how to completely format HD

[Nvidiaguy07]

I think my mbr's on a few drives might be messed up from my most recent install of vista/ubuntu.

To make a long story short i backed up all my data on an external HD and i just want to completely clear the drives that are giving me trouble, including their mbr's. I have Ultimate boot CD downloaded so im sure theres a program on there but which will completely clear the mbr.


What i did last time i tried to fix it, was i just reinstalled windows to my main Hard Drive and thought that fixed it, but when i unplugged and then plugged back in all my hd's it was giving me the error again. I think somehow all the MBR's got messed up. They all try to load grub and i dont think they can get past stage 1. So i want to completely wipe all of them so i wont have any trouble.

MOD EDIT: Memory and Storage category, anyone? - Zap

 

[AmdEmAll]

http://www.dban.org/

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

how long does dban take? does it write all 1's or 0's? if im really only concerned with clearing the MBR will fdisk /mbr do the trick?

 

[heyheybooboo]

Did you try using 'fixmbr' from the recovery console?

Not sure if this will work with NTFS but I've done it with FAT32 - Lookee here

Create a boot disk with with the debug command included (I imagine you could do it with a CD but it would be a lot more complicated because you will have to load an optical driver - probably better to try it with a thumb drive if you don't have a floppy).

Set your boot sequence in the BIOS to launch with your boot disk. At the command prompt type in debug.exe

Follow the instructions exactly. If you don't you will trash the hard drive.