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1029usr078198
Forum Admin
USA
333 Posts |
 Posted - March 19 2009 : 12:24:45
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Listen now. or Download the archive.
Question: I'm getting ready to sell my computer. Is there anything special I should do or know before I do that?
Answer: Good question. The first thing you should do is find all the CDs that came with your computer. Next, you want to get all your data off the computer by burning CDs, an external hard drive, or a flash drive. Transfer this information to the other computer. There is a program included in Vista for transferring your files and settings from one computer to another. You can use a program like PCMover from LapLink and it will move files, settings, and programs. Make sure this data is on the other computer and working (if you transferred programs). Once you know that, use the CDs you got with the computer to erase the hard drive and put the computer back the way it was when you first bought it. At that point, it should be ready to sell. If you want to take more thorough steps, you might securely wipe the drive using something like Darik's boot and nuke to erase the drive before reinstalling. But I would recommend care if your system doesn't have CDs for reinstalling, because some systems use a hidden area of the hard drive for reloading the system. You don't want to accidentally delete that partition.
Cool Site: Connect Safely.org: Our kids are a gift from God, and it's our responsibility as parents to be proper stewards of the next generation. Internet access presents hidden dangers we haven't seen before. Cell phones have cameras now that allow kids to take provocative pictures and post them on the web, and this is happening. I heard a news report about a man who had applied for a six-figure job. He was about to be hired and then the HR department saw his Facebook page, where he had some stupid stuff posted. Another candidate was selected for the job. Connect Safely.org is a website that can provide parents and teens with resources to help them learn to stay safe. The site has tips to help combat cyberbullying, cell phone safety tips, a Top 10 list of safety tips for video sharing. They have videos, PowerPoint presentations, a forum, and commentaries; all dealing with how to use all this personal technology safely and responsibly.
Cool Gadget: Nintendo DSi: This one my son would probably want. You may already be familiar with the Nintendo DS, a handheld gaming system with two screens. They’ve now gone one better and added a camera to it. It plays music and lets you record sound bites that you can then do weird and cool stuff with them. You can take pictures and doodle on them. The SD Card slot lets you load new games from an SD card. The camera also lets you put your face into games written to take advantage of the feature.
It's All "Geek" To Me: Bounce: In the spirit of March Madness, we bring you… Bounce. But this has nothing to do with dribbling a basketball. No, the most common computer-related usage of "bounce" is the undeliverable email message that gets returned. If you've emailed, you've probably experienced this one. Another meaning I’m going to start using is for when you reboot a computer. because when you reboot, the system goes down, then comes back up, just like a bouncing ball..
Links
How to Securely Prepare Your Old Computer for Disposal:
http://www.howtohaven.com/system/prepare-old-computer-for-disposal.shtml
Wipe or Erase Hard Drive Before Disposal:
http://netsecurity.about.com/od/quicktips/qt/erase_drive.htm
Preparing to Sell:
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread2197.html
ConnectSafely:
http://www.connectsafely.org/
Hands On Preview: Nintendo DSi on Gearlog:
http://www.gearlog.com/2009/03/hands_on_preview_nintendo_dsi.php
Bounce on Techterms:
http://www.techterms.com/definition/bounce |
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3/20/2009-SalePrep,ConnectSafely,NintndoDSi,Bounce
