Stupid question, but

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Guest

This may appear to be a stupid question but it is one that is causing us some
concern.
We recently gave our friend's young son our old notebook which has WinXPsp2.
We deleted our Favorites in IE6 (which had some listings of private websites
(financial), with passwords noted, and we also deleted all of the programs we
were using (Quicken security, etc.).
Now we wonder, if someone goes back and clicks on a Restore point prior to
our deletion of those items (Favorites, programs), will they be able to see
the Favorites prior to when I deleted them?
Please advise and thank you for any help.
 
AliceZ said:
This may appear to be a stupid question but it is one that is causing us
some concern.
We recently gave our friend's young son our old notebook which has
WinXPsp2. We deleted our Favorites in IE6 (which had some listings of
private websites (financial), with passwords noted, and we also deleted
all of the programs we were using (Quicken security, etc.).
Now we wonder, if someone goes back and clicks on a Restore point prior to
our deletion of those items (Favorites, programs), will they be able to
see the Favorites prior to when I deleted them?
Please advise and thank you for any help.
Click to expand...

no
 
Hi Alice,

Your personal files and favourites cannot be recovered through system restore. System restore only
helps in undo-ing changes to certain system and program files. More description about the System
restore feature in Windows XP here:

Microsoft Windows XP-System restore
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmb_tol_fngj.asp

Though, deleted files can be recovered through other freely available programs. You should have
probably formatted the hard drive before giving your laptop away.

--

Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp
http://www.mvps.org

In memory of Alex Nichol
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/nichol.mspx

Folder customizations
http://newdelhi.sancharnet.in/minku

Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
 
You are correct, if someone was to perform a system restore most of the
information would again be viewable, most cookies will have expired on the
computer which would prevent anyone from accessing user verified services
such as an online bank account but the websites would still be viewable
through the favourites, if this is still an issue please follow the steps
below.

Log on to the laptop using the default user name.

Click on start, point to the control panel. Click user accounts (pick the
control panel icon "user accounts")

Now click "Create a user account"

Give the new account an appropriate name and click next

Set the account type as an administrator

Now log off the current user and log back on to the account you just created

Click on start, point to the control panel.
(pick the control panel icon "user accounts")

Pick the old account under the "pick an account to change" header

Now click delete the account.

This new user will have its own profile with different favourites and a
different browser cache; there is a finial step which will prevent any users
from restoring the computer.

Click,
start> all programmes >accessories >system tools
Create a new restore point then close the application.

Click,
start> all programmes >accessories >system tools
under the “more options†tab look for the system restore option (near the
bottom) click clean up.


And you’re done! I hope this has been of use to you, if you have any
questions of queries please feel free to contact me.
 
That's 2 no's and from you 1 yes. I wonder who is right?

You are correct, if someone was to perform a system restore most of the
information would again be viewable, most cookies will have expired on the
computer which would prevent anyone from accessing user verified services
such as an online bank account but the websites would still be viewable
through the favourites, if this is still an issue please follow the steps
below.

Log on to the laptop using the default user name.

Click on start, point to the control panel. Click user accounts (pick the
control panel icon "user accounts")

Now click "Create a user account"

Give the new account an appropriate name and click next

Set the account type as an administrator

Now log off the current user and log back on to the account you just created

Click on start, point to the control panel.
(pick the control panel icon "user accounts")

Pick the old account under the "pick an account to change" header

Now click delete the account.

This new user will have its own profile with different favourites and a
different browser cache; there is a finial step which will prevent any users
from restoring the computer.

Click,
start> all programmes >accessories >system tools
Create a new restore point then close the application.

Click,
start> all programmes >accessories >system tools
under the "more options" tab look for the system restore option (near the
bottom) click clean up.


And you're done! I hope this has been of use to you, if you have any
questions of queries please feel free to contact me.
 
Hind site is 20/20.

Next time you sell or give a machine away, Reformat and reinstall Windows.

You have no way of deleting all the personal info because you don't know
where it's located.

Even if you knew where all the personal info was, you'd forget to get rid of
something anyway.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Stuart said:
You are correct,
Click to expand...

No she's not and, guess what? Neither are you. Did you not read Anando's
post?

Caps for emphasis: - SYSTEM RESTORE HAS NO EFFECT ON PERSONAL DATA FILES.
 
Miss said:
No she's not and, guess what? Neither are you. Did you not read
Anando's post?

Caps for emphasis: - SYSTEM RESTORE HAS NO EFFECT ON PERSONAL DATA
FILES.
Click to expand...

Sarah,when are you going to buy your Mac you were talking about?
If you set up a paypal account I'll gladly donate!
 
AliceZ said:
This may appear to be a stupid question but it is one that is causing us some
concern.
We recently gave our friend's young son our old notebook which has WinXPsp2.
We deleted our Favorites in IE6 (which had some listings of private websites
(financial), with passwords noted, and we also deleted all of the programs we
were using (Quicken security, etc.).
Now we wonder, if someone goes back and clicks on a Restore point prior to
our deletion of those items (Favorites, programs), will they be able to see
the Favorites prior to when I deleted them?
Please advise and thank you for any help.
Click to expand...


He won't be able to use System Restore to get at you personal data, as
System Restore deals only with system files. However, nothing that
you've mentioned indicates that you've taken any real precautions at all
to protect your personal data. Did you carefully seek out and delete
each and every data file on the hard drive? Did you delete all of the
hundreds of hidden temporary Internet files from each user profile? Did
you then empty the Recycle Bin? And did you defrag the hard drive in an
effort to over-write sensitive data?

To protect your personal information and data from any future users
of average skills, you should, at the very least, format the hard drive
and reinstall only the OS and those applications whose licenses are to
be included in the transfer. If you wish to do a more thorough job of
protecting your personal data, WipeDrive 2.2.1
(http://www.accessdata.com/Product07_Overview.htm?ProductNum=07) meets
U.S. DoD standards for securely cleaning surplus unclassified hard
drives, and could be used before formatting and reinstalling the OS and
applications.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
Caps for emphasis: YOU ARE A USELESS NEWS GROUP PARTICIPANT WITH NOTHING
WORTHWHILE TO CONTRIBUTE.
Got it? Good.
 
Kelly said:
Yo Bruce, use PayPal? :o)
Click to expand...


Just so I can receive checks for ridiculously small amounts when they
settle class action law suits. ;-}


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH
 
After sticking his head out from his XP firewall, Alan Smith had this to
say:
It seems to be no less than yours.
Click to expand...

At least I was the first to answer her, you moron.
 
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