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Abdulhaq

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 23, 2013
218
14
I want to sell my mid 2007 Macbook. It has a 160 GB hard disk which has my personal files. Kindly mention to me a method by which I can permanently delele these files so that they would not be restored by using any utility by anybody.
 
I want to sell my mid 2007 Macbook. It has a 160 GB hard disk which has my personal files. Kindly mention to me a method by which I can permanently delele these files so that they would not be restored by using any utility by anybody.

Start by grabbing your screwdriver set and a big hammer..... If you want to be absolutely sure. :D


You need to overwrite the disk. If you boot from an OSX install disc, you can find it under Erase free space in the disk utility. Choose the method you find appropriate and run it.
 
I want to sell my mid 2007 Macbook. It has a 160 GB hard disk which has my personal files. Kindly mention to me a method by which I can permanently delele these files so that they would not be restored by using any utility by anybody.

You need to do a complete reformat that actually writes 0s over all the data on the drive.

In Disk Utility, under the Erase tab, click "Security Options", and move the slider over one place. This method is enough to prevent most people from being able to restore your data.

However, if you're really concerned about magnetic traces left behind you could move the slider over two places, just keep in mind this will take a lot longer to complete and put more wear on the drive.

Edit: Although DaKKs is right. The only way to ensure 100% of the data is destroyed is by grabbing a hammer ;)
 
Erase free space and cookies

Hi,

I was wondering, does the erase free space option in utility also overwrite stuff that isn't always removed from Trash, such as cookies and cache which doesn't go to Trash when you simply reset safari or clear them?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi,

I was wondering, does the erase free space option in utility also overwrite stuff that isn't always removed from Trash, such as cookies and cache which doesn't go to Trash when you simply reset safari or clear them?

Thanks in advance.

It erases everything. Your documents, trash, the operating system, everything.
 
Erase free space and cookies

No it doesn't delete OS or existing documents. I am a bit confused about it. Does it only overwrite stuff deleted from Trash? Or does it also overwrite cleared Internet data?
 
?????

the free space erase option doesn't erase the operating system, documents etc !!!!!

No it doesn't delete OS or existing documents. I am a bit confused about it. Does it only overwrite stuff deleted from Trash? Or does it also overwrite cleared Internet data?

Oh, yeah. My bad. You're right. I've always used it in combination with the "normal" erase option, which formats the drive.
 
AFAIK, "Erase free space..." in Disk Utility states:
These options write over the unused space on the selected disk or volume to prevent disk recovery applications from recovering deleted files.
You'll notice that says nothing about the trash, or items in the trash. It can't write over space for items that are not yet deleted (still in the trash)

If files are deleted without going through the trash (as you suggested, that is correct), the space for those items will be affected by Erase Free Space, even though they didn't go through the actual trash first. The process does what it says - Erase free space, which would include that space previously utilized by now-deleted files.
 
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