Gregg's Nearly Interminable Adventures in Linux Land

[eschwartz]

You can logout from the application before you put it offline, which is probably best because you will also want to get rid of your data.

Anyone getting the old computer will have all kinds of interesting stuff they can steal, not just your Dropbox/Copy account.



When getting rid of an old computer, you are advised to delete all your files. Some programs will wipe your files and shred them as well, but of course to be really secure you will want to use a hammer and break the HDD into little pieces.
A whole range of answers are here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/5757...-secure-manner
It includes command-line methods of deleting files, wiping previously-deleted files, instructions on demolishing the HDD (acid baths FTW ) and what is probably the simplest and easiest way: bleachbit, a handy program for cleaning up all sorts of things, which I mostly use to free up space by deleting translations for languages I will never use.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You can logout from the application before you put it offline, which is probably best because you will also want to get rid of your data.

Anyone getting the old computer will have all kinds of interesting stuff they can steal, not just your Dropbox/Copy account.



When getting rid of an old computer, you are advised to delete all your files. Some programs will wipe your files and shred them as well, but of course to be really secure you will want to use a hammer and break the HDD into little pieces.
A whole range of answers are here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/5757...-secure-manner
It includes command-line methods of deleting files, wiping previously-deleted files, instructions on demolishing the HDD (acid baths FTW ) and what is probably the simplest an easiest way: bleachbit, a handy program for cleaning up all sorts of things, which I mostly use to free up space by deleting translations for languages I will never use.

Thanks eschwartz. I'll check out those solutions. Do people really smash their hard drives, though? P.S. Bleachbit looks beastly!

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Thanks eschwartz. I'll check out those solutions. Do people really smash their hard drives, though? P.S. Bleachbit looks beastly!

The place I work at does. They contain sensitive information, sometimes about kids. We send them to a place that chops them into pieces about 1cm cubed.

[eschwartz]

Physically smashing hard drives tends to be more of a business-class solution.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Physically smashing hard drives tends to be more of a business-class solution.

Using them for target practice, however...

[eschwartz]

Feel free to finish that thought.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Feel free to finish that thought.

... is very satisfying.

[eschwartz]

Very true, there is something extremely satisfying about attacking small objects with a sledgehammer.

[Gregg Bell]

Yeah, but smashing the hard drive might deprive the next person who gets the computer from enjoying the joys of Linux!

[Gregg Bell]

Hey, if I'm putting an ebook on my Kindle (via the computer), do I copy and paste or drag and drop? (I'm having huge problems adding books to my PRS 300 and don't want to run into similar problems with the Kindle.)

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Yeah, but smashing the hard drive might deprive the next person who gets the computer from enjoying the joys of Linux!

Well, it probably isn't necessary anyway, unless you are keeping state secrets on there...

Bleachbit and several other programs come with tools to "shred" files and folders (similar to a paper shredder, which shreds a different kind of files and folders), and/or "overwrite free disk space to hide deleted files" -- that should be all you need, just select your home folder and delete everything.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Gregg Bell

Hey, if I'm putting an ebook on my Kindle (via the computer), do I copy and paste or drag and drop? (I'm having huge problems adding books to my PRS 300 and don't want to run into similar problems with the Kindle.)

If you aren't using calibre to transfer them, you mean.

Copy-paste. Drag-and-drop is for moving, although when drag-and-dropping onto a USB-connected device the files will be copied instead, because the people who make file browsers know people will be careless.
It (explicitly copying) is still a good habit to get into IMO.

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Well, it probably isn't necessary anyway, unless you are keeping state secrets on there...

I agree. Most of my older machines go to my kids anyway.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Bleachbit and several other programs come with tools to "shred" files and folders (similar to a paper shredder, which shreds a different kind of files and folders), and/or "overwrite free disk space to hide deleted files" -- that should be all you need, just select your home folder and delete everything.

I have used bleachbit myself, and similar programs when I worked for the government. As long as you have no earth-shattering secrets on the drive, these programs will prevent all but the most dedicated government or industrial spies (like people with electron-scanning microscopes) from getting any information from your drive.

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If you aren't using calibre to transfer them, you mean.

Copy-paste. Drag-and-drop is for moving, although when drag-and-dropping onto a USB-connected device the files will be copied instead, because the people who make file browsers know people will be careless.
It (explicitly copying) is still a good habit to get into IMO.

Thanks eschwartz. Calibre will be the next step, but first the PRS 300 is stuck in "loading" mode. And somebody in one of the other forums said the problem was that I was copying and pasting rather than dragging and dropping.

Hey is the bleachit thing free? And I'd be kind of scared to use it on my current computer. Kind of like when I had SuperAntiSpyware in my Windows days. It has like: 1)Delete 2)Really delete 3)Really really delete 4)You will NEVER SEE THIS PUPPY AGAIN!

Yeah, it was scary. But bleachit looks like fun. (Triggers my wild desire to live dangerously. )

[Gregg Bell]

Originally Posted by Dngrsone

I agree. Most of my older machines go to my kids anyway.



I have used bleachbit myself, and similar programs when I worked for the government. As long as you have no earth-shattering secrets on the drive, these programs will prevent all but the most dedicated government or industrial spies (like people with electron-scanning microscopes) from getting any information from your drive.

Thanks Dngrsone, Yeah, no state secrets but I am obsessed with deleting everything anyway. (One cannot be too safe, right?)