Wiping a server

Hi Everyone

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me how to wipe a server.
I don't have a clue

 

Generally, to format a harddrive, you do the following:

1. Configure BIOS to boot from CD (post back if you need help on this)
2. Insert the installation CD
3. Restart the machine
4. When prompted, press any key to boot from CD

Now, it should be as simple as following the prompts to format the disk (wipe all data off), and re-install windows.

 

A little more information would be great. Are you looking to just reformat and reinstall? Do you need to just wipe the hard drive? Plenty of utilities to wipe hard drive by overwriting the drive.

 

There are some other things you need to consider as it is a server one of which is that the Hard Disk Space will probably consist of 2 or more RAIDed disks, and they might even be SCSI or SATA so will need third party drivers loading at the windows setup.

 

Thanks

I need to know how to Configure BIOS to boot from CD
I need to completely wipe the servers so that I am starting from scratch and building from the beginning - this is for DR. Then I will build the servers - do I just use Hp Smartstart cd? Start the server and put the cd in?
Sorry but the person who normally does this has left and I don't have a clue - as you all may have gathered.

 

It a 'working' server ?

Do you need to backup data off it,

Does it run a DNS server, a DHCP server,a Domain Controller, Microsoft exchange, sql server, IIS ? What os is on it ?

Theres just too many variable here for us to say just put the CD in and wipe the drives. Like PeterParker said your going to have to try and find out the answers to all these questions before we can advise you.

 

There are 6 servers, 1 will be a dc, 1 MS exchange, 1 SQL server, 1f&p, backup server.
Most of them are HP Proliants ML370 G3. These are not working servers at the moment - they were and are not needed anymore in the live environment but I will be building a mirror on them of our live environment for disaster recovery testing. I do not need to backup any data on the servers. I will have to restore data to them from another server I will build (backup server)
The harddrives are scsi hot swappable 36.4 x 3