old Computers Securely
If you decide to throw away, get rid of, gift, donate, sell or dispose of your old computer, laptop or any device, you need to follow a few guidelines for keeping your identity and your data safe. In this article, we will talk about how to recycle or dispose of old computers, laptops or other computing devices.
Things to do before you sell or gift your PC
The usual suggestions are:
- You should back up your files & data to an external drive
- Reset your PC
- Visit Microsoft.com and remove this device from your account.
This may be fine, but there are a few things you should know.
Delete Command Will Not Help
Data deleted using the Windows delete option is not data deleted in real. Neither does the DOS nor Powershell “Delete” command, or “Erase” command can remove data from your hard disk. Windows maintains a log file (file system) to know where it stored a particular file. This file was called FAT in MS-DOS, FAT32 up till Windows XP and from XP onwards, it is called NTFS. Whatever operating system you use, it uses a filing system – that allows it to check out where a particular file is stored – when you initiate an open or write operation. The same file is consulted before storing a new file or when the material is added to an existing file. When you initiate a write or save operation, Windows checks the file system for free space (kind of – what is the address of next available free sector on what track of which disk)!
When you delete a file, Windows or any other operating system simply removes the entry from the file system – making that address free for writing another set of data. Until and unless the operating system writes any data over that space, previous data is there and can be easily undeleted using special forensic tools. So then, how should we dispose of or sell computers – new or old – that we no longer need.
How To Dispose Of Computers? Spoil The Hard Disk
Imagine you need to dispose of some important paper files that you no longer need. What are your options? You can burn it (not feasible considering the re-usability of paper). A better option is to shred it so that the contents are not comprehensible anymore. You can do the same thing with your files on the hard disk. You should not burn it, and I won’t recommend you do that – but sure, many prefer to physically dent the hard disk drive with a hammer! You also don’t need to wipe SSDs because of TRIM.
You sure can shred the files using some software. Anti Tracks, CCleaner and Comodo System Cleaner are some programs that shred files one at a time. You can use them to shred particular files. KillDisk and DP Wiper are disk wipers in the sense that they shred all the files on a hard disk in one or more passes. The major difference is that you need not to select each file separately.
Formatting won’t help
Formatting helps to a certain point. Since the mechanism used to store data on the hard disk is to create scratches representing ones and zeroes, it is still possible for forensic software to recover disk images and thereby, your data. In many cases, when a hard disk is accidentally formatted or damaged due to some reason, there are experts who can recover disk images for you. The same technique can always be used to recover and misuse your data.
Further, if you used Quick format, it won’t change anything on your hard drive except for deleting and creating a new file system for that particular drive. Keeping this in mind, you need to shred files on your hard disk before you dispose of your computer or even any type of storage you have been using (including CD-ROMs/DVDs/Blu-Ray, etc.). While you cannot shred the optical media, you can always destroy them physically to prevent data misuse.
How Do I Shred My Hard Disk?
Shredding refers to a technique where the space on the hard disk is written with some random characters so that the data underneath becomes unrecoverable. As discussed above, there are certain software that helps you do this. The more passes you use for shredding (or wiping as it is better known), the more secure you are against data theft.
There are several freeware that will let you delete files permanently. Microsoft has recommended KillDisk and DP Wiper on its page explaining how to dispose of old computers. You can also go for a certified Microsoft Refurbisher who will make sure that all your data is removed from the sold/donated computer before it is given to someone else.
If you are using a smartphone, make sure that you log out of all your online accounts, remove your photos, uninstall all installed apps, and then factory reset the device, before you dispose it off.
Also read:
- How to properly dispose of electronic devices like Phone, Smart TVs, etc.
- Precautions to take before sending your PC or Laptop for repair.
