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[[VR] optimal_909]

No.

If you haven't done so, you should wipe the system and put a fresh OS install on it.

Is it required even when I buy it from a respected reseller business? Based on the labels it seems I've got an old i7 3770 instead of an also old i5 (yay!), but I'm yet to fire up the system as I need to grab a displayport/VGA to HDMI adapter. I bought the system for ~$130 incl. VAT.

My plan B for total safety would be to use an otherwise idle data sim card and assign an unused old phone as modem for it, that way it would be completely separated.

 

[varonica]

Is it required even when I buy it from a respected reseller business? Based on the labels it seems I've got an old i7 3770 instead of an also old i5 (yay!), but I'm yet to fire up the system as I need to grab a displayport/VGA to HDMI adapter. I bought the system for ~$130 incl. VAT.

My plan B for total safety would be to use an otherwise idle data sim card and assign an unused old phone as modem for it, that way it would be completely separated.

Yes, too many resellers take the easy way out and just do a quick format instead of proper wipe to save time, leaving data from previous owners easily recoverable. Worse still some just erase the data. Now not saying this is something you need to worry about, but just say it was stolen from you and police recover it and use data recovery software to see if they can track the owner, and a previous owner had some illegal stuff on the disk, there's no way to prove the illegal stuff wasn't yours, so wipe it with a proper data eraser and re-install.

 

[GJ51]

Meh,

I've bought perhaps 100 refurbs over the years

Although I often pop in an SSD and do a fresh OS install, I've lately bought quite a few that have the SSD and OS already.

Never encountered an issue with a corrupt OS

I always use a good host file blocker and Malwarebytes for protecting my PCs

 

[AlSki]

Yes, too many resellers take the easy way out and just do a quick format instead of proper wipe to save time, leaving data from previous owners easily recoverable. Worse still some just erase the data. Now not saying this is something you need to worry about, but just say it was stolen from you and police recover it and use data recovery software to see if they can track the owner, and a previous owner had some illegal stuff on the disk, there's no way to prove the illegal stuff wasn't yours, so wipe it with a proper data eraser and re-install.

That's nothing.
I had a Toshiba laptop that died, so I sent in for repair. They replaced the motherboard and returned with a "wiped drive" which they claimed was standard policy.
6mths later I got a phone call from a random bloke who had his laptop serviced and they replaced his broken drive with my old drive.
Now I wipe all drives before they leave my possession, I can just imagine service departments going "huh" when they get the OS install screen.