A used laptop?

Have you ever used E-bay?

Isn't there some way that you can check the hard-drive of a used computer and restore files/information that the previous owner thought were deleted? I heard that somewhere, which is why I aint selling my old laptop. Not that I have anything juicy on it or anything!

That IS a consideration.

Could one format the hard drive and the re-load windows, or whatever?

No, but a good computer expert could get information like documents that the seller thought he was safe deleting before selling his computer. I've heard of this but I can't remember where. A good tech would have the know-how to get information off the hard-drive.

What Heeven mention is possible to do if the files were simply deleted. It gets progressively harder to do if the drive has been reformatted and then even harder if any new software has been installed.

There are several free-ware utilities that can "wipe" the hard drive completely though. They over-write the entire dics several times with random data so that any attempt to retrieve the original files is fruitless.

As for buying a used laptop - You can find them all over the place. E-bay is one place to look but the classfied ads in any newspaper should turn up a few. Try a Google search on "used laptops". You'll get back hundreds of pages of sites.

Depending on your budget, you might be happily surprised to see the prices for "Refurbished" laptops from the major players ... usually available through their websites. The Under-a-Grand segment is growing rapidly. "Refurbs" generally carry a full Mfr. warranty and tech support, sometimes of shorter duration, but otherwise at the same level as new machines. Unless you don't mind screwed up Operating Systems, corrupted drivers, and assorted other entertainments, I would advise steering clear of any used laptop that did not come with a manufacturer's original Restore disc, and which I had not had the opportunity to thoroughly wring out. Laptops are costlier to repair than are desktops, and often, when hardware problems or intractable software glitches crop up, are replaced rather than repaired. Ask the original owner, if at all possible, why he got a new laptop, not why he's getting rid of the old one.

Oh, and welcome to A2K, RedHawk. Got me one o' them puppies ... nice wheelgun. Mine's blued, with hand-crafted bone grips.

Thanks for the advice fellas. I kinda think the refurb route is the way to go.

Hey Red, anyone ever tell you you look like Billy Gibbons?

i would advise against buying used electronics from ebay. i purchased a sony vaio which was dead on arrival. i returned it and the seller fixed it and sent it back. a few months later it died again. the same thing happened with my friend who bought a sony clie through ebay.

i would go with the factory refurbished products.