Reformat hard drive

Hi guys. I looked at similar topics and most of them cover how to re-install your os and all of the drives. I need direction from beginning to end (how to erase the original hard drive, et. al.). I didn't see anything like that.

I have done this once before on a different computer, years ago. Of course, I didn't save the instructions. Does someone have a link on how to begin?

Thanks a million.

 

So, you want to wipe all the data currently on the drive, and you're sure you can lose it? Windows will automatically do a re-format from the recovery discs when you re-install the OS, should you choose that option. All you have to make sure you do is to delete all partitions on the drive, and then install Windows.

 

This is if you are sure you want a "clean slate" (for XP):

1. Insert recovery disc (or disc 1) into CD-ROM drive. (You may have to re-start if you don't insert the disc quickly enough)

2. You will see "Press any key to boot from disc...) Do so.

3. Windows Setup will load.

4. From the Setup menu, press ENTER.

5. It will examine your hard disk, then press F8 to agree and continue.

6. To delete a partition, select it with the arrow key and press D.

7. To confirm, press L.

8. Repeat to delete all partitions.

9. Select to format the hard disk ("Quick" isn't as thorough) with the NTFS file system.

10. Once format is complete, follow the instructions, and re-install Windows.

Depending on which Service Pack your OS recovery discs are will determine how long it takes to update it. As well as connection speed, processor speed, and installed memory. Once you have Windows ready to go, use Microsoft update, downloading and installing updates until your version is current, making sure to create restore points before you install each service pack.

Also, visit your manufacturer's website for the latest drivers available.

Any additional questions, feel free to post!

 

Oh yeah, a clean slate is what is called for here. My sister, bless her heart, has sold her soul to MySpace without benefit of a firewall. A good friend of ours, who knows how to battle pc invasion, spent over 3 weeks trying to clean the machine and only made a dent in it. She now has a trojan and can't get logged on well enough to even run the defenses he installed on the computer. He is of the opinion that it is time to clean house, and I agree with him. She has nothing except a few pictures on it............it is all about the internet and MySpace with her (ugh).

Last time I did this on one of my computers I had 15 or so printed out pages of instructions. You are saying that all I have to do is insert the original discs? It is XP and a Dell. I remember blue screens and complex directions (which prompted many phone calls to someone that knew more about computers than me) last time. Is that going to happen if I just pop in the recovery disc and run it?

I hate MySpace..............she lives on it. Once I get her cleaned and started over, I am going to install SystemSuite 9 on it and hope that will give her some measure of protection. Any other words of advice (besides "stay off of MySpace, which she won't do) to help her keep this from happening again?

Thank you so much for your help, Mekanic. Hopefully I won't hit anything in this process that poses a huge issue. I will say, I am so grateful this site and people like you are here to help people like me that are tackling something they really aren't qualified to tackle. You are the best!

 

Just print that post with the directions, and like I said, you are going to spend a significant amount of time on this project. I'm on myspace, and I've never had a problem with it, and I run AVG free in tandem with Spybot. However, I don't visit untrusted sites, and I don't randomly click on any link or ad that pops up. You need to impart to your sister that you have to be careful out on Cyberspace. There are many unscrupulous people out there, and you must watch your rump. Windows has a "stock" firewall, as long as it is updated beyond Service Pack 1. To reiterate, make sure that after the re-install is complete, update the PC to SP3 using Windows Update. If she doesn't have the loot to spend on defense software, visit cnet.com, and in the downloads section, click on security software and you will find AVG free as well as Spybot search and destroy. To run all this, I recommend at least a full gigabyte of RAM memory to be installed. For reference, what model Dell is it, and has the memory been upgraded?

 

Oh heaven help me. I finally decided to tackle this and it is a bigger mess than I thought. First, it isn't a Dell at all.......it is a Toshiba satellite. It came with Windows 98 and was upgraded to XP. Right now, Windows will not load.....it freezes at different stages so you can't get onto it to back anything up. Not a problem, my sister says there is nothing on there she needs to save anyway.

I had to reset the bios to get it to boot from the disc. Once it boots it tells me that it is installing windows 98, it gives me all the warnings about losing all my data and prompts me to continue. I continue then I get a huge message that says "Wrong Machine!" and that the installation has been aborted/failed.

These are the recovery discs for this computer. I double checked with the person that sold it to my sister to be sure. He is at a loss at to why it won't install from the discs. He tried to help her with this problem before. He had to download a DOS based virus scanner and that scanner found over 1900 problems on this thing.

Now what do I do? I can't do anything in Windows at all.....it won't install from the discs, are there any other options? Thanks again.

 

What I really need is the model # of said Toshiba. And this is a laptop, correct? What the gig is, if this is a Pentium III processor, it could make a great doorstop. Seriously, though unless it is Pentium 4, which I have my doubts about because of the Windows 98 OS, it may not be worth the hassle. The older laptops could only handle a max of 512MB of RAM, and even though XP will run with that amount, it genuinely prefers a full GB and whoops it up with 2GB. With the addition of anti-virus and anti-spyware, the speed drops significantly, to the point of annoyance with 512MB ( .5GB). If you search around, you can find laptops at discount prices on the net if price is an issue. They just sold out of a really nice one with 4GB of memory and a dual core processor at tigerdirect, which was under seven hundred shipped to your door with Windows Vista 64-bit. Any rate let please let me know what you have, and I can help you out more from there...

 

Thanks Mekanic. Of course I can't get into it to give you all of the specs (not even in safe mode). It has "harman/kardon" stamped into it. The disc says it is a Satellite 2455 series. It has a sticker on it that says it was designed for Windows XP, and it has an Intel 4 sticker on it. It appears that the XP upgrade came with the computer because it has "for distribution with a new Toshiba pc only" on the XP upgrade booklet. And, yes, this is a laptop.

New purchase isn't an option for her right at the moment, which is why I was trying to fix it.

I was able to log on (no task bar or desktop icons) with the previous owner's password. I could start task manager and maneuver a little from there. He suggested that I delete my sister as a user. I did that, now I can't log on at all. It immediately just logs me back off (under this previous user and under administrator), even in safe mode. I have tried to restore it to previous settings from the dos startup menu, that doesn't work either. I'm at a complete loss here. He suggested manually clearing the hard drive through dos. Is that something that is possible? I have nothing to lose at this point. I have a really big paperweight right now, lol.

 

OK, so you may have one that is what I call "on the cusp". Someone may have downgraded to OS to knock a couple bucks off the sticker price. What the deal is, since that is an upgrade disc for what my sources say should be XP Pro, it needs to verify a previous Windows installation to execute the upgrade. You need ALL the discs it came with, and that means 98 and XP. The odd thing is that the specs say XP came pre-installed. There are a couple possible scenarios here, but I think someone may have lost the original recovery software, and purchased that upgrade disc from who knows where, and obtained a Windows 98 disc from somewhere. Since it says "WRONG MACHNINE" I think that may be the case. That upgrade disc should usually recognize the previous functioning Windows installation on that hard drive, even if it is XP, and allow that to be verification for a repair, or re-install. For a nominal fee (and these days the disc may come with Service Pack 2) Toshiba will usually provide the original software. Someone may not have realized that.

If you do have both disks, make sure that you use the Windows XP disc to boot. After it loads, if it doesn't recognize the previous XP installation, it will ask you for to verify you qualify for an upgrade. It will ask you to remove the XP disc, put the 98 disc in, and it will say you qualify. Swap the discs one more time, and follow my previously outlined directions for a re-format.

Also, I know a place where you can get a 512MB of PC2100 memory to upgrade it for around twenty bucks if it has not been upgraded yet. That is, both slots for memory modules ("sticks") are not occupied by what is called a SODIMM. Fancy acronym for what kind they are. According to specs, it came with 512MB from the factory, and can handle a maximum of 1GB. It has a decent Pentium 4M (mobile) processor according to the specs I dug up, and it runs at 2.4Ghz. It it isn't a doorstop just yet, and would have been nice to hear you chuckle!! :-D

Just to make sure, is this baby is shiny blue and the numbers S305 follow the model number when you look at the label on the bottom of the PC?

On to other issues, going through DOS is a possibility, however it should be done by someone experienced, seeing as how you could delete something you shouldn't. You can format the hard drive using DOS, and then you would definitely need a Windows 98 disc to qualify for the upgrade which I believe from what you wrote, you have. On the other hand, with all the alleged infections there are, reformatting the hard disk is your best way to go. That may be the root of your problems with logging on, or making changes. You will waste more time searching for "cures" than you want to imagine at this point.

 

:-D I would have inserted so many smilies it would have made your head spin because this is a cry/laugh situation at this point, lol. Last time I did it, the smiley didn't show up so I didn't bother any more. I am laughing, between surges of migraine pain,

Ok. You are correct that it a pretty blue and S305 is there (along with all of the pretty XP Home edition stickers).

I agree, this came with 98 and they added in the optional upgrade (self install). I know the person that owned this computer 1st and, I assure you, he did not get the discs "from somewhere". All of the discs are the ones that originally came with the computer (3 recovery discs and the XP upgrade). I will admit that I do not have the XP upgrade disc and never thought it was something I needed at this stage of the game, so that has not been tried.

So, I need the upgrade disc, boot from that, and take it from there? I can get the disc easily, he has it (laid eyes on it today while making sure he had given me the correct discs for the computer. Neither of us thought the upgrade was relevant until we got the computer functioning again). Both of us were under the impression that since the pc was originally 98, that it would recognize that and be happy to reload from the disc that is 98. I take it that is not the case now.

Reformatting the disc is the only thing I am looking for. I knew from the beginning that what was going on here was beyond "removing a virus". I went trying to dig further in an effort to get it to a point the reformat might work. I have the 98 disc, I can get the windows upgrade disc that came with it. Please tell me how to reformat from where I am (if you can........I know there is a heckuva wreck going on here). Can you tell me how to format the drive using dos? If that doesn't work..............doorstop it is. :-D At this point, it would probably cost more to take it to someone than it would to replace it........money is a very big road block for her at this point, so if I can help her save what she has, that would be a great thing. I am willing to try anything you direct me to do (and I have her permission to do that because it is completely decorative at this point in time). I can't do anything worse to it, so I might as well try everything I can. I just don't have the knowledge to do it on my own and need some guidance (and you have been so great in that area.......I can't tell you).

So, reformat in dos. You tell me how and I am good doing it and not scared about doing something wrong because I can follow direction pretty well. If it doesn't work, it doesn't. Nothing lost, possibly something gained. Personally, I think calling it "on the cusp" is being generous. But, I'm willing to try the last available option for home fix. (she actually had a trojan get through a firewall! SystemSuite 9 is what she is using. I have yet to have anything other than the rogue adware get through that...........she has done something stupid and doesn't even know what it was. But, the SystemSuite was a recent addition..........after the 1900 icks were found, after she got something even SystemSuite couldn't deal with and, after contacting SystemSuite about it, they referred to a company that has a dos based scanner. This trojan (infostealer was the window she got up.......since when do you get a window telling you the name of the virus you have??), and when I typed it in, it came up as a trojan, got in after the installation of SystemSuite and it's firewall. Windows is toast at this point........help me do what I can in dos, please. If it works, yay!!! If it doesn't, nothing lost.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. You actually went looking for the machine I was talking about because I couldn't tell you. How much do you rock?!!

 

the Mekanic,

Very well done. ed

 

True so far. But.......well.........we aren't done! :-D

 

Please read this thoroughly, as it outlines more than one possible method, depending on what you encounter!
(I don't recommend using DOS at this time)

The best thing to do at this point is insert the XP upgrade disc, and reboot if you don't pop it in fast enough. As I already mentioned, it will ask you for a previous version of Windows to verify you qualify for the upgrade. Swap the XP upgrade disc for the 98 (disc 1), and type enter, I believe, so the program can read and recognize a previous version of Windows.

OPTION 1

Here we go, from the top:

1. After the BIOS screen (that first one you always see), you will see "Press any key to boot from disc..." Do so as quickly as possible.

2. Windows Setup will load.

3. As I said above, it will ask you for a previous version of Windows.

4. Swap the XP disc for the 98 disc (disc 1), and press the key it requests.

5. After it "sees" you can upgrade, swap the discs again, and press the key it requests.

6. From the Setup menu, press ENTER.

7. It will examine your hard disk, then press F8 to agree and continue.

8. To delete a partition, select it with the arrow key and press D.

9. To confirm, press L.

10. Repeat to delete all partitions.

11. Select to format the hard disk ("Quick" isn't as thorough, go with the other option) with the NTFS file system.
Note: Under certain conditions, it may insist you have to use FAT32, if it does, go with it.

12. Once format is complete, follow the instructions, and re-install Windows.

Depending on which Service Pack your OS recovery discs are will determine how long it takes to update it. As well as connection speed, processor speed, and installed memory. Once you have Windows ready to go, use Microsoft update, downloading and installing updates until your version is current, making sure to create restore points before you install each service pack.

Also, visit your manufacturer's website for the latest drivers available.

IMPORTANT:

OPTION 2

The only possible thing that may hold you up is that the Windows 98 is on three discs. Make sure you use disc 1. I have seen problems with multiple recovery discs not being recognized as qualifying for an upgrade.

If you do run into this issue, it will take you down a different path for restoring this laptop. This is a link to some software from Toshiba that can eliminate the "Wrong Machine" error.

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/downloadDetail.jsp?soid=1008299&pf=true

Click on the download button, and unzip the files to a folder. Use the unzipped files to create a CD-ROM which will reset the laptop so the three disc recovery set may be used. This will guide you through their DMI update process so you may reset the machine to be recognized by the software, so you may use those three discs to install Windows 98, in the process re-formatting the drive. In this case, after Windows 98 is installed, then you can go ahead and use the XP upgrade disc, likely with no further difficulty.

OPTION 3

For $19.95 plus shipping and handling, you may be able to get recovery software from Tohsiba. You may contact Toshiba at (800) 457-7777. Listen to the menu options, and contact Tech Support. Provide the representative with the model and serial number of the laptop, and he will look up the laptop to see what version of XP is available to you, if any.

The last one is probably the easiest option, and is available at minimal cost.

 

"Reformatting the disc is the only thing I am looking for. I knew from the beginning that what was going on here was beyond "removing a virus". I went trying to dig further in an effort to get it to a point the reformat might work. I have the 98 disc, I can get the windows upgrade disc that came with it. Please tell me how to reformat from where I am (if you can........I know there is a heckuva wreck going on here). Can you tell me how to format the drive using dos?"


P.S. I re-read your post, and thought I'd mention when you format a hard drive, you lose ALL data, including the Operating System. If you do that through DOS, the platters in the hard drive will be wiped clean of everything and that will not wholly resolve your issue.