how do you erase or clear a hard drive at home or without taking your pc to a repair place?

Question

i bought 2 computers at a flee market and i wish to have all things erased off of them but dont want to pay $$$ i know if you have a computer you can erase the hard drive of another with it but i dont know how that is done

Answer 1

There are many ways to carry out this task. Find someone with a 98 SE boot disk select boot with CD support fdisk the target drive, format the target drive install the new OS. If the system is Boot from CD capable install the new OS from the source CD this assumes the source CD has a boot sector on it.

Answer 2

All you need do is format the drive. That will clear all data. If you have an XP or Win2K installation CD, us it to do the formatting. If not you can download a Win98 boot disk. If you must use the Win98 boot disk, it will only format to FAT32, but that will erase the HDD. Put the Win98 boot disk (floppy) in the drive and start the system. The command will be "fdisk". this will remove the formatting. When you are finished with removing the partition, format the drive by typing "format c/" without the quites.

You may need to enter the BIOS and set the boot sequence to boot from the floopy first.

Answer 3

Have to ask another question.

Do you have a Windows disk? If you format the hard drives, you have to reinstall windows, then you need the serial number to put in. Then all you need to do is put the disk in, tell it to reformat and it will take everything off.

If you don't have a Windows disk and just want to remove all the junk on it, but keep the operating system.

Then the best way is to put on disk or go on line with each computer and go to www.filehippo.com, then download these programs.

Adaware, Spybot, CCleaner and AVG AntiSpyware.

I would install CCleaner, first. Let's cleanup the hard drive and go from there.

Before you do a cleanup, you might like to go to Add/Rmove Programs and remove all the stuff you don't want. When you done, run CCleaner and then do a disk defrag. Restart.

You can go in each folder (My documents, My pictures, etc.) and delete what's there.

If you can get on line with these computers, go by www.pandasoftware.com and run a FREE on line scan.

Hope this helped.

Answer 4

Since you're going to want Windows installed on these computers to use them the best way to go is to boot from a Windows CD, delete the partitions, recreate them, and then reformat the drive during the Windows installation steps.

These are all options you will come to while installing Windows.

Keep in mind though that it would be wise to check out all the hardware that is installed in these computers. Note it all down and make sure you have the software drivers that your hardware needs in order for them to function properly. The most important of these will be the network card since without those drivers you will not be able to get on the internet to download anything else you may need.

In Windows XP - Right-Click My Computer - choose properties - go to the hardware tab - click Device Manager. Note down the model and brand of your video, sound, and network cards. Then go to the manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers for these components - saving then to disk, CD, USB drive, or whatever since you'll be wiping out the drive.

Answer 5

The computer repair shop has to erase your hard drive before commericlaly marketing it, but you should NEVER leave that kind of stuff on your hard drive if you give it away. Usually they make you sign a document which allows them to scrap your computer and magnetically wipe your hard drive. Go BACK to the store and find out what the policy on returning hard drives and wiping hard drives is. Always check this BEFORE you end up giving them your computer. Also, check with other people BEFORE you go to this place and make sure that it has a good reputation; if you tell them that your hard drive has your credit card numbes + important contact information on it, then you should really consider deleating the information BEFORE you turn over your computer. Also, if they didn't tell you "We are going to erase your hard drive. Is that ok with you?," then there is a problem, because usually before a USED hard drive is sold, the store must provide documentation by the previous owner of the unit that the hard drive was wiped under their consent. I only give my computers to authorized dealers and reputable stores. If they will not wipe your hard drive, GET IT BACK AT ALL COSTS – your personal information is at stake here. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

Use Darik's Boot and Nuke. Download the .iso to burn a cd or use the floppy version. Boot off of whichever medium you chose and follow the on-screen instructions to wipe out all data on the drive to an irretrievable state.

Answer 7

these steps below will help clean up your computer


In Internet explorer at top of window select tools - then delete browser history
- then another box will open - select delete all- this will not remove your book marks
-Then close explorer then open again .At first pages will be slow once
and then will load fast after it loads 1 time.Also email etc you will have to sign in 1 time with pass word etc.
This will create new cookies.

Also go to start at bottom of on task bar.
click start 1 time then select find or search depending on your operating system.
Select all files and folders - then type in defrag and click search.When icons come up double click
and new box will come up - select analyze then you will see how fragmented you are -
then choose defrag.You can put this program on your desk top by right clicking on the icon you found in search for defrag.
Right click choose create short cut.This will put a short cut on your desk top.Then you can use as needed in future.
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find search delete history


on key boad press ctlr h



no software needed
you have what you need

find search delete history

on key board press ctlr h first

In Internet explorer at top of window select tools

then delete browser history - then another box will open - select delete all- this will not remove your book marks
Then close explorer then open again .At first pages will be slow once
and then will load fast after it loads 1 time.Also email etc you will have to sign in 1 time with pass word etc.
This will create new cookies.
Also go to start at bottom of on task bar.click start 1 time then select find or search depending on your operating system.
Select all files and folders - then type in defrag and click search.When icons come up double click and new box will come up
select analyze then you will see how fragmented you are - then choose defrag.You can put this program on your desk top
by right clicking on the icon you found in search for defrag.
Right click choose create short cut.This will put a short cut on your desk top.Then you can use as needed in future.


if you want book marks removed click on star at top of screen
right click the ones you don"t want choose delete


add and remove programs

click start bottom left on task bar

control panel

add and remove programs

find the program(s) you want to remove

choose remove

reinsall if needed

check status as you do it


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