When you sell or give away your computer, or when you want to clean off your computer’s hard drive before you donate it, you’ll need to wipe it clean. This means removing all of your personal data and settings.

There are a few ways to do this. You can use a special software program designed to erase your hard drive, or you can use the built-in tools that come with your computer.

If you’re using a software program, there are a few things you’ll need to do before you start. Make sure you have a copy of your data, because …