#1000 – How to Securely Wipe the Windows System Drive

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#1000 - How to Securely Wipe the Windows System Drive
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ONE THOUSAND!

Oh my. This is the 1,000th Ask Leo! newsletter. #1 was on November 18, 2005. Never would I have predicted that this would happen. It's been quite the ride!

Thank you thank you thank you for all of your support. And yes, there are many folks who've been here since the begining. That, alone, is an honor for which I'm very grateful.

Whether you've been here for all 1,000 issues, or this is your first, or anywhere in between, thank you for being here.

Just a reminder all 1,000 issues are archived over at newsletter.askleo.com.

Your biggest struggles

Back in December I asked you; "What's the biggest thing you're struggling with, with respect to your technology?" Thank you for your responses!

With ChatGPT's help, I've summarized the results here: Your Biggest Struggles: 2024 Edition. Some expected results, but a few surprises as well.

It'll help me prioritize the coming year's articles.

Wipe that drive!

You're about to give away or recycle your computer, but you don't want any of your personal files or other information to go with it. The answer? Wipe the drive!

Easy when it's an external drive, but what about when it's your system drive?

How to Securely Wipe the Windows System Drive has a couple of solutions, and all without using any 3rd party tools.

Also this week

  • Wireless internet
  • Hackers returning to your account
  • When password auto-fill doesn't
  • Your Microsoft account

As always, links below.

TEH Podcast

And ... we had to skip this week. Life intruded. Smile

Take care,

Leo

Featured Article

How to Securely Wipe the Windows System Drive

How to Securely Wipe the Windows System Drive
Not necessarily straightforward, but easy enough.

Reformatting the system drive takes a little more effort than other drives. Here are three ways to get it done.
Read: How to Securely Wipe the Windows System Drive

Also This Week on Ask Leo!

How Do I Get Wireless Internet?
It's not quite what some people think it is.

How Do I Get Wireless Internet?
You hear a lot about wireless internet, but it's not something you can just connect to anywhere. It's more often something you purchase and set up.
Read: How Do I Get Wireless Internet?

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If They Got Into My Account Once, Could a Hacker Get In Again?
It depends on what they did and what you did the first time.

If They Got Into My Account Once, Could a Hacker Get In Again?
Once your account has been hacked, there are many things you need to consider to prevent it from being hacked again.
Read: If They Got Into My Account Once, Could a Hacker Get In Again?

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What If Password Autofill Won't Work?
Password vaults are supposed to make things easier. What do you do when they don't?

What If Password Autofill Won
Password vaults are sometimes unable to auto-fill fields. There are several ways to work around this.
Read: What If Password Autofill Won't Work?

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What Does Signing in to My Microsoft Account Really Mean in Windows?
Microsoft accounts versus local accounts.

What Does Signing in to My Microsoft Account Really Mean in Windows?
Let's sort out some of the differences between logging in using your Microsoft account and logging in using a local account.
Read: What Does Signing in to My Microsoft Account Really Mean in Windows?

Ask Leo! on YouTube

Subscribe to Ask Leo! on YouTube to get the latest on YouTube.com. Your subscription (and "Likes") help others find Ask Leo!, and the answers they're looking for.

What Does Signing in to My Microsoft Account Really Mean in Windows?

Let's sort out some of the differences between logging in using your Microsoft account and logging in using a local account.
Watch: What Does Signing in to My Microsoft Account Really Mean in Windows?

-

What If Password Autofill Won't Work?

Password vaults are sometimes unable to auto-fill fields. There are several ways to work around this.
Watch: What If Password Autofill Won't Work?

-

If They Got Into My Account Once, Could a Hacker Get In Again?

Once your account has been hacked, there are many things you need to consider to prevent it from being hacked again.
Watch: If They Got Into My Account Once, Could a Hacker Get In Again?

-

How To Securely Wipe The Windows System Drive

Wipe the Windows system drive
Watch: How To Securely Wipe The Windows System Drive

-

How Do I Get Wireless Internet?

You hear a lot about wireless internet, but it's not something you can just connect to anywhere. It's more often something you purchase and set up.
Watch: How Do I Get Wireless Internet?

All About OneDrive - Online Course

All About OneDrive - Online Course

OneDrive is both incredibly powerful and at times incredibly confusing. It includes a bucket-load of features to help you back up, share, collaborate, stay safe, and more.

All About OneDrive covers OneDrive's features and its peculiarities so you can use it to the fullest.

(Silver level patrons and above: All About OneDrive is included in your patronage. If you don't see it in your My Account page, just ask.)

More details in the Ask Leo! store: All About OneDrive - Online Course


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Posted: January 16, 2024 in: 2024
Shortlink: https://newsletter.askleo.com/9049
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I'm Leo Notenboom and I've been playing with computers since I took a required programming class in 1976. I spent over 18 years as a software engineer at Microsoft, and after "retiring" in 2001 I started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place to help you find answers and become more confident using this amazing technology at our fingertips. More about Leo.