format floppy compatible with 95/98?

[Guest]

I've got a very old, non-functioning desktop PC that I'm recycling, but I really want to wipe the hard drive before I get rid of it. The non-functioning bit is causing a problem at the moment.

I chatted with online tech support for the manufacturer of the soon to be recycled desktop and downloaded an executable utility file to the "desktop" of my nice new desktop PC running XP. I was told to get a floppy that had been formatted in either 95 or 98 only - and extract the executable to the floppy which I could then magically put in the non-functioning desktop PC heading towards a recycle center and I'd be quickly on my way to a wiped hard drive.

I went a lot of places yesterday looking around for a PC that I could access running either 95 or 98 to format a floppy. Finally got it - and the file won't extract to "a:\" which appears as the default location after I inserted the floppy and double clicked the executable. So I'm guessing my formatting of the floppy didn't take.

Is there ANY sort of utility or backwards compatibility plug-in that would allow me to format a floppy in "98/95 mode" on my system that runs XP?

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Bryan,

I would guess that he wanted you to make a bootable floppy. Right-click the
A drive in Windows Explorer, choose format. There is an option to create an
ms-dos bootable floppy here. There is no need to have to do it in a Win95/98
system.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!

Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone

I've got a very old, non-functioning desktop PC that I'm recycling, but I

really want to wipe the hard drive before I get rid of it. The
non-functioning bit is causing a problem at the moment.

I chatted with online tech support for the manufacturer of the soon to be

recycled desktop and downloaded an executable utility file to the "desktop"
of my nice new desktop PC running XP. I was told to get a floppy that had
been formatted in either 95 or 98 only - and extract the executable to the
floppy which I could then magically put in the non-functioning desktop PC
heading towards a recycle center and I'd be quickly on my way to a wiped
hard drive.

I went a lot of places yesterday looking around for a PC that I could

access running either 95 or 98 to format a floppy. Finally got it - and the
file won't extract to "a:\" which appears as the default location after I
inserted the floppy and double clicked the executable. So I'm guessing my
formatting of the floppy didn't take.

Is there ANY sort of utility or backwards compatibility plug-in that would

allow me to format a floppy in "98/95 mode" on my system that runs XP?

 

[JustDoIt]

Open the case, remove the four screws and 2 cables and smash it with a
hammer, for all practical purposes, that will wipe the hard drive clean.

I've got a very old, non-functioning desktop PC that I'm recycling, but I

really want to wipe the hard drive before I get rid of it. The
non-functioning bit is causing a problem at the moment.

I chatted with online tech support for the manufacturer of the soon to be

recycled desktop and downloaded an executable utility file to the "desktop"
of my nice new desktop PC running XP. I was told to get a floppy that had
been formatted in either 95 or 98 only - and extract the executable to the
floppy which I could then magically put in the non-functioning desktop PC
heading towards a recycle center and I'd be quickly on my way to a wiped
hard drive.

I went a lot of places yesterday looking around for a PC that I could

access running either 95 or 98 to format a floppy. Finally got it - and the
file won't extract to "a:\" which appears as the default location after I
inserted the floppy and double clicked the executable. So I'm guessing my
formatting of the floppy didn't take.

Is there ANY sort of utility or backwards compatibility plug-in that would

allow me to format a floppy in "98/95 mode" on my system that runs XP?

 

[Guest]

rip out the drive from the "non-functioning" computer an' slap her in ya new mechanical wonder and format it ther

ya hollar
I've got a mighty old, non-funckshunin' desktop PC thet ah's recyclin', but ah pow'ful be hankerin' t'wipe th' hard drive befo'e ah git rid of it. Th' non-funckshunin' bit is causin' a problem at th' moment. ah chatted wif online tech suppo't fo' th' manufackurer of th' soon t'be recycled desktop an' downloaded an executable utility file t'th' "desktop" of mah nice noo desktop PC runnin' XP. ah was told t'git a floppy thet had been fo'matted in eifer 95 o' 98 only - an' extryck th' executable t'th' floppy which ah c'd then magically put in th' non-funckshunin' desktop PC haidin' towards a recycle center an' I'd be quickly on mah way t'a wiped hard drive. ah went a lot of places yessuhterday lookin' aroun' fo' a PC thet ah c'd access runnin' eifer 95 o' 98 t'fo'mat a floppy. Finally got it - an' th' file won't extryck t'"a:\" which appears as th' default locashun af'er ah inserted th' floppy an' double clicked th' executable. So ah's guessin' mah fo'mattin' of th' floppy didn't take. Is thar ANY so't of utility o' backwards compatibility plug-in thet'd aller me t'fo'mat a floppy in "98/95 mode" on mah system thet runs XP?

 

[John]

You are better off removing the hard drive and destroying
it.

If the system is not functioning, the hard drive is
probably filled with bad sectors anyway, which means that
the operating system is useless, so there's nothing there
that the recyclers could want for resale anyway.

Also, NO shredder program, NOR the "format" command, can
stop a determined spy.

In my business I use a lot of very personal information
about my clients. Anything with personal information is
on a network that does not have internet access (and
because phone jacks, modems, ethernet cards, etc. have
been removed, cannot have internet access). Any computer
with internet access is on a separate network, and never
the twain shall meet.

In either set-up, when I retire a computer, I run a
shredder program, format the drives, remove the hard
drives, physically destroy the disks themselves, and put
the destroyed disks pieces in different public trash cans.

Why? Because information is power. Don't bother trying to
save the hard drive. Destroy it.

-----Original Message-----
I've got a very old, non-functioning desktop PC that I'm

recycling, but I really want to wipe the hard drive
before I get rid of it. The non-functioning bit is
causing a problem at the moment.

I chatted with online tech support for the manufacturer

of the soon to be recycled desktop and downloaded an
executable utility file to the "desktop" of my nice new
desktop PC running XP. I was told to get a floppy that
had been formatted in either 95 or 98 only - and extract
the executable to the floppy which I could then magically
put in the non-functioning desktop PC heading towards a
recycle center and I'd be quickly on my way to a wiped
hard drive.

I went a lot of places yesterday looking around for a PC

that I could access running either 95 or 98 to format a
floppy. Finally got it - and the file won't extract
to "a:\" which appears as the default location after I
inserted the floppy and double clicked the executable.
So I'm guessing my formatting of the floppy didn't take.

Is there ANY sort of utility or backwards compatibility

plug-in that would allow me to format a floppy in "98/95
mode" on my system that runs XP?

 

[Malke]

You are better off removing the hard drive and destroying
it.

If the system is not functioning, the hard drive is
probably filled with bad sectors anyway, which means that
the operating system is useless, so there's nothing there
that the recyclers could want for resale anyway.

(snip erroneous information)

Unless your business involves foreign governments with vast processing
power at their fingertips, using a DOD-standard drive eraser (7 passes)
will do the job. Here's a link to a free utility:

http://www.tolvanen.com/eraser/

Malke

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 05:21:09 -0800, "bryan"

I've got a very old, non-functioning desktop PC that I'm recycling, but I
want to wipe the hard drive before I get rid of it. The non-functioning
bit is causing a problem at the moment.

Yes, I guess it would

I was told to get a floppy that had been formatted in either 95 or 98
only - and extract the executable to the floppy which I could then
magically put in the non-functioning desktop PC heading towards
a recycle center and I'd be quickly on my way to a wiped hard drive.

Is there ANY sort of utility or backwards compatibility plug-in that
would allow me to format a floppy in "98/95 mode" on my system
that runs XP?

The trick is to leave a pre-formatted diskette as-is, and not format
it on XP. When you format a diskette, the process writes a new
boot sector to the disk - and whereas a Win9x boot sector will
look for A:\IO.SYS to boot, an NT boot sector will look for an
A:\NTLDR file instead.

Once the correct boot sector is in place, you can simply copy the
relevant files (including hidden boot files e.g. IO.SYS) to the disk
and it should work just fine.

Somewhere in XP, I saw an option to "make a DOS boot disk", but
I can't remember where I saw that. Else I'd try www.bootdisk.com,
as the site not only has downloadable boot disk stuff, but good
documentation on these sort of problems.

HTH?

--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -

Dreams are stack dumps of the soul

 

[Spinner]

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 05:21:09 -0800, "bryan"


Yes, I guess it would



The trick is to leave a pre-formatted diskette as-is, and not format
it on XP. When you format a diskette, the process writes a new
boot sector to the disk - and whereas a Win9x boot sector will
look for A:\IO.SYS to boot, an NT boot sector will look for an
A:\NTLDR file instead.

Once the correct boot sector is in place, you can simply copy the
relevant files (including hidden boot files e.g. IO.SYS) to the disk
and it should work just fine.

Somewhere in XP, I saw an option to "make a DOS boot disk", but
I can't remember where I saw that.

cquirke, it's right click the floppy and choose format.
The option to create an MS Dos boot disk is right there.


Else I'd try www.bootdisk.com,

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

cquirke, it's right click the floppy and choose format.
The option to create an MS Dos boot disk is right there.

Ah, thanks! Best place for it

My own PC isn't XP, and when I'm between building new PCs, I don't
have a running XP box to look these things up. Hence etc.

--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -

Dreams are stack dumps of the soul