how can i erase a drive fully?

Answer 1

It depends on what you mean by fully. If you are using Windows you can use the format command. If you are trying to erase the hard drive you will need to create a Systems Disk. To do this follow the instructions in Windows help, with the search for "system disk". Just know that this does not erase the system. It just makes the drive look erased to the computer, so that it may rewrite on top of the old files. If you run the FDisk command from your systems disk and remove the partitions this will erase the FAT table that refers to the information on the disk. This is a more complete erase.

The DOD (Department of Defense) standards require that the disk be wiped with a program like White Out, which is available through www.downloads.com White Out actually goes over every area of the drive and writes over the data. This is the only way to completely erase the data. Please know that DOD standards require that you rewrite over the entire drive at least 3 times. The White Out program allows you to determine how many passes it makes. You can do 1 or 100. If you do 3 passes with this program then nothing will be retrievable. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

If you really want to wipe a drive clean, here's a program I use:
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
You install it on a floppy, reboot your PC (with the floppy in the drive), and it will erase EVERTHING.
It uses some very thorough wipe methods including Gutmann and American DoD
Be warned, if you have more then one hard drive, for example a system drive and a data drive, both will be erased. DBAN erases ALL internal hard drives, so make sure you back up any files you want to keep on CDs or an external hard drive.

Answer 3

To erase a drive, just goto My computer. Right on the drive that u wish to erase fully, from the menu that appears select Format. A dialog box will appear. Click on Start button & the formatting process will begin. Be sure to turn off temporarily the antivirus software thats installed in your pc as it wont allow u to format the drive.

Note: if its the system drive(drive in which ur windows is installed) that u want to format, then u cant do it from windows. U will have to do it from the DOS. Reboot ur pc in DOS mode(refer to ur pc manual on how to boot pc in dos mode). Usually its F8 key that u need to keep pressed while ur pc is about to boot. After u hav booted in DOS, type

format 'drive name' :
& press enter. Note what the instruction says(i.c Yes or No). Select yes & the process will begin.

Answer 4

Put this on a diskette and boot with it: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/dban/dban-1.0.7_i386.exe?download
Have fun! After the wipe, you cannot get anything back. A normal 'format' command doesn't erase a drive, it only destroys the index-file (which tells where exactly the files are on the harddisk).

Answer 5

By formatting you can erase a drive fully. for format a drive first you need a boot-able CD of OS. the run this CD in dos mode (restart computer then it come). for XP you need to follow the instruction. and for windows 98 start the CD with CD ROM support, then A drive is come like this (A:\). then you need to specify where the win98 folder like this (A:\e: [CD drive name]), then it come the e drive then specify the folder(e:\CD win98). then type format and drive name which you want to erase like this
(e:\win98\:format [drive name]). then follow the instruction.

Answer 6

Easiest method for you would be to download this free & easy to use utility :

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

DBAN is a means of ensuring due diligence in computer recycling, a way of preventing identity theft if you want to sell a computer, and a good way to totally clean a Microsoft Windows installation of viruses and spyware.

DBAN prevents or thoroughly hinders all known techniques of hard disk forensic analysis.

Offers bootable floppy or CD versions.

regards,
Philip T

Answer 7

U will have to degauss your hard drive by ruining a positive and negative Field around it at the same time. Not as hard as it sounds. take your drive out and set it on a speaker for a day as it produces sound.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

hi,
If u erase you r C:/drive, u need a BOOTABLE floop disk or disk.

If u erase you D:/..E:/...F:/.. select the drive click u Right button on mouse and select format and click "enter" the dirve will be formating with in minutes.
ok

Answer 10

If you want to start fresh, then you need to format it, you cannot do this in windows if it is the primary drive. You will need to put your windows disk in and then restart your computer and boot from CD. or if u don't want an operating system on the disc, tyr to boot in dos. type c: format