erasing HD on laptop

[Happy]

Any hints on how to erase a HD on a laptop? Complicated by the fact I can't
access the HD, or install XP again. (doesn't seem to work-- may be a HD
failure.) But someone wants to buy it anyway, and I don't want to sell it
with personal info on it.

 

[Jim Macklin]

What fool wants to buy it?


| Any hints on how to erase a HD on a laptop? Complicated by
the fact I can't
| access the HD, or install XP again. (doesn't seem to
work-- may be a HD
| failure.) But someone wants to buy it anyway, and I don't
want to sell it
| with personal info on it.
|
|

 

[Jerry]

If you don't a way to boot from a floppy it's pretty difficult.

 

[Guest]

-----Original Message-----
Any hints on how to erase a HD on a laptop? Complicated by the fact I can't
access the HD, or install XP again. (doesn't seem to work-- may be a HD
failure.) But someone wants to buy it anyway, and I don't want to sell it
with personal info on it.


.do an fdisk and then format it.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

Boot the WinXP CD, run setup and after the license choose the option to
remove the existing system partition. Either that or locate a zero write
utility and use a bootable floppy to wipe it. This is sufficient for most
people.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Bill Martin]

Any hints on how to erase a HD on a laptop? Complicated by the fact I can't

access the HD, or install XP again. (doesn't seem to work-- may be a HD
failure.) But someone wants to buy it anyway, and I don't want to sell it
with personal info on it.

Best way to permanently erase a hard drive is the low tech solution -- with a
ball peen hammer. It also relieves some of your frustrations built up over
the time you've argued with the machine. A form of closure as well as
erasure.

Bill -- (Remove KILLSPAM from my address to use it)

 

[Happy]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll try them, and see how it goes. (hope I
don't have to get to the ball peen hammer!

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure of your level of technical expertise, but you can buy a
converter kit that allows you to attach the laptop HD to a standard IDE
connectorfor about $10.00. If setup in a desktop computer as the secondary
HD, you'll be able to access the HD from Windows and format or erase the
drive. Once complete, reinstall it in the laptop.

Ken

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Take this link and look for How To Partition
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm