Erasing/cleaning my hard drive

G

Guest

After having troubles that I couldn't resolve, I resigned to reinstalling my
OS (Windows XP) figuring to start over with my PC. I thought that by
reinstalling Windows XP, I'd be erasing (or reformatting) my hard drive.
Instead, I've got the OS reinstalled with files from before still on the hard
drive.

I have all the data and software I need backed up and want to start with a
'clean slate'. How do I go about erasing the hard drive and starting fresh?
 
S

Shenan Stanley

bruindre said:
After having troubles that I couldn't resolve, I resigned to
reinstalling my OS (Windows XP) figuring to start over with my PC.
I thought that by reinstalling Windows XP, I'd be erasing (or
reformatting) my hard drive. Instead, I've got the OS reinstalled
with files from before still on the hard drive.

I have all the data and software I need backed up and want to start
with a 'clean slate'. How do I go about erasing the hard drive and
starting fresh?

Boot with XP installation CD.
Follow directions until it asks you where you want to install it.
Delete the partitions that exist.
Create new partitions.
Install on the new partitions.

Don't connect to the Internet until you have SP2 installed/Firewall up.
Make your first visit on the Internet to
http://windowsupdates.microsoft.com/.
Then install your Antivirus and update it.
Then your active antispyware - if you have any.
Then your applications.
 
A

Alec S.

bruindre said:
After having troubles that I couldn't resolve, I resigned to reinstalling my
OS (Windows XP) figuring to start over with my PC. I thought that by
reinstalling Windows XP, I'd be erasing (or reformatting) my hard drive.
Instead, I've got the OS reinstalled with files from before still on the hard
drive.

I have all the data and software I need backed up and want to start with a
'clean slate'. How do I go about erasing the hard drive and starting fresh?


Create a DOS bootdisk by formatting a floppy with system files. Then get a copy of format.com for DOS and put in on the disk. Boot
using the floppy, then change to your Windows drive (usually C:) and format it like this:

c:
cd c:\
format /q c:

Reboot, then use the installation CD to install.


Another "brute force" method is to boot into Windows in safe mode, then delete everything that can be deleted (pretty much
everything except the bare minimum system files) from the command prompt (Run->cmd.exe):

del /f/s/q c:\

Reboot, install.
 
G

Guest

Alec S. said:
Create a DOS bootdisk by formatting a floppy with system files. Then get a copy of format.com for DOS and put in on the disk. Boot
using the floppy, then change to your Windows drive (usually C:) and format it like this:

c:
cd c:\
format /q c:

Reboot, then use the installation CD to install.


Another "brute force" method is to boot into Windows in safe mode, then delete everything that can be deleted (pretty much
everything except the bare minimum system files) from the command prompt (Run->cmd.exe):

del /f/s/q c:\

Reboot, install.

Alec,With respect but it is n't recommended to format before Delete and
Create Partition then Format/Erasing the HDD, otherwise the *OP* will have
trouble installing the OS.

nass
 
A

Alec S.

Create a DOS bootdisk by formatting a floppy with system files. Then get a copy of format.com for DOS and put in on the disk.
Boot
Alec,With respect but it is n't recommended to format before Delete and
Create Partition then Format/Erasing the HDD, otherwise the *OP* will have
trouble installing the OS.

I'm not sure what you mean. I said that they can boot to DOS with a floppy and format, then reboot to the Windows installation with
a CD. I've done it hundreds of times as have countless others and it works just fine. I've never heard of any reason why it
wouldn't or recommendations against it.

Perhaps you meant that I was saying to format/delete/install? The delete thing was an alternative option to the
boot/format/boot/install procedure.

Both methods I gave were meant to avoid messing with the partition at all.
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top