How do I wipe my hard drive and start completely over

I'm know this has been asked before, but I'm not seeing the same problem I'm having so want to start a fresh thread. Here goes:

I bought a comp that has a bootleg version of Win XP, so I went and bought a genuine copy from CompUSA. I tried installing straight from the disk, and just kept on trying to do an upgrade, which isn't what I wanted. So I restarted, hitting F8 to get to the q-flash to wipe the drive. I performed that supposedly, then put the new XP disk in and did the install. my problem is that after the install, somehow there is 18gb of space already taken on a 40gb harddrive, which I know is completely wrong since i only installed XP and bellsouth dsl access so I could get on here, no other programs. Its almost as if it didn't wipe out the old info.

Can someone please walk me thru how to start completely over, by correctly wiping the drive so nothing is on it and do a fresh install of XP. I am getting very frustrated with this because it is running so slow now. I will check this as often as possible, so please reply to here and you can send to the email of datboytaz@aol also. Thanks for your time, have a good one.

 

From what you've said, it sounds as if the remaining 18gb could be a partition which is remaining after the installation. A word of caution here. That partition could contain drivers which your computer needs in order to operate correctly, such as sound card and graphics card drivers etc. Please ensure you have some means (recovery disc ?) to access these if you decide to wipe the drive.
One way (not the only way) to completely wipe the drive if that's what you want to do is to use a DOS boot floppy, such as as a Windows 98, or ME startup disc.

* The Windows XP disc you bought, is it a full install disc or an upgrade one ? If it's only an upgrade, I couldn't guarantee you will be able to install it on a completely empty hard drive *

I couldn't say for sure if wiping the drive completely is the best thing to do here, but if that's what you end up doing, here's a way.

Insert boot up floppy, or bootable CD in the case of computers with no floppy drive. You can use a windows 98 or ME startup disc - available for download off the internet [google search should find somewhere]
Start the computer. Select the option that says, "Start the computer with CD Rom support".

Allow the computer to read the disc, and eventually you'll come to a screen with a letter A and /

A/

Type FDISK
At the next menu, choose an option that allows you to delete the partition.

Once you've done this, you will have lost whatever data was on that partiton, so only do this if you're 100% sure you have backed up anything, including drivers, which are on it.

Then put the Windows XP install disc in the CD drive. All you should need to do next is follow the onscreen instructions to format the drive and install XP on it.

 

If your XP CD is an Upgrade, and you have a blank hard disk with no earlier Windows on it, you will need a CD of an earlier version of Windows (98) to provide "proof" for the upgrade to proceed. You will be asked to insert the earlier CD momentarily so it can read/verify, then (after a few more steps) you'll be asked to reinsert the XP CD into the drive. From then on, a "clean" install of XP continues.

During the install you can partition/wipe the hard disk and set up a new partition for XP. If you want another logical drive when you're done, don't use the entire disk for the install.

It's recommended that you use the first partition for XP, ( C: ) though not mandatory.

 

If your copy of xp isn't a upgrade disk you could just insert your cd reboot your system and boot from the disk and when it get to checking for a previous version of windows and considering you memtioned your pc came with it already installed you could tell it to delete your partition and have it do a quick format or do a full format (which completely erases you hard disk).

 

ok I've tried installing from just the new XP disk, which is where my first problem came of it didn't delete the original partition, just left it there. So I tried to delete the partition on with the installation disk, and its telling me it can't because it needs temp setup files from the original partition. Thats bullshit, I know it doesn't. So I've tried reverting back to my original win 98 disk I have and all that does is just take up more space. I am now down to only 4.5gb on a 40gb hd and I am getting very frustrated and upset. Someone just walk me through how to start completely over, no additional programs or anything, just tell me how to wipe the drive and start over. Have all my motherboard/chipset cds, so not worried about that. Have an original (nonupdate) version of XP to install, and can do it on my own, just need to know how to wipe the damn drive and get rid of the bootleg xp and ****in virus I picked up somehow. HHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Does your computer have a floppy drive?
If it does your could download a utilitie program for your hard drive that includes an ability to do a low level format (That completely erases your hard drive).

 

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

 

OK, here's my question!

I need to clear out, delete, or just clean up my computer, Win XP, to give away to a friend. Should I delete everything and start all over? Should I just simply delete files and programs and leave the basics? I have everything they need to reinstall programs, etc. Please adivse......appreciate any advice!

Thanks,
mamma

 

If you have all the drivers and back-ups to make it work, then yes re-format. Otherwise someone can just restore back to when everything was there ( I think ). Im pretty sure the copy of win xp is only good for one computer, depending on your lisences. Do they have there own win xp disc or do you have a back-up?? Just my opinion...

 

If you don't have "sensitive files/information" for which any data remnants should remain guarded (anything from online banking data to Resumes to medical correspondence) you could simply delete personal files, uninstall any programs which the new party might not/wouldn't want, then defrag the drive(s).

If this system came from the factory/dealer/distributor with the O/S pre-installed, there should be either recovery cd(s) or the means to create recovery cd(s) on the system, and that O/S has to remain with the machine. It's EULA has to stay on that machine only.

If you have a retail O/S cd, which you purchased then loaded on that machine yourself, then you can either transfer it with the machine, or wipe the O/S and transfer the machine without an O/S, and hang on to your cd and load it on your "new" machine.

 

In Windows XP, there is a little documented command called mkdiskraw.

Using mkdiskraw is similar to debugging a drive to remove partition information. It may actually do the same thing.


First, boot to the Windows XP recovery console (rcon).

Inside rcon, type the command:

Map

Hit ENTER.

This will show what drives are on the system.

Keep in mind the primary drive always starts as Disk 0, then Disk 1, and so on.

You can also use diskpart to see what drives are on the system.

This is not a required step, just make damn sure you have the right drive.

When ready, type:

mkdiskraw #

Hit ENTER.

Where, # is the number of the drive you want to clear.

This command will nuke your data, filesystem, partition table, and MBR all in one move.

It takes less than 20 seconds for an 80gb drive.

Take care with this command, you will LOSE all data on that drive.
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Something I wrote up a few years ago. Amazing how powerful the XP CD is, just by itself.

Then just install XP anew.

Of course, if you need that partition, this isn't ideal.