Best way to hold some data when wiping a hard drive?

[JoeFahey]

I am basically putting two hard drives in computers with completely different parts. Microsoft recomends reinstalling Windows when doing this. I figure I will wipe the hard drive before to get a fresh start. One HD contains Windows ME, and the other is Windows XP Pro. Some data on each of the HDs have some data I would like to keep. How do you recomend I save this data while I wipe the HD? If you were in my shoes, what do you think would do for eficiency and ease?

Also, do I need anything besides the OS disks? Do I need startup disks for Windows ME or XP?

One other thing, to format a drive in ME I use FDISK from the cmd prompt, but in XP do I just right-click on the hd in my computer and select format? Should I have everything backed up before doing this?

THANKS!

 

[jackschmittusa]

drive 1 - transfer all you want saved to drive 2......format 1 and install windows.......transfer the the saved stuff from drive 1 and what you want to save from dive 2 back to drive 1....format drive 2

 

[Fardringle]

How much data do you need to save? If it's a large amount (multiple GB) then do what Jack said.

If it's a relatively small amount or if you don't want to deal with swapping drives between computers, just burn everything to CD or DVD, or put it on a USB flash drive, then when you are done reinstalling Windows copy the data back to the computers from the storage disc.

 

[JoeFahey]

Thanks, both HDs have different amounts of data, and I will most likely use both methods.

So after I save the data I format it, then do I only need to use FDISK to partition the drive for windows ME? I forget it XP does it with the disk.
Also, do I need a startup disk to use FDISK? Or do the OS disks have it?
THANKS!

 

[nova2]

> it you planned out your partitions and made the first partition 10gb, you wouldn't have to move any data from one HD to another HD.
but perhaps you can't do that in this scenario.

> before you install windows xp, it will allow you to format the partition.
-- I can't remember if WinME will ask you to format, so you might as well have fdisk handy or have an "ultimate boot cd" (google that) aka UBCD available.
UBCD is great.