Purchasing Used PC's

Jelly

Jelly

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Apr 15, 2009
Messages
1,159
So, I am in the wholesale business. I often get computers from leasing companys. I find it AMAZING at how stupid some BUSINESS people are, leaving thier personal data, pictures, music, movies, ect ect. Thankfully im not a creep, but my god dont these people think about if thier personal data and memories got into the wrong hands?

I write ones and zeros 3 times to computers i purchase, then reinstall the OS. My question is, How many of you run across this? Do you activly search for Music/pictures/letters? And some of the computers i get barely run, they are so bogged down with bloatware, spyware, viruses, Its hard to imagine them using thier computers productivley at all lol.
 
I havent bought many used computers, especially not for wholesale purpose but every one I bought had various personal data left on it. I used do a quick search but these days I re-format almost immediately. So many people just dont get it. Some are oblivious to what they leave behind and others have no ida how to format and properly delete (moving the shortcut to the recyle bin does not remove the program).
 
I get maybe 3 used computers a month, most time they are wiped clean. But like this M200 I just got, its got ALL this guys personal data, I cant even reinstall right now because i dont have a USB CDROM >.<
 
i donate my spare time to a non profit organization and they get used computers everyday and run into exactly what your talking about some computers we get ...they have taken the hard drive out..........others they just drop it off as is. some big companies are not aware of spyware and things of that nature so they just replace them after a bit of time. we get personal computers to.......with personal info on there. sometimes i take a peek but i dont do anything stupid........i take hard drive out and put it on bench for wiping.
 
I had to do a repair / reinstall on a 754 and they guy wanted all of the pictures put on the new computer. They were pics of his 115lb wife and her friends...

He didn't wan't Greek Squad all over the computer, he would never know where they would send the pics.
 
I have watched a geek squad employee pop a jumpstick on someones computer and save pictures/music/videos ... I heard they got in trouble for stuff like that, but the guy still works there. Copying music, Sure, everyone does that, but pictures and videos? I'd say thats where i'd draw the line personally.
 
I sometimes give time to local outfits or city places, recently our little library. I tell them right off that before I even begin to set up a computer for them the HDD is getting wiped.

If I'm doing this for the doner I make it clear that I won't be responsible for lost or stolen Data. I image the drive and give them the only copy, then run an all night format on the disc(s).

And, if someone brings me a computer that is so loaded with spywear and malware to 'fix,' I tell them to either take their chances at a computer store, inform them of the privacy concern, or let them give me permission to image the drive and run a clean install.

I used to go through their HDD with them personally, checking each folder and account one by one, and backing up what they 'forgot' they'll need. After some very awkward and unpleasant moments I've stopped that practice for the former described above. The moral, legal, and personal reasons for doing so are a no brainier.

My advice is to avoid being curious. We live in a very litigious society, and you don't want to ever be subject to personal or criminal liability. But, I'm a coward like that... wouldn't last 2 seconds in jail and don't have 2 cents to rub together.
 
I would never resell a harddrive after i have used it, who knows what somsone could get off of it..
 
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