My employer has 5 used laptops that will be used by new employess. These laptopns have been used by previous employess and have sensitive data on them like email, documents, etc. My employer would like me to wipe out the hard drive but keep the os. Problem is, they dont have the oem keys for the versions of xp installed on these laptops. They did keep all of the recovery cd's that has xpsp2 on them but if I reinstall wont it prompt me for an oem key??
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Best practives: reusing workstations 1
- Thread starter undrcovr
- Start date
Codeman0013
MIS
- Jun 5, 2006
- 40
undercover most times it will but since you have the license for that computer you can reformatt and call windows when it asks for a license after you finish the install and explain its only on one computer and you had to reformatt and they will give you your new number needed to activate it but only if you are using it on only 1 computer for that copy of xp and only the same computer it came on!
Remember free things are fun but they can come with an emotional price tags..
Remember free things are fun but they can come with an emotional price tags..
captaincrunch00
IS-IT--Management
The laptops dont have the key on them as a sticker on the bottom of them?
I would format, reinstall, call microsoft, wipe the free space on the drive with a product of your choice, install the programs the new users are going to need and dont worry about it.
I would format, reinstall, call microsoft, wipe the free space on the drive with a product of your choice, install the programs the new users are going to need and dont worry about it.
Installation from recovery CD doesn't usually prompt for key (as its already in the image being applied).
You can recover the existing keys from the laptops before you do any reformatting etc, using for example
However, if you install 'normally' using the keys you recover, you may find they won't activate (as large manufacturer's clone same installation to many laptops - usually with a sticker with their individual key - but that is different to the 'factory' included one. But as I said, recovery CD's don't usually need XP key.
You can recover the existing keys from the laptops before you do any reformatting etc, using for example
However, if you install 'normally' using the keys you recover, you may find they won't activate (as large manufacturer's clone same installation to many laptops - usually with a sticker with their individual key - but that is different to the 'factory' included one. But as I said, recovery CD's don't usually need XP key.
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1
- #6
To delete a user profile.
You must be logged on as a computer administrator in order to complete this procedure.
Open System in Control Panel.
On the Advanced tab, under User Profiles, click Settings.
Under Profiles stored on this computer, click the user profile you want to delete, and then click Delete.
To open System, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
313877 - User Data Is Missing After You Delete a User Account
When you choose to delete a user account in the User Accounts tool in Control Panel, you receive the following prompt:
Do you want to keep User's files?
Before you delete User's account, Windows can automatically save the contents of User's desktop and My Documents folder to a new folder called User on your desktop. However, Windows cannot save User's e-mail messages, Internet favorites, and other settings.
You must be logged on as a computer administrator in order to complete this procedure.
Open System in Control Panel.
On the Advanced tab, under User Profiles, click Settings.
Under Profiles stored on this computer, click the user profile you want to delete, and then click Delete.
To open System, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
313877 - User Data Is Missing After You Delete a User Account
When you choose to delete a user account in the User Accounts tool in Control Panel, you receive the following prompt:
Do you want to keep User's files?
Before you delete User's account, Windows can automatically save the contents of User's desktop and My Documents folder to a new folder called User on your desktop. However, Windows cannot save User's e-mail messages, Internet favorites, and other settings.
Auger282
MIS
- Sep 27, 2003
- 978
I think he wasnt reading the topic and just commenting on HD imaging... rather then doing system recoverys to each system.
At my shop we do system restores with the CDs (Hp, IBM) and they dont ask for the keys... the only thing I can say is get an image of the cds and store them in a safe place if you ever over use/ scratch/ misplace any of the cds.
Killing the one user profile works if you need all the same programs for the next user.. at our shop its a mixed bag..
unfortunately we dont have enough consistancy to use imaging.
GL!
At my shop we do system restores with the CDs (Hp, IBM) and they dont ask for the keys... the only thing I can say is get an image of the cds and store them in a safe place if you ever over use/ scratch/ misplace any of the cds.
Killing the one user profile works if you need all the same programs for the next user.. at our shop its a mixed bag..
unfortunately we dont have enough consistancy to use imaging.
GL!
captaincrunch00
IS-IT--Management
You are going to want to wipe the free space too then, any $20 software can go back and get items you deleted with no problem.
Google for something along the lines of "Wipe Hard Drive" or something like that for a free tool, or a free trial which is just as good for what you need it for.
Google for something along the lines of "Wipe Hard Drive" or something like that for a free tool, or a free trial which is just as good for what you need it for.
captaincrunch00
IS-IT--Management
Yep. Exactly.
If you delete the profile and dont do anything else, I could run in there with something like GetDataBackNTFS and scan the free space and grab a whole bunch of files that were just deleted and not wiped.
This is more of a thing to do before you give away an incredibly old computer, but if it's in the same company you probably dont need to.
If you delete the profile and dont do anything else, I could run in there with something like GetDataBackNTFS and scan the free space and grab a whole bunch of files that were just deleted and not wiped.
This is more of a thing to do before you give away an incredibly old computer, but if it's in the same company you probably dont need to.
To wipe free space You can use Sdelete from Sysinternals. It's freeware.
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Karlis
ECDL; MCSA
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Karlis
ECDL; MCSA
captaincrunch00
IS-IT--Management
I've had good luck with GetDataBackNTFS provided it's an NTFS drive.
If not, use GetDataBackFAT I believe.
Google those and you'll find the program.
It costs some money, but it works for me!
If not, use GetDataBackFAT I believe.
Google those and you'll find the program.
It costs some money, but it works for me!
trojanman,
If you have no usable backups then you are left with the last suggestion or the similar ones here.
Data recovery.
PC Inspector (free ware).
Plenty of other recovery software listed here.
If you have no usable backups then you are left with the last suggestion or the similar ones here.
Data recovery.
PC Inspector (free ware).
Plenty of other recovery software listed here.
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