FDISK & Format

[Earl Partridge]

I'd guess there is no such apps for XP? I'm just formatting a few old hard drives
before getting rid of them and thought perhaps rather than FDISKing and Formatting
with a Windows 98 Floppy, perhaps I could do something similar to put them in a
more current state...
Earl

 

[John John (MVP)]

Sure, use Windows XP built-in Disk Management tool. Just know that
repartitioning and reformatting a drive doesn't erase the information on
the drive and that anyone with a modicum of knowledge can easily recover
files on the drive. You need to use a wiping utility to properly erase
the files, this one will do the job for you: http://dban.sourceforge.net/

John

 

[Another Brian]

Before I get rid of any hard drives, I run Acronis DriveCleanser (or one of the free utilities that you can look up on Google). They erase everything on the disk. The next user can do the formatting. It is best to erase any personal info. Of course if you are really concerned about someone stealing data off the old disk, I'd recommend using a blow torch to completely slag it.

Brian
I'd guess there is no such apps for XP? I'm just formatting a few old hard drives
before getting rid of them and thought perhaps rather than FDISKing and Formatting
with a Windows 98 Floppy, perhaps I could do something similar to put them in a
more current state...
Earl

 

[Lil' Dave]

I'd guess there is no such apps for XP? I'm just formatting a few old hard
drives
before getting rid of them and thought perhaps rather than FDISKing and
Formatting
with a Windows 98 Floppy, perhaps I could do something similar to put them
in a
more current state...
Earl
----------
Plain text original post revised for proper usenet presentation.

Download the appropriate software from the appropriate hard disk
manufacturer. Zero write the hard drive you are referring to from BOOT
MEDIA.

There have never been any such apps or app in any version of windows for
what you're attempting to accomplish. Obviously not possible as the
operating system cannot over-write itself.

What is a "more current state"?
--
Dave

Speculation on a product or material that is
an obvious need, is not speculation per se
as there is no risk to the speculator.
Common were those selling food and other
supplies in the gold rush days.
In this case, its oil and its everyone who
bites the bullet. And most everyone has no gold
to be made, just business as usual.

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

Sure, use Windows XP built-in Disk Management tool. Just know that
repartitioning and reformatting a drive doesn't erase the information on
the drive and that anyone with a modicum of knowledge can easily recover
files on the drive. You need to use a wiping utility to properly erase
the files, this one will do the job for you: http://dban.sourceforge.net/

John

DBAN is a good program and I use it to clean out any donated machines at a
children's center before reloading them with an operating system. It's
surprising what organizations and others leave on the machine when they
donate them. Usually we don't even boot them first but stick in a DBAN disk
and let it do it's thing. That way we won't be tempted to look and any
possible virus, including boot sector and partition virus' are eliminated.

One thing to make darn sure is to unplug the data cable on any hard drive
you do NOT want to be erased. DBAN seeks out and erases every hard drive
that it can locate in a computer.

 

[Earl Partridge]

Thanks for all the responses. What I would like to do is to leave the disk
in a readable state so the new owner can quickly determine that it is
a valid disk, and the size is as indicated. I assume the old Windows 98
FDISK and Format/s does in fact wipe out all old data, making it all
unreadable, but also allowing it to be viewed to be in working order, etc.
Earl

 

[John John (MVP)]

No, FDISK and format leaves all the data on your disk for any prying
eyes to easily recover with simple freeware utilities!

Think of the hard disk as a filing cabinet. FDISK simply removes the
label on the front of the drawers but leaves all the file folders inside
the drawers, anyone who opens the drawers will be able to see all the
file folders inside. Format simply erases the tabs/labels on the file
folders but leaves everything in the folders, anyone who opens the
folders will be able to see all that is inside. That in a nutshell is
what FDISK and Format does. Wiping utilities like DBAN are like paper
shredders for the folders in your filing cabinet, the wipe utility does
its "shredding" by overwriting the whole disk with zeros or/and ones,
the overwriting makes it impossible to recover any files on the disk.

John

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

No, FDISK and format leaves all the data on your disk for any prying eyes
to easily recover with simple freeware utilities!

Think of the hard disk as a filing cabinet. FDISK simply removes the
label on the front of the drawers but leaves all the file folders inside
the drawers, anyone who opens the drawers will be able to see all the file
folders inside. Format simply erases the tabs/labels on the file folders
but leaves everything in the folders, anyone who opens the folders will be
able to see all that is inside. That in a nutshell is what FDISK and
Format does. Wiping utilities like DBAN are like paper shredders for the
folders in your filing cabinet, the wipe utility does its "shredding" by
overwriting the whole disk with zeros or/and ones, the overwriting makes
it impossible to recover any files on the disk.

John

Great explanation of Fdisk and Format's results John John.

Earl, what you need to do is use a program like DBAN, or others of similar
capabilities, to safely blank the disk and then use the Fdisk and Format
options on your W98 boot disk. That way the other party to be able to check
the size and status of the drive with the assurance that everything
originally on the drive has been permanently removed.

That way everything on it has been safely removed and the drive size and
condition can still be verified by the other person.

 

[Lil' Dave]

The "s" switch is not needed just to create file system table.

If all the physical hard drives that you are talking about are under 137GB
capacity, should not be problem for 98.

Again, use the hard drive mfr's software to do a full zero-write. This will
also check the read/write reliability of such a hard drive in the process.
And will map out any inconsistent locations.