ME and Ophelia

How to erase data from Microsoft on Dell?
Using Data Removal Tool - or Reinstallation CD?

Not able to blog. Too much going on here. Dell India have arranged for their courier to pick up the Dell laptop within next 24 hours. I've just completed transferring emails from Outlook Express, on the Dell, to the Mac by (please don't laugh) emailing them to myself (an incredibly tedious process, taking days and weeks).

Now, I need to empty the Dell of my data before it goes back to the factory. Recently, a technician told me, if I inserted my OS Reinstallation CD (for Microsoft Windows XP Pro) into the Dell I could erase the data, making the computer go back to the way it was before I started using it.

Trouble is, these are the instructions he gave me: CD in, switch on, turn off, turn on. Maybe there's not enough instructions because it doesn't work: I clicked on "Reinstall Windows" to see if it would override my current set up - but a window prompted me for 16 or so digits. Does any reader know about this procedure? Are they the 16 digits I used when registering XP?

As an alternative, I visited ERASER and tried download their Secure Data Removal Tool but wasn't sure about the "mirror" business. And got cold feet when I saw, in capital letters, to use it with extreme caution as it erases all drives including the Operating System. Does any reader know if it'd be OK for me to go ahead with this - and erase the OS? I don't want any come-back from Dell, saying I've created problems for the machine. Here's a copy of ERASER's FAQ instructions. Does anyone know what's best to do? Advice would be greatly received, in comments or by email anytime. Thanks.

Question: I bought a new PC and I want to erase my entire hard drive(s) on my old PC so that I can give it away. The problem is that I cannot Install Eraser on the old PC because I cannot connect to the Internet from the PC and also, Eraser will not fit on a Floppy? How can I erase it's drive(s)?

Eraser's Answer: You don't need to install Eraser onto the PC where you are going to erase. Take the following steps:
1. Connect to the Internet using your new PC and download and install Eraser.
2. Place a floppy (or CD) in the a: drive of your new PC.
3. Click on the Start button and then choose Programs->Eraser->Create Boot Nuke Disk.
4. Ensure 'Writing on Floppy' is ticked. Tick 'Formatting' if your floppy needs to be formatted.
5. Click OK. Result: Your Boot Nuke Disk has now been created.
6. Bring this Boot floppy to your old PC and place it in the a: drive. Now reboot the old PC.
Result: All drives will now be erased (including the Operating System)
IMPORTANT: USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION.