Format without reinstalling Windows

[SwamiJi]

Hi guys, I have a computer that I'm trying to sell and I'm trying to wipe all of the software off of it. The computer is currently running Windows XP. Is there a simple way for me to format the hard drive without having to reinstall an operating system? To effectively remove all software from the computer?

Thanks for your time

 

[DaveSimmons]

Not really. You should do the format though, to make it harder for the buyer to get to any personal data.

Did the computer come with a "restore" CD? They are very easy to use and get you back to a clean copy of Windows in under an hour.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Nope, you can't format the drive and leave the OS intact. The format command doesn't work selectively.

The only way I know to do what you are attempting is to remove each software entry using "Add/Remove Programs" thru Control Panel.

 

[Fern]

Is there a simple way for me to format the hard drive without having to reinstall an operating system?

Yeah, use fdisk. Get hold of (or d/l) an old win98se startup disk. Boot to it, select start w/o help from cd (it's option #3 on the dos like screen).

When prompted type "C: format" (w/o quotation marks).

Prolly even better, go to your HDD manufacturer's site and look for free d/l tools to run a zero-fill (some peeps refer to it as low-level format) on the HDD (e.g., Maxtor has Maxblast). That'll wipe eveything too.

Fern

 

[DaveSimmons]

^ that advice misreads the second half of the sentence. It will format the disk but you will need to reinstall Windows after formatting.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
^ that advice misreads the second half of the sentence. It will format the disk but you will need to reinstall Windows after formatting.

Dave, you don't need to reinstall windows.

Just power down after formatting with fdisk. Same thing with maxblast. Both of these are little dos proggies that load into system ram. Pop out the diskette and power-down. You'll be left with a system that has an "empty", but formatted HDD

Fern

 

[DaveSimmons]

True if you want to leave it blank. I read the original post as wanting to remove all programs, but leave Windows itself intact.

I aasumed SwamiJi didn't want a completely blank HD since that seemed too easy to bother asking us here

 

[Fern]

I just saw his other post (he crossed posted in OS).

He got a lot of peeps confused over there too. He clarified by saying:

I am trying to wipe the disk totally clean...no OS...no software...just a blank HD.

Looks like he's got it resovled. Somebody gave him a link to kill.disk or something. Prolly better for him than trying to run fdisk

 

[statik213]

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

 

[LASTGUY2GETPS2]

Originally posted by: statik213
http://dban.sourceforge.net/

:thumbsup: