Wiping My System

[Guest]

I want to completely wipe my computer of all files/memory/data...how would I
go about doing that? I want to make it like the first day I got it when there
was nothing on it. Can someone explain to me how?

 

[WAW]

Format the drive.

 

[S.Sengupta]

Clean Install Windows XP
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

regards,
S.Sengupta[MS-MVP]

 

[longman]

Go to www.cbltech.ca and download their free drive scrubber. It wipes
the hard drive clean leaving nothing behind. There are 3 versions
available, floppy, iso and xp. It can take hours to days depending on
your hardware and the number of passes you want it to do. Formatting
the drive leaves data behind. After using the program you have to
re-partition and re-format the hard drive. Win2k and XP full install
discs do this for you. This method works the best bad virus infections.
Ihope this helps you out.

 

[Rock]

I want to completely wipe my computer of all files/memory/data...how would I
go about doing that? I want to make it like the first day I got it when there
was nothing on it. Can someone explain to me how?

It's called a clean install. Boot from the XP installation CD and
follow the prompts. See this guide:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

 

[Jonny]

Either use the restoration CD that may have come with the PC.
Or, use an XP install CD, wipe the partitions, install a partition to
install XP on.

.............
Jonny

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I want to completely wipe my computer of all files/memory/data...how
would I go about doing that? I want to make it like the first day I
got it when there was nothing on it. Can someone explain to me how?

Assuming that you also want to reinstall Windows, just boot from the Windows
XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if necessary to accomplish this) and
follow the prompts for a clean installation (delete the existing partition
by pressing "D" when prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

[Jonny]

Jeez, FREE zero writing software from the hard drive manufacturer does the
same thing.
Why would you use such?

MBR virus infections can be wiped with MBR area wiping software (ZAP), or
zero writing software for entire hard drive. General file level formatting
removes other viruses.
.............
Jonny

 

[Jonny]

The filesystem table or partition itself can be corrupt with a simple
format. Not like new in most cases.

.............
Jonny