How do I clean out my computer?

Discussion in 'Mac Basics and Help' started by molocono, Sep 26, 2006.

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  1. molocono, Sep 26, 2006

    molocono macrumors member

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    Jan 13, 2004
    #1
    Hi all! I'm selling my G4 tower and I want to clean out all of my crap (files) before giving it to the buyer. Is there a way to delete my files without wiping out the OS or any applications? I know I can just delete my crap. It's just that I have some passwords and other personal files that I want to make sure are deleted completely. You how some stuff doesn't get entirely deleted. I would appreciate any help.

    P.S. I have Mac OS 10.4
     
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  2. WildCowboy, Sep 26, 2006

    WildCowboy Administrator/Editor

    WildCowboy

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    #2
    Just do an Erase and Install to give them a fresh operating system.
     
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  3. molocono, Sep 26, 2006

    molocono thread starter macrumors member

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    #3
    Would I need to reinstall my OS? Thing is I don't have the disc. So that's why I am wondering if there is a way to clean out the comp without having to reinstall the OS.
     
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  4. WildCowboy, Sep 26, 2006

    WildCowboy Administrator/Editor

    WildCowboy

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    #4
    Well if you don't have the discs to give to the buyer, you can't provide them with any operating system. You'd have to buy some Tiger discs to reinstall the system and give them to the buyer.
     
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  5. dpaanlka, Sep 26, 2006

    dpaanlka macrumors 601

    dpaanlka

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    Illinois
    #5
    You can create a new user account, which will have no files or settings to it, so it will be like brand new, then make that an administrator, then log into the new account, and delete your old account.
     
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  6. 840quadra, Sep 26, 2006

    840quadra Moderator

    840quadra

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    Twin Cities Minnesota
    #6
    Just buy some Panther CD's from someone on Ebay, and or Macrumors to get an OS onto the system..

    Otherwise, if you cannot reload the Os,

    Do the following..
    • Create a new user (as dpaanlka stated) but in this case give it administrative privilages.
    • Log in as that user, and while logged in, delete your home folder for your previous login, or any others that you had used on that system.
    • Search for other files you may have saved outside of your home folder, and delete those too.
    • After the folders have been deleted open disk utility and select the erase option
    • Select "erase free space" and select 7 pass, or 35 pass (a single zero out data is not that secure).

    If you were able to locate all files you needed deleted, and deleted them prior to using disk utility, you should be mostly safe from anyone getting data off of your system.

    Be sure to also "Reset safari" or any other browser cache delete tools as well.
     
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