RE: Erasing private files from Windows XP.

["Murda Mcloud" <murdamcloud () bigpond com>]

You could get the company involved to sign an NDA(for what it's worth).
If you're that paranoid then I would back up and wipe with DBAN or similar.
What does the service centre need to do?
Check their policies too. When you say private files do you mean IE history
etc?
Somethings get kept in the registry too. The index.dat files are notorious
for remaining when 'deleted' in the normal fashion.

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On
Behalf Of Yousef Syed
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 1:01 AM
To: Security Basics
Subject: Erasing private files from Windows XP.

Hi,
Can someone please point me to a checklist of all the places that
Windows XP might store personal information?

I need to return my Laptop for a repair and would like to ensure that
no personal or client information is hiding anywhere.

I've erased "My Documents" and various other directories in the
"C:\Documents and Settings" directory; plus all directories that I
created myself.

I've run CCleaner to clear out all the Temp files, Cookies etc...

However, my experience of Windows is that it has a tendency to store
data all over the place.


Furthermore, does anyone have any policies in place for when corporate
PCs are sent to a third-party to be repaired?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
ys


-- 
Yousef Syed
"To ask a question is to show ignorance; not to ask a question, means
you remain ignorant" - Japanese Proverb