Refomatting hard drive in xp

Hi Everyone,

My friend would like me to erase her hard drive data for her, and I seem to remember the best way to to this is to refomat the hard drive. only i've forgotton how to do it.

She has windows xp.

Please could someone remind me how to do it. (In nice easy terms)

Thanks in advance

Chris

Do you have XP cd?

If you have XP cd then follow method 4.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

The above website offers software designed to erase all data on a hard drive so it is unreadable and unretrievable. This could be the way to go with the desire is to make the data unavailable to others.
--
thezero

Hi Carl,

I'm not too sure if she has the disk, I will certainly follow instructions if she has, but if she hasn't what do I do?

I seem to remember typing either format c: or fdisk and this wiped the drive, but I can't remember where the menu was for typing it.

Thanks for your help so far, and any furthur help would be most appreciated.

Regards

Chris

If you merely format a drive the data will be easily recoverable. Using a method such as above will write over the data to make it MUCH harder to recover.

Duwane Huffaker said:

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

The above website offers software designed to erase all data on a
hard drive so it is unreadable and unretrievable. This could be the
way to go with the desire is to make the data unavailable to others.
--
thezero

Click to expand...

Hi Chris

My Brother in-law did this on my sisters computer a few years back. A lot of stuff she realy wanted was gone forever. Maybe try some of the other things I mention below before reformatting the hard drive.

chrisxyz said:

Hi Everyone,
My friend would like me to erase her hard drive data for her, and I
seem to remember the best way to to this is to refomat the hard
drive. only i've forgotton how to do it.

Click to expand...

Yes reformating the hard drive would remove the data including the folowing.

All programs she has installed, emaill addresses, all websites in her favorites folder, All hardware drivers etc.

If what your friend realy needs is to free up more space on the hard drive do the following.

Put all the photos in MY PICTURES folder onto cds or dvds. Then delete them from the computer. This puts them in the recylcle Bin.

Then start deleting other files she no longer needs. Graphics files can take up a lof of room.

Then click on Start, All Programs. Accessories, System tools Disk Cleanup.

Then let your friend use the computer a few days. If she doesn't miss any of the things you have deleted go ahead and empty the Recylcle bin.

Then defragment the drive C if needed. Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools. Disk Defragmenter.

chrisxyz said:

She has windows xp.

Please could someone remind me how to do it. (In nice easy terms)

Click to expand...

Very easy if this is realy needed? Just put in the Widnows XP Cd Or the Windows Restore CD and follow the instructions. It will reformat the drive before reinstalling XP

chrisxyz said:

Thanks in advance

Chris

Click to expand...

--
Norm

What you are thinking of is. Command prompt> enter.at C:\ "type" format C> enter then follow instructions.
Whatever you decide to do you must have an XP disk to install OS.

You need a Boot disc floppy, Win95 is straight forward, put the disk in the A drive, reboot, at the prompt type format C: U press enter press Y for yes follow instructions on the monitor.

Important- before you format the C drive make sure you have the XP CD that comes with the computer to re-install the operating system, otherwise a new CD from Microsoft will cost about $200 or $300 depending if Retail or OEM.
Perhaps a visit to your local Computer repair shop is in order.
--
William

If it is the main drive and you basically want to re-install windows, just install from CD and delete the partitions on the drive, create new partitions and then format.

From memory (I'm now on Vista ...) If it is a second (or third) drive, go to Computer Management (right click on the My Computer icon on the classis desktop and select 'Manage" or from the Administrative Tools menu, and select Disc Management. From there you can delete partitions, create new ones and format.

Thanks to everyone for your great info - just to clarify I've visited my friend now and she does NOT have the xp professionl disk.

All I want to do for her though is to reformat the hard drive (I'm not bothered about re-installing the operating system).

I went to start
run and then typed format c:

but it didn't work just took me back to desktop menu.

Then I typed c:fdisk and it did the same thing.

I know I've done this on my old computer, but I must be typing something slightly wrong.

Please help, and thanks in advance

Regards

Chris

You'll need a bootable CD that will allow you to format it OR...

pop it into another computer, format it there, then put it back into the original machine. If there are no plans to reuse the drive (you just want to erase the data forever) then I find a hammer works best.

Best regards-

Karbo
--
Passing the torch of knowledge is a genetic responsibility.

http://photo.karywall.net/

Once you boot to windows, if windows is contained on the C: drive, you cannot format it. It won't let you wipe the system you are currently using.

I just found myself wondering about your reasons for doing this, since you seem unfamiliar with working with computers. Was going to go through the procedure step-by-step, but have the feeling I would be contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Why not just have your "friend" consult a computer technician?

BL

IF you don't want to reinstall OS!!!! then as suggested us a Hammer.

http://freepctech.com/pc/002/files010.shtml

John