How to disk wipe when DLGDIAG and DBAN won't work

[VirtualLarry]

I ran into this situation just recently. I rebuilt my old HTPC, and wanted to wipe the disk and re-install before giving it away.

Foxconn 780G mobo
AMD AM2 BE-2400
2GB DDR2
1TB SATA WD Green HD
SATA DVD burner

I tried booting the DLGDIAG 5.04f DOS bootable CD, but as happens on many modern systems, was greeted with just a black screen after it said that the DOS was booting.

I tried booting DBAN, and although it loaded, it showed two devices on the selection screen. One was "Unknown device", with question marks. (I am assuming that this was the USB 2.0 card reader built into the HTPC case that I was using.) I couldn't change the status from ????, and when I selected the HD to wipe, selected "Write zeros", and hit F10 to start, DBAN would bomb out with an error and prompt to hit power button to restart.

So I was left with the option of using a Windows 7 bootable DVD media. I booted, started Setup and got to the disk screen, then hit "LShift + F10", to bring up a CMD window.

Type DISKPART
Type LIST DISK
Type SELECT DISK [N]
[N] is the number of the disk you want to clear, as shown by LIST DISK.
Type CLEAN ALL

It will start immediately writing zeros to the entire disk. Unfortunately, there is no time estimation or progress bar. In fact no command-line feedback at all, until the task finishes.

So watch your HDD light, I guess.

This is one way to wipe a disk, when other common methods (WD DLGDIAG CD, DBAN CD) fail.

 

[razel]

I stress that 'SELECT DISK 0' doesn't apply to everyone. There are others who read similar instructions on the internet and wound up clearing the wrong drive. Yes, I know, they ought to know better and not to just blindly follow commands and they got what was coming, but regardless... I also advise re-running 'LIST DISK' after the 'SELECT DISK #' to double check what you have chosen.

Another is, I do not advise 'clean all' for SSDs. Just as you proven, this is an alternative for HDDs when all else fails.

Honestly though, with all the backup systems you have, I would have just removed it and put in the other systems and full format it in Windows. Then you would have at least gotten a status bar... I think.