Windows XP Wipe hard drive

Me__2001

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if you enter your BIOS and set it to boot from CD, stick you XP CD in and you can format you hard drive
 
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you did? I just saw the first post which said you needed to do it without entering xp. Why didn't the dos bootdisk work?
 
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Formatting HDD
READ THIS CAREFULLY
This method will take time especially if you are a novice, so be prepared.

If all else fails and you have checked all other components have found them to be functioning correctly, you find that you are still unable to format using your WINDOWS and/or recovery disk, also you have no FLOPPY drive to create an FDISK, you can however create a CD which contains FDISK and boot from that, failing all the above in an attempt to format your HDD you will need ACCESS to another PC and I stress ACCSESS to a second PC.

As I see quite a number of posts regarding FORMATTING this will help you as long as you are NOT a complete novice, if you are a novice PLEASE be careful, in understanding this article fully, you will succeed.

  • Before you work on any PC remove the mains supply cable, once removed [NO POWER] press the start button, as this will drain any power that is left in the PC. It is advisable to earth yourself while working on any PC, by means of a wrist earth strap.
  • Remove the HDD you need to format from your malfunctioning PC.
  • On the second PC providing it has a spare IDE connector connect the HDD making sure the jumpers are set correctly MASTER/SLAVE, IE: if the existing one is set to MASTER set the one you need to format to SLAVE or vice versa.
  • If you do not have a spare IDE remove one of your other drives CD/DVD etc: NOT your main HDD.
  • Now when you start the PC it will recognise the second HDD if asked which one to boot up from obviously use the existing one.
  • When the PC is up and running go to START click, scroll up to SETTINGS.
  • Now enter CONTROL PANEL click.
  • In control panel choose ADMINISTRATVE TOOLS double click to open.
  • Now choose COMPUTER MANAGEMENT double click to open.
  • When the window opens you will see on the left hand side DISK MANAGEMENT double click to open.
  • You will now see your HDD`s C=D=E= or similar.
  • Choose the drive you need to FORMAT you cannot format the HDD that is needed IE the operating system as it is in use.
  • Make sure you have chosen the correct HDD to format.
  • Now RIGHT click where it says C=D=E= or whatever a box will open
  • Choose FORMAT and run it you have a choice long or quick FORMAT make your choice.
  • When you have finished CLOSE all open windows, shut the PC down and you have a nice clean HARD DRIVE, now put it back in your computer and set up your operating system.
 

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