Computer Help Forums: HELP - Format C Drive before selling PC - Computer Help Forums

Hello everyone.

Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win XP
running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe everything off
and
leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no XP disc
with it

I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in formatting C
drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a Win98 boot disk and
use 'format c: /s' command but
that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing Windows
again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've tried creating a
Win XP boot disk
by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk' but I
get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently formatted using
NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.

I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped

I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting it in
another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?

Kind regards and TIA

Kevin (UK)


__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4109 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

Eraser:
http://www.heidi.ie/node/6

Eraser Getting Started Guide:
http://www.heidi.ie/node/38

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com



"Musicman" wrote in message
news:B442CCB3-4DEC-4A54-A2AF-D2AABE33E20F@microsoft.com...
> Hello everyone.
>
> Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win XP
> running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe everything off
> and
> leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no XP
> disc with it
>
> I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in formatting
> C drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a Win98 boot disk
> and use 'format c: /s' command but
> that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing Windows
> again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've tried creating
> a Win XP boot disk
> by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk' but
> I get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently formatted
> using NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
>
> I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
>
> I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting it in
> another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
>
> Kind regards and TIA
>
> Kevin (UK)
>
> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
> signature database 4109 (20090527) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>

"Musicman" wrote in message
news:B442CCB3-4DEC-4A54-A2AF-D2AABE33E20F@microsoft.com...
| Hello everyone.
|
| Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win XP
| running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe everything off
| and
| leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no XP disc
| with it
|
| I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in formatting C
| drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a Win98 boot disk and
| use 'format c: /s' command but
| that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing Windows
| again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've tried creating a
| Win XP boot disk
| by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk' but I
| get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently formatted using
| NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
|
| I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
|
| I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting it in
| another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
|
| Kind regards and TIA
|
| Kevin (UK)
|
|
| __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4109
(20090527) __________
|
| The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
|
| http://www.eset.com
|
|
An old PC with a small hard drive, and no operating system is not worth much. Since the new owner
has to buy an OS, let them buy a new larger HD as well. Just take the HD out and smash it.

"Musicman" wrote in message
news:B442CCB3-4DEC-4A54-A2AF-D2AABE33E20F@microsoft.com...
> Hello everyone.
>
> Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win XP
> running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe everything off
> and
> leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no XP
> disc with it
>
> I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in formatting
> C drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a Win98 boot disk
> and use 'format c: /s' command but
> that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing Windows
> again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've tried creating
> a Win XP boot disk
> by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk' but
> I get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently formatted
> using NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
>
> I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
>
> I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting it in
> another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
>
> Kind regards and TIA
>
> Kevin (UK)

You can use any bootable XP CD for this, or attach the drive to another
system and format it there.

HTH
-pk

Under normal circumstances I agree Richard. In this case, it's on behalf of
my Mum and we're selling a
complete package including a printer, flat screen monitor and workstation
desk. It's up for sale on a local
website which gets a lot of hits from local people. It's up at a stupid
price that may attract a buyer so my Mum can buy
a small chest of drawers to fill the gap currently occupied by the big ugly
computer that she no longer uses.

The post by JS looks promising so far.

Thanks for your post.
************************************************************************
"Richard in AZ" wrote in message
news:Ovn%23aLw3JHA.1380@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
> "Musicman" wrote in message
> news:B442CCB3-4DEC-4A54-A2AF-D2AABE33E20F@microsoft.com...
> | Hello everyone.
> |
> | Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win XP
> | running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe everything
> off
> | and
> | leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no XP
> disc
> | with it
> |
> | I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in
> formatting C
> | drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a Win98 boot disk
> and
> | use 'format c: /s' command but
> | that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing
> Windows
> | again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've tried
> creating a
> | Win XP boot disk
> | by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk'
> but I
> | get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently formatted
> using
> | NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
> |
> | I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
> |
> | I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting it
> in
> | another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
> |
> | Kind regards and TIA
> |
> | Kevin (UK)
> |
> |
> | __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
> signature database 4109
> (20090527) __________
> |
> | The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
> |
> | http://www.eset.com
> |
> |
> An old PC with a small hard drive, and no operating system is not worth
> much. Since the new owner
> has to buy an OS, let them buy a new larger HD as well. Just take the HD
> out and smash it.
>
>
>
> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
> signature database 4109 (20090527) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>


__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4109 (20090527) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com

Musicman wrote:
> Hello everyone.
>
> Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win
> XP running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe
> everything
> off and
> leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no
> XP disc with it
>
> I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in
> formatting C drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a
> Win98 boot
> disk and use 'format c: /s' command but
> that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing
> Windows again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've
> tried
> creating a Win XP boot disk
> by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk'
> but I get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently
> formatted
> using NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
>
> I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
>
> I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting
> it in another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
>
> Kind regards and TIA
>
> Kevin (UK)

What is the model and model number of this Dell? Does it have a COA
sticker on it? If so (and this means the PC has a license to run XP), it
would be a shame to sell the PC without an OS and without a means to
install the OS! But as long as you make this clear to the purchaser,
DBAN can do what you need:

http://www.dban.org/

Note that one of its options is the Heidi Eraser that JS mentioned.

Also, the Dell might have a hidden recovery partition on it. If it does,
do the purchaser a big favor and don't delete it! (Or just run the
recovery program. If you provide the model and model number, we should
be able to determine the recovery method Dell provided.)

Then again if the hard drive is still the original
drive that came with the PC it still may have a
restore partition.( CTRL + F11 keys) and the
OS can be reinstalled.

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com



"Daave" wrote in message
news:OMM5wTz3JHA.1416@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Musicman wrote:
>> Hello everyone.
>>
>> Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win
>> XP running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe everything
>> off and
>> leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no
>> XP disc with it
>>
>> I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in
>> formatting C drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a
>> Win98 boot
>> disk and use 'format c: /s' command but
>> that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing
>> Windows again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've tried
>> creating a Win XP boot disk
>> by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up disk'
>> but I get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is currently
>> formatted
>> using NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
>>
>> I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
>>
>> I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting
>> it in another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
>>
>> Kind regards and TIA
>>
>> Kevin (UK)
>
> What is the model and model number of this Dell? Does it have a COA
> sticker on it? If so (and this means the PC has a license to run XP), it
> would be a shame to sell the PC without an OS and without a means to
> install the OS! But as long as you make this clear to the purchaser, DBAN
> can do what you need:
>
> http://www.dban.org/
>
> Note that one of its options is the Heidi Eraser that JS mentioned.
>
> Also, the Dell might have a hidden recovery partition on it. If it does,
> do the purchaser a big favor and don't delete it! (Or just run the
> recovery program. If you provide the model and model number, we should be
> able to determine the recovery method Dell provided.)
>

That's what I meant; thanks for stating it succintly!

But if OP wants to format the drive to better erase the data, he should
be careful not to also erase the recovery partition.


JS wrote:
> Then again if the hard drive is still the original
> drive that came with the PC it still may have a
> restore partition.( CTRL + F11 keys) and the
> OS can be reinstalled.
>
>
> "Daave" wrote in message
> news:OMM5wTz3JHA.1416@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Musicman wrote:
>>> Hello everyone.
>>>
>>> Can someone give me a simple way to wipe a HD that currently has Win
>>> XP running on it? I am selling my Mum's PC and I want to wipe
>>> everything off and
>>> leave it with no OS. It's an second hand old Dell machine and has no
>>> XP disc with it
>>>
>>> I have found a few things via Google but I've had no joy yet in
>>> formatting C drive. It was suggested I could boot from floppy with a
>>> Win98 boot
>>> disk and use 'format c: /s' command but
>>> that doesn't work. I could insert Win XP disc as if I'm installing
>>> Windows again but would need to stop it before it did that??. I've
>>> tried creating a Win XP boot disk
>>> by formatting a floppy and checking the 'Create MS-DOS Start up
>>> disk' but I get no FORMAT.COM or FDISK? Obviously the HDD is
>>> currently formatted
>>> using NTFS and I would assume that should remain the case.
>>>
>>> I have some PC knowledge but I'm stumped
>>>
>>> I really don't want that hassle of removing the drive and formatting
>>> it in another machine so can anyone offer any ideas/links?
>>>
>>> Kind regards and TIA
>>>
>>> Kevin (UK)
>>
>> What is the model and model number of this Dell? Does it have a COA
>> sticker on it? If so (and this means the PC has a license to run
>> XP), it would be a shame to sell the PC without an OS and without a
>> means to install the OS! But as long as you make this clear to the
>> purchaser, DBAN can do what you need:
>>
>> http://www.dban.org/
>>
>> Note that one of its options is the Heidi Eraser that JS mentioned.
>>
>> Also, the Dell might have a hidden recovery partition on it. If it
>> does, do the purchaser a big favor and don't delete it! (Or just run
>> the recovery program. If you provide the model and model number, we
>> should be able to determine the recovery method Dell provided.)