I've just purchased a"used" Thinkpad T530 from a ebay seller. While I've had nothing but used laptops for several years, they have always come from family members, usually my wife (Mrs. Oracle is hard on laptops) so I always knew the source.

The machine is supposed to have a fresh install of thte thinkpad image, including all the windows7 and recovery image stuff.

Of course, I can nuke the drive and use antiX/mx, but I generally dual-boot as games with the boys is easier in windows, especially since I wipe my linux partitions so often after testing stuff for the channel or beta testing.

So the question is, how can I tell if the installed image is safe to use on the thinkpad.

TIA

d.o.

In what way safe?

If you are concerned about what might be left unseen on the HDD, the only safe way is to nuke it. I supply lots of used machines to friends and family (for free, mostly!) I always wipe the drive with Dban, and re-install. I know it's a pain, but it's what I prefer to do.

I grabbed legal ISO's of all the W7 variants whilst they were still available; I've never had an install against the key on the machine fail yet. Tracking down the drivers isn't too bad with Dell, Lenovo, and other mainstream makers. The longest part is all the MS updates.

Only alternative would be to run something like Recuva to check what is there.

Perhaps you have something else in mind regarding safety however.

Chris

chrispop99 wrote:In what way safe?

If you are concerned about what might be left unseen on the HDD, the only safe way is to nuke it. I supply lots of used machines to friends and family (for free, mostly!) I always wipe the drive with Dban, and re-install. I know it's a pain, but it's what I prefer to do.

I grabbed legal ISO's of all the W7 variants whilst they were still available; I've never had an install against the key on the machine fail yet. Tracking down the drivers isn't too bad with Dell, Lenovo, and other mainstream makers. The longest part is all the MS updates.

Only alternative would be to run something like Recuva to check what is there.

Perhaps you have something else in mind regarding safety however.

Chris

do you remember the file name of those isos. I forgot about those...I might have a set laying around myself.

I am more concerned about hidden malware than anything. is wiping the drive enough, or do I need to replace the drive. can things like rootkits survive a disk-wipe with dban?

The ISO file names all begin X17; this is one example - X17-24394.

They used to be available from an official MS partner, Digital River, but since the push from MS towards W10 they are no longer officially available.

I wouldn't be worried about malware myself. I would scan with all your favourite tools, including an on-line one.

Dban would remove a rootkit; there are some suggestions that other malware could survive it, but I think it's about as likely as a virus on Linux.

Of course, if the budget permits, a nice new SSD would make a T530 fly!

Chris

thanks for the info. I think i may have one of those at home. the X17 sounds familar, and I know I've downloaded from Digital River before. Thanks!

a new harddrive will be install eventually, as the one coming in this machine is a little small to be my new main system.

If I can't make and boot Windows recovery DVDs. I pull the Windows drive and slide in a cheap SSD.

I have a couple of Windows Hard drives in my laptop bags just sitting still. For when the time comes to sell them or give them back to my wife in case hers breaks.

Lately I don't even bother to make the recovery media anymore. It just makes more sense to run with a


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Which makes AntiX or MX boot in seconds. Is cheaper than a OEM Windows disk. Cuz you know. Sometimes dual boot kills the Windows install. Or the drive entirely.

I went that route on this Dell Touchscreen XT2 laptop. The IBM T430. The Dell E4310 Laptop.
Windows 7 enterprise, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 , hard drives that came with those units.
All sitting still wrapped in anti static bags in the laptop bags.

I too, use roky's method.
The titles are here.

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OK, the old HP has been retired and recycled. too much physical damage.

The new lappy is a Thinkpad T530. I was hopping to get switchable nvidia graphics, but that is not the case. The seller decided to cut the price rather than exchanging, and the price difference was good enough to for me to accept. I've been all-intel for several years anyway...but this is my first sandy-bridge level core i5.