How can I wipe clean personal metadata from multiple Windows 7 files before copying to Ubuntu?

216ann

12/14/22, 8:39 PM

I know how to remove personal metadata from individual Windows 7 files (R click > Properties > Details > Remove Properties and Personal Data > Create a copy with all possible properties removed). However, I am planning to copy ALL the data files from my ex's Win 7 computer and then putting it on my Ubuntu desktop. I don't want my files associated with him or his computer. So this may take years given that it is almost a terabyte of doc, pdf, jpg, etc files. I was wondering if there was a FOSS or in Windows 7 solution to bulk erase personal metadata (like author, owner, location, computer name, etc) from ALL the data files that I am trying to copy over to Ubuntu. I have tried to look it up but none of the supposed solutions work.
Alternatively, if there is a Ubuntu work around which can erase this personal data after it has already been copied.
Thanks for your help in advance.

0 + 7

windows-7

file-properties

metadata

privacy

20.04

raj

12/14/22, 8:57 PM

Is this metadata you are talking about something that is kept outside the file itself, somewhere in Windows filesystem, or is it something embedded in the file? In first case, Linux filesystem does not support such metadata, so it will simply not be copied. In second case, you need to search for a specific tool for each file type. THere are known tools to remove eg. EXIF data from JPEG files, but I don't know if there are similar tools to "clean up" eg. Microsoft Office files.

216ann

12/15/22, 1:27 AM

No, if you right click on a file in Win7, you can look at properties and see the author, owner, the computer it was created on, the time it was created, etc. These can be used to track who made it etc. So if you upload to someplace you are broadcasting info about yourself. I believe the info is embedded in the file itself. I have jpg, pdf, doc, etc files which I want to get the metadata off. Whether I get it off on Win7 on the external HD or even after the files are copied onto Ubuntu desktop, I don't care as long as it is done thoroughly. Please advise. Thanks.

Nmath

12/15/22, 2:18 AM

Your comment doesn't really answer the question. You will need to investigate on a case-by-case basis. I'm fairly certain that right-clicking on the file in Windows doesn't tell you where the metadata is actually stored: it could be in the file, somewhere else, or both. We can't advise on Windows features, how they work or how to use them. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to removing metadata kept as part of a file because all file types are not the same. If you want to know more about this Windows feature, or how to use it, you should ask on SuperUser

216ann

12/15/22, 5:51 AM

Based on looking at various superuser comments it appears that most BUT NOT ALL of the metadata is external to the file and supposedly won't be copied on file systems like ExFat. However, I want to deliberately wipe it. I did post my question on superuser as you suggested. https://superuser.com/questions/1669483/how-can-i-wipe-clean-personal-metadata-from-multiple-windows-7-files-before-copy

216ann

12/15/22, 9:41 PM

Hi, for some reason my question on superuser.com was closed without any answers. They did not give me a specific reason but it said something about the way I phrased the question. Please advise. Thanks.

Nmath

12/17/22, 7:34 PM

"*something about the way I phrased the question*" - You may not realize it, but the way you are phrasing your question is confusing. Your first sentence says that already know how to use the feature, so it's not clear what you are asking. It's also unclear what Ubuntu has to do with anything. Also, nobody enjoys deciphering a wall of text. Try to refine the way you ask your question with clearer writing. For example: use a new paragraph when expressing different ideas. Make sure you have clear, defined goals. Make sure that your problem is clearly identified.

216ann

1/6/23, 7:49 PM

My goal: To wipe clean or as thoroughly as possible all metadata, especially personal or identifiable (eg, author, place created, when created, etc), from files, of all types (including pics, video, docs, etc) that I have on Ubuntu 20.04.3 LTS. My problem: I can neither find out what metadata exists on these formerly Windows files nor do I know how to erase/eliminate/modify the metadata. Please assist.

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: How can I wipe clean personal metadata from multiple Windows 7 files before copying to Ubuntu?

TH: ฉันจะล้างข้อมูลเมตาส่วนบุคคลให้สะอาดจากไฟล์ Windows 7 หลายไฟล์ก่อนที่จะคัดลอกไปยัง Ubuntu ได้อย่างไร

RO: Cum pot șterge metadatele personale din mai multe fișiere Windows 7 înainte de a copia în Ubuntu?

RU: Как стереть личные метаданные из нескольких файлов Windows 7 перед копированием в Ubuntu?

VI: Làm cách nào tôi có thể xóa sạch siêu dữ liệu cá nhân khỏi nhiều tệp Windows 7 trước khi sao chép sang Ubuntu?

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