How do you reformat your hard drive.?

Question

I have Windows XP. I'd like to wipe everything off my hard drive and start over.

Answer 1

Do you want to know how I would reformat my hard drive, or how to reformat yours?

First, before you even think about this, make certain that you have all the original Windows XP CD's, and their license numbers. Reformatting your hard drive will wipe off everything, even Windows. A hard drive without an operating system on it is just a piece of machinery.
2. You'll want to change your boot drive to the CD. (Usually, your computer boots from the hard drive--probably--and it won't once you've reformatted it.)
3. Open "My computer." (This is still using Windows. You'll lose "My computer" in a few minutes--but that's what the back-up CD's with Windows on them will re-install.)
4. Right click on the drive you want to re-format (probably your "C:" drive.)
5. A menu will pop up with options like, Open, Explore, Search, . . . keep reading until you see an option that says "Format."
6. Click on it. It will ask you (several times) if you really, and truely, are perfectly certain that you really, truely want to lose all your data. If you do, go ahead and say "Yes".
7. Re-load Windows XP.
8. Good luck.
9. Don't download any of that goofy stuff this time, and quit visiting those kinds of websites that loaded the stuff on their you didn't want. (We know what sites you've been visiting!)

Answer 2

You'll have to boot up with the CD. This is how:
Restart Computer.
Press Delete, when the first load screen come on. (Before Windows Screen Starts) This will open your BIOS software. Change the first Boot Priority to your CD Drive. Then Save and Exit. When the computer loads, it will say "Press any Key to Boot From CD".Then as you go through the Windows Install Process, delete the Partitions, when you get to that point. Then Format the Partition again. It should be pretty easy, once you get it to boot from CD. If you try to load the CD while windows is running, it won't let you delete the active partition, so you have to Boot from the disc. http://www.investmental.com

Answer 3

Make sure that your computer has your CD-ROM drive enabled as the first boot device. When you insert your WinXP CD into the drive and reboot, you will be given the option to install XP once again. Part of that install includes a format routine.

Alternatively, you can press F8 just prior to Windows booting and choose Command Prompt Only. At the command prompt, simply type format c:\

Answer 4

The easy way:

Pull out the Windows XP installation DVD... put it in your DVD drive and at the prompts give the appropriate responses to do a complete installation with Hard Drive format.

It will give a warning that you will lose all data. Accept.

An hour later it should be done.

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If you have the Restoration CD set for the OEM installation, it can take 3 hours... and you will have to shuffle up to 12 CD disks.

Answer 5

I would say it is best to use the Windows XP CD. Here is how.

Make sure that your computers BIOS will boot to CD frist.
Then put the CD in and reboot. Then when it asks you to boot from cd hit any key. Then let the CD do its thing and follow the instructions.

Answer 6

go into the bios at boot up and make sure cd drive is the first boot device.
put xp cd in the cd drive

restart computer when it says "press any key to boot from cd" do so

follow on screen directions

Answer 7

Backup your data. Find all your drivers and software and software keys now and develop a plan on how you will reinstall them.
http://blog.angrypets.com/2006/01/ultimate_prefla.html
http://www.thefuhrmans.com/reformat_hd.htm
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/l0910/32l10/32l10.asp

Keyfinder Thing 3.1.6
http://www.download.com/Keyfinder-Thing/3000-2094_4-10561260.html?tag=lst-0-1

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Optional: Wipe the drive use any of these three:
All data on the drive will be erased.

Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN) free
http://www.download.com/Darik-s-Boot-and-Nuke/3000-2092_4-10165154.html
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=61951&package_id=58479&release_id=439240
DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

Active@ Kill Disk - Hard Drive Eraser (Free version/ $29.95 enhanced version)
http://www.killdisk.com/


WipeDrive by White Canyon $39.95 (no free version)
http://www.whitecanyon.com/

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Format and Reinstall Windows

Optional: When you format enter "fdisk /mbr" to format the master boot record.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=49909&messageID=593967
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/69013

Reformat and install. (Cleans drive loses all data)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx
http://www.whitecanyon.com/reformat-the-hard-drive-in-windows-xp.php
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/archive/l0910/32l10/32l10.asp

Load all drivers and software.

Answer 8

Simple...
Just boot your computer from external source like CD-Drive.
To boot insert your XP (any OS disk) and follow the steps given.
(You have to reinstall OS to do so.)
-Sam

Answer 9

Boot from an external source (especially windows) and run appropriate commands

Answer 10

boot from the windows cd and reinstall