Hey everyone,
I recently stumbled upon an HP laptop that I used about 3 years ago from my previous employer. It's been chilling in my home office with some renovation stuff for the last 2.5 years, and now I feel like it's just taking up space. My kid could really use a basic laptop for school, but I'm not sure what the best course of action is.
Is it safe to wipe the storage and install a fresh copy of Windows 11? Or is there a chance that this laptop could be remotely accessed or locked down by the IT department at my old job? I just want to make sure I handle this the right way.
Thanks for any advice!
Best,
Dave
4 Answers
I’d actually recommend skipping Windows 11 for this. The laptop might run better on a lighter Linux distro, especially if it’s just for browsing and schoolwork.
If you're set on wiping it, just be cautious. I'd recommend using something like DBAN to securely wipe the drive. After that, you should be good for a fresh OS install. Just reach out to your former company first; they might not even care anymore.
Good call! Better safe than sorry, right? Plus, if they say it's fine to keep, you're golden!
It’s been a while, but just keep in mind that if it’s still enrolled in their Mobile Device Management (MDM), it might auto-enroll again as soon as you do a fresh install of Windows. It's a good idea to give them a heads up and see how they want to handle it.
Honestly, it's best to reach out to your old employer first before doing anything. Even if it seems like the laptop is off their radar, it still belongs to them. Just giving them a call to see what they want to do with it is the right approach. You might be surprised at how often companies manage their old inventory, so it’s worth checking in!
Exactly! Sometimes companies recycle or repurpose old laptops, so it's better to ask first. Who knows, they might let you keep it!
But why not Win11? This could be a great basic laptop for a student!