Reinstalling Windows 8 on a Toshiba Laptop C50D after wiping with DBAN - what do I need to keep to reinstall ?

Question

I need to use DBAN on my laptop to completely wipe it before selling it

After the DBAN process, I want to reinstall Win8 which it came with and put it back to a blank but user friendly state for a novice user (i.e. not just give them a blank DBANned hard drive)

My question is - what's the quickest way to ensure I can get it back to a sellable state with Win8 and all drivers installed - as no disks came with it.

e.g. is there an easy way to get a list of the drivers installed ? e.g. what is the simplest way to make a Windows reinstall CD ? e.g. what if any licence numbers etc to I need to find/keep ?

I have not used DBAN before so any tips on that would also be useful. (My research suggests it is the right program to use for my needs).

Answer 1

I suggest you first visit the URL below, take a read then click the "Creating Media" button to download the software. You'll have a choice of creating the installation media as either an ISO which you can burn to a DVD using built in windows tools (it looks like your laptop has a writer), or a bootable USB stick which is probably the easier option.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

You'll also need your Windows Installation Key, this should have come with your laptop documentation. If you've lost this you can use a program such as "magicaljellybean Keyfinder" to extract it from your existing installation.

Most drivers will probably come with Windows, though if you find certain hardware doesn't work correctly after the reinstall you can download your drivers from the URL below. Within the support section select Notebooks > Satellite > Satellite C Series, then your model, if your not sure it's usually written on the underside of your laptop:

http://www.toshiba.co.uk/innovation/download_drivers_bios.jsp?service=UK

Just a note - if your laptop came with Windows 8 and you upgraded to 8.1 the product key that came with the PC won't work with Windows 8.1, though the key extracted via the software mentioned above should, or alternatively you could install 8 with the original product key and then upgrade to 8.1. Think of Windows 8.1 as really Windows 9, so a completely new key is generated during the upgrade process.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

For concerning the DBAN software I highly suggests performing a full Gut-Man wipe to securely remove any sensitive Data on the Hard Drive. For a legal ISO and being fast, I recommend a program called [Yumi}(http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/) it is faster than a disk. Also for the image you will have to do a Google search for, Something like: Windows 8 64 bit legal iso download, and find the one you need and make sure you choose the right one, 64 or 32 bit OS. Then load it up in Yumi. The drivers are a bit tricky in my opinion, I have never downloaded any drivers for Toshiba but you can do a search for: Windows 8 Toshiba C50D Windows 8 drivers download. The reason I am unable to provide a link is because there is more to the name of your laptop. I did a quick search and found this Please note that this is most likely not your laptop. It may be but that should be what your looking for, just do a proper search and you should be okay.