How do you reformat a computer hard drive?

Question

WOW THANKS EVERYONE!!! =)

Answer 1

Get a bootable Windows XP installer and boot it from CDROM.Follow the on screen instruction on how to reformat thr hard drive.

good luck!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

i don't see why you would od it yourself, but you should just take it into a specialized shop and have them do it, that way you don't risk breaking it doing it yourself  

Answer 4

If you want to sell your computer or have sensitive information on the hard drive, try DBAN (Derick Boot And Nuke) it uses an algorithm called  Mercer-Twister ( DOD Class 3 wipe). It writes the entire disk with 1's (ones) then it goes back and writes 0's (zeros) and takes a third pass. and clears everything. Warning! If you have a second hard drive, disconnect it. Otherwise, this program will cheerfully wipe that out as well. Remember to burn this program as an ISO Image. It will not do to just copy it even though the argument (.ISO) is plainly visible.  

Answer 5

There are several software's out there that will format the drives and wipe them so you can't get any data off of them.  If all you need to do is reformat and use the drive again, then you can just boot from the Windows disk and format it that way.

Answer 6

You need to tell us what type of a computer first.

Mac?

PC?

Something else?

Either way, you have to boot from the operating system CD.

Answer 7

Theres multiple ways to reformat. Easiest would be to put your OS disc in and reinstall and select format. Another way is to get ahold of a Ghost disc and boot from CD and clear all the drives

Answer 8

Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Computer Management / Disk Management

Right click on the drive you want and select Format . .

CAUTION!

This will erase everything there, so be sure it's what you want to do!

Go Sox!

Answer 9

use the os disc as a startup disc, and formatt it from there.

is it xp?

Answer 10

boot the PC from the operating system CD, select format and then install.   Keep in mind that when you do this, all of your software and files will be gone.  This means you will need everything; drivers, other software packages such as games, word processors, ISP software in order to rebuild the disk you just totally wiped clean

Answer 11

I need more info.  What hard drive is it?  Is it your main one?  the one with Windows installed on it?  If so you'll need your windows CD and you'll need reinstall windows.

Answer 12

SAVE ALL YOUR FILES TO A FLASH OR OUTSIDE MEMORY

Put your windows disk in

Restart computer then it will ask you if you want to reformat

this is simple and easy

DONT TAKE IT TO A SHOP FOR THIS

its a waist of $$$

(if you want i will take a 20 spot) :)

Answer 13

Use a reformatting tool such as this one:

http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.ph...

Answer 14

Right-click it and select Format, then follow just click format don't mess with the other bits.

Guy08

Answer 15

OK, there are two ways to do this.

1. Insert the OS disk, goto drive options and select format.

2. If this fails insert a blank floppy and bot from A, the boot will fail and you get a command prompt (black sreen with A:\ at the top). Type in C:\ and then FORMAT.