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Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Hi
I have been using gohst accounts for years and been very careful. Always buy a second hand laptop for each account (this is after some bad experiences with VPS). Never had any issues.

I was just wondering if I use one of my current laptops that was running a gohst account, reformat and install a fresh Windows OS, will there be any info that can still be picked up by ebay?

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

The short answer is NO.

eBay, or any other website for that matter cannot read any data that existed before you formatted the disk.

In addition to this, you also reinstalled the operating system, so it likely overwrote whatever was there in the first place.

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Thanks nikopedia

I also buy a new usb dongle for each ebay account. Can I just use the same dongle and change sims? I don't know if I am being overly causious

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Formatting works

RE the dongles - changing the SIM wont really do much if your on the same ISP

Using totally new ISP would do the trick though.

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Sorry just out of interest, so if using one dongle and using different sims from the same ISP (each being a sim with a different mobile phone number) ebay can pick up on that becuase it's the same ISP?

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Most browsers detect OS
Most Windows Edition store hardware info for activation
Most websites collects IP address, cookies, user data, keystrokes from messaging on their platform and more.
Most tech companies are savvy to enough to get enough info from all or some of the above examples.

Data is very valuable and most companies are trying the extract as much as they can ie Microsoft grabs your hardware info. Most hardware have permanent hardware identifier this is the Hardware ID. So in theory a new Identity is something different from the old. This applies to anything with permanent ID attached to it. Yes, it may seem extreme but I see it as future proof.

My best practice is 1000% safe for me and future proof.
New or Used computer
New Drive
New Modem, New USB Ethernet
New Router

I normally get the same model or version of hardware and only do an upgrade if necessary. They read ID numbers not model numbers. I put the old hardware online after holding it for 6 mouths (just in case it falls in your hands). Most of the time I sell the parts and keep the computer for another project (backup drive), employee pc (upgrades) or a gift.

I only recommend this system for those who normally don't get suspended every 6mo because it can be expensive if you don't get your ROI. This works great for non vero sellers who normally stay up for 12mo plus.

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

They cannot pick up on it, but its a little pointless as you would just be using the same IP pool range as its the same IP.

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

I see.. Thanks

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

For amazon formatting the drive and reinstall the os will be good.
For eBay it’s not necessary, unless it’s a second hand computer you are buying

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Has anyone used VMware to set up a new virtual machine for each ebay account on the same pc? That should work I suppose

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

If you want to use

Portable browsers are much easier though and use less CPU

Re: Is formatting the laptop enough?
 

Thanks for that.. I have just been too scared to try portable browsers... Is the guide from "empirestate" still the best way to go for portable browsers? I can see he is banned now..