Is it safe to sell yet?

Ok, I bought a new iMac, the Duo Core 2 version, and I want to sell my old Power PC iMac. I put in the installation disc and reinstalled everything. It came to the LET'S GET STARTED screen to start configuring everything after reinstalling the OS. Is all of my information now off of the hard drive?

Hello,
If you first erased the hard drive, or chose to perform an "Erase and Install", then yes you are fine.
If you didn't do either of those, or you performed an Archive and Install or Upgrade Install, then you should do it over again and erase the drive or perform an "Erase and Install" from the options provided.
Now, even if you erase your drive, it is still possible for special tools / programs to recover your information. You can never eliminate any possibility someone recovering information. But, you can make it more difficult.
If you simply erase the hard drive, that is adequate to protect yourself against most users. Only the malicious would bother to try and recover old files with special programs or tools.
If you wipe the hard drive (can be done from disk utility - under security options), you can make it more difficult. There is a 7-pass erase and a 35-pass erase. The 7-pass erase could take a day. The 35-pass erase could take a few days or considerably longer depending on your drive / capacity.
Even the 35-pass erase is not 100% secure. But, it is reasonably secure against all but the most determined.
In-short, erasing the drive is probably sufficient. But, the other methods are more secure (although not 100% secure).
I hope this helps.
Let us know if you have other questions.
P.S., if you'd like, go ahead and click the "Helpful" or "Solved" buttons on any of the posts / replies above if you feel they were helpful or adequately answered your question.

Similar Messages

  • Is itunes 7 safe to download yet?

    I'm still using v6 as people I know have had nothing but problems with 7. Is it safe to download yet? Will the new features make it worthwhile?
      Windows XP  

    No, no, no. I sure wish I read this post a few days ago. Here's what happened to me:
    As soon as I did an update to iTunes 7.0... and Quicktime (they were 2 in one), iTunes nor my computer no longer recognize my ipod when attached. Quickime will not play my Quicktime videos (get a neon screen with lines on all of them, yet they will play on Real Player). I've uninstalled and reinstalled each program 3 times, per the chat tech's advise. This has not helped. It is not my USB ports fault, nor my computer,nor my iPod. It's there programs! Anyone else have this problem? I can't restore iPod, as it appears nowhere.I'v had iPod for over 6 months, never a problem with it or Quicktime until this update. Help???? please, please, please! Thanks, Denise

  • Safari 3.2.1 is it safe to install yet

    Is it safe yet to install Safari 3.2.1 on my PB G4?
    I tried installing 3.2 a few weeks ago and it was a disaster.
    I ended up reinstalling OS 10.5 from disk and working my way back up to OS 10.5.6 w/Safari 3.1.2.
    I do not want to go through that again if the bugs aren't out of 3.2.1 yet.
    Thank for any info
    Greg

    Hi
    I use Safari 3.2.1 on 3 machines with no slow-down on any of them. All machines are using OS X Leopard. In this forum you are going to get a steady diet of problem situations - that's what the boards are for. I'd say most users (there are millions out there) seem to use Safari without significant issues.
    If Safari slows down your system and you hear hard drive clicking, the hard drive may have directory errors (Disk Warrior is a great product for this task) that ought to be corrected before they cascade into bigger problems.
    One area impacting Safari 3.2.1 has been 3rd party add-ons (not supported by Apple) which in some instances proved incompatible with the latest version. Most developers upgraded their add-ons to remedy the problem. Some didn't - AcidSearch is one example.
    Another has been the new Fraudulent Site check. Some have had to disable this feature because of complications between their Internet Provider and the Google site search mechanism. This ought to be remedied in the coming months.
    Adobe Flash ought to be at version 10. Version 9 has proved buggy. Important on a Flash install to "repair permissions" prior to a Safari restart.
    The system cache at times may require a reset (using a Utility app such as OnyX is great for clearing the system caches).
    Also, Safari benefits from house cleaning via the "Reset Safari" option in the Safari Menu (e.g. web icon database ought to be reset every couple of months, cache ought to be emptied daily, and no sense in maintaining history files over 7 days).
    Firefox is a stand alone browser. It does not interact with other Apple apps. Safari by contrast accesses the Address Book, iTunes, Mail etc. So the overall health of the system is paramount for Safari to function without issues.

  • Is iPhoto '11 safe to install yet?

    It been a couple months since the release. Ive heard and read many horror stories about losing photos, computers slowing down, and computers and iphoto crashing.
    Is it safe yet to install iPhoto '11? Have there been any solutions? Have any problems been diagnosed to an actual cause?
    Thanks in advance!!!

    After spending a ton of time reading up about it, I decided to load iLife 11 today.
    1. I did a back up (I use time machine/time capsule)
    2. I installed it.
    3. Immediately loaded the software update after install. Didn't open any programs first.
    4. Opened iPhoto 11, crossed my fingers, said it was ok to upgrade my library.
    All the photos were there. But I noticed they looked blurry. Did some research online and others had this issue. It seemed to be getting resolved by doing a force quit. So I did the force quit. When I opened it again, they were all clear.
    I tested the Facebook upload. That seemed slow. Forced quit iPhoto again and then launched it again, tried Facebook upload again and it was very quick.
    Tested an upload to Flickr next and that seemed to work fine.
    Tested mailing photos from with iPhoto with both my mobile me and gmail account, and it worked fine as well - seemed pretty quick process to me.
    It all seems to be working fine now for me after the software update and two forced quits.

  • Is it safe to sell a MBP on Craigslist?

    I am interested in selling my MBP on Craigslist in the Bay Area. With all the laptop crimes etc is this safe? What's the best way to do this?

    I haven't used Craigslist.
    I get the impression that it's intended for more local trades, but I am in Alaska.
    Anyway, I have never had any problem with electronics sales when I've followed these guidelines:
    1) Use PayPal when possible to be assured that the money is legit and not counterfeit (such as fake money orders).
    2) If you accept a money order or check (please don't accept checks), then cash them at the bank they are drawn against. This assures you that you have cash in-hand. If you deposit them at your bank, and the funds are later found not to be sufficient (or some other problem arises), then they will pull the money out of your account. By cashing it at the bank that it is drawn against, then you know you have cash, and you know instantly if the funds are available.
    3) Always get payment before you ship. Get that money in-hand first. Only ship after you have received the payment and are sure that the money is good (see number 2).
    4) Ship with delivery confirmation. If possible, insure your shipment. I usually place the insurance option as a responsibility of the buyer (expecting them to pay the insurance cost). But, always make sure you get a delivery confirmation attached to the package when you ship. You want to be able to prove that they received it. And, if the potential loss / risk of shipping without insurance is significant, then pay to insure it even if the buyer won't.
    5) Talk with the buyer several times during the transaction. You can usually get a feel about a person through the course of continuing conversation. Pay attention to how promptly the individual responds to your messages. Pay attention to any story line, and make sure you don't find inconsistency's in their messages. Most conversations will have some discussion to them, watch for inconsistent stories (even if the inconsistency is about what they did today and has nothing to do with the sale). Inconsistency can give you a clue that the person is not 100% truthful.
    I've passed on many potential sales (or purchases) because the buyer (or seller) demonstrated a slight inconsistency that concerned me. For example, one flag that I remember was when I was talking to a guy about a portable computer he had for sale. He told me he purchased it from a store, then in a later message told me that the one he was typing on at the moment was acquired in a trade. But, he had previously told me that he only had the one computer.
    Buyers will make similar slips on occasion. They might discuss payment options, or reasons for using a certain type of payment, or they might discuss their address / residence / shipping location, and later say something that doesn't fit with their previous statements. There are any number of things that could come up in casual conversation. Just watch for stories that don't fit together.
    Bottom line:
    Always make sure to receive payment up-front (and have it in your hands physically before you ship), and always make sure you can prove that they received the item you shipped. And make sure you are comfortable with the person before you enter into an agreement.

  • When in Facebook, I can't click on 'see all comments' unless in safe mode. Yet, when I am in normal mode and disable everything, it still will not work!

    When in Facebook, clicking on 'see all comments' only works in safe mode. And yet, when in normal mode, disabling everything doesn't help. Why?
    == URL of affected sites ==
    http://facebook.com

    We'll need some more info about your Firefox setup. Go to '''Help > Troubleshooting Information''', then click '''Copy all to Clipboard'''. Open a reply to this post, and go to '''Edit > Paste''' to paste the info from your Troubleshooting Information page.

  • Is it safe to upgrade yet?

    Is it safe now to upgrade a MacBook Pro from 10.8.5 to Yosemite? Or should I wait longer?

    Assuming that you are already in the habit of routinely backing up your system you can install Yosemite at no risk and at no cost. If you do not routinely back up your system, you should. Obtain an external USB or FireWire hard disk drive for your Mac, then download and install Yosemite on it. You can choose to start your Mac from that disk or the internal one using Startup Manager (hold an option key while you start your Mac), and evaluate Yosemite at no risk whatsoever to your existing installation. Just be sure to designate the proper installation location for Yosemite when you get to that installation step.
    Running OS X from an external USB hard disk won't be as fast as the Mac's internal one, but it will be sufficient to draw conclusions regarding its suitability for your needs. All else being equal Yosemite should perform somewhat better than Mountain Lion due to various efficiency improvements.
    An external hard disk drive of adequate capacity can be purchased for well under $100 - much less than the cost of some previous OS X upgrades themselves. When you satisfy yourself that Yosemite works for you, then "clone" the external disk's contents to your internal one, and use the external disk for backup purposes - which you ought to be doing anyway.
    To learn how to use Time Machine to back up your Mac read Mac Basics: Time Machine backs up your Mac.

  • Am I safe to sell my phone?

    I dont want to sell my phone, and find out AT&T somehow wont let me get a new Iphone. I just started my contract a few months ago.
    If I have to extend it, thats fine. I just dont want them to say, NO you cant take advantage of the pricing since your not due for an upgrade.
    Any thought?

    My guess is that you'll be fine, but that's all it is - a guess.
    Are you wanting to sell the phone so you don't get stuck with a old iphone that has no value?
    If that's the case, I am betting that the first gen iphones will retain their value well after the introduction of the 3G model. Too many people are not willing to pay the extra money for the increased fees, need an unlocked phone under a different provider, etc.
    They are still a very hot commodity on ebay and Craigs List often selling for way over the purchase price - and I don't see that changing on July 11.
    So why not hold onto your phone until you are sure that you can get the new 3G?
    -Brad

  • Is it safe to update yet ?

    ok so i updated itunes last night and waited to see if there was going to be a issue before i updated my phone cause there always seems to be some kinda bug when it has come to iphone anything so i just wanted to know if these are windows issues or is it just a itunes thing or what cause i am running osx and have everything updated but after reading some of this stuff should i wait ?

    Yep, just a had a raging success!
    See: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1594547&tstart=0

  • LTE WiFi hotspot - safe to buy yet?

    Hi all. I'm planning to pick up a 4G hotspot to use while traveling. Unfortunately, both the Samsung and MiFi device seem to be constantly trashed here and elsewhere online for their unreliability. Reliability is critical for me and I can't be constantly turning the device off and on in order to keep it online.
    It's hard to tell if the latest firmware upgrades have made them really reliable, or if I'm best waiting for the next gen devices.
    Thoughts?

    Hello,
    The MiFi devices do come with a return policy of 14 days by default.  What you could do is get one and beat it up for a few days.  If you have any problems then try to resolve them right away with Verizon tech support.  Then you would know for sure how well the MiFi will work for you.  If you have unresolved issues after a few days then return the product and get out before they charge you to terminate early.
    People only tend to contribute to the public forums when they have problems so its natural that you will find all the unhappy users here.  Very rarely will you find a thread that say "Man, Im so Happy with xxx product!" (unless its sarcastic).  The positive reviews are out there but they are mainly on the 3rd party Technology websites that review the devices.  My MiFi works fine.

  • Heard that are a lot of problems with iOS 6.0.1 update. Is it safe to install yet on my iPhone 4?

    I know a bunch of folks who have had major problems with the iOS 6.0.1 update on their iPhone 4.  Basically, it completely disables the phone, often requiring owner to send in for service.  Has this bug been fixed?  Is there a subseqent update?  I do not want to install the update until I am sure it will not wreak havoc on my phone. Thanks!

    IF you don't need any of these updates - don't install them - its really that simple - and it will be many more people's rule for apple updates since iOS 6 I bet!

  • Is it safe to sell my old dvds

    Now i have purchased many i tunes moves and tv programs should i risk clearing out my dvd doubles of my downloads

    You need to make sure you download all your purchases, store them on your computer or an external drive. You can also use a cloud backup service, iTunes in the cloud is not a form of backup, if content is removed from iTunes you will no longer have access.

  • Is it safe to sell my iPhone with the SIM card installed?

    I sold my iPhone 5 and forgot to take the SIM card out. I deleted everything off it. Do I have anything to worry about?

    You should have removed it. You cannot delete anything off the SIM, and the iPhone does not write anything to the SIM, however it does contain your wireless account info. But, since it is gone, not a lot you can do about it, but if the card is not active and disabled by the carrier then the person buying the phone will not be able to use it anyway. They will have to get their own and will get rid of that one.

  • Is Leopard safe to install yet?

    Hi I have a Mac Pro tower with Adobe CS3 suite, FCP Studio 4.5 and Parallels running Win XP plus a few more things. Just wondering if I install Leopard will it be a nightmare getting everything working again?
    My whole business is based on my machine being operational so I can't have her her fail me. Would you advise that I let my local Mac technician take care of it?
    Thanks in advance,
    mark

    Never install a new OS over a working OS on a production machine.
    Get an external hard drive and install Leopard to there. If things go all to h*ll you can just boot back into Tiger and get back to work.
    Repair your Permissions on Tiger by using Disk Utility, and remove any programs that require OS9 and any haxie programs like APE before you try to import your old files into a new OS.
    Make sure that all of your programs are updated to Leopard versions, and check with your various hardware vendors for compatibility with printers, scanners, etc. Download the new drivers they may have for your equipment.
    Download the 10.5.2 Combo update and have it on hand before you start the process.
    After you have 10.5 running with your applications, repair you permissions again, Run the Combo update.
    Use Software update to download and install all of the updates for your Apple programs and repair your permissions again.
    Continue with both OS's installed on both drive and see if you can get your work done while using Leopard. Wait a week or so before using a program like SuperDuper to clone your new OS back to the internal drive (of course you've already made a bootable clone of your Tiger OS to another drive).
    Be very methodical with this update and you will probably do well. Just put the DVD in and pray and you'll regret not following a path that can be undone.
    Leopard's working very well and has a lot of nice features. But you have to make sure you don't screw it up with old legacy programs, settings and corrupt files.
    Don't worry about getting some new drives for the conversion. You'll want to have as large a drive as you can afford for using Time Machine anyway...

  • Safe to buy yet, 15" MBP?

    Sorry if this has been asked recently but if I were to order a 15" MBP, have all the problems with early models been resolved?

    I purchased one and my friend purchased one, both are from week 8 and we have had none of the issues that others have encountered. No whine, heat is subjective I think, mine occasionaly gets hot but not so hot I can't place it on my lap. My friends is the same. The Apple rep that was conducting a workshop for a program I am in had one and it had none of the problem issues either.
    There are probably as many ppl with them that are happy with them possibly more than there are ppl not happy with them. This forum is for solving problems so that is what you are going to see the most of.
    I have been very pleased with my purchase. It was my first purchase of an Apple product although I have used an iBook for work. I definitely prefer my MacBook Pro.

Maybe you are looking for