I am trying to wipe everything off of my hard drive and re-install Windows. What is the quickest and easiest way to do this (a hammer has been tempting...lol). I can't seem to figure it out.

http://www.bootdisk.com/

http://www.bootdisk.com/



go to dos...type format c:

make sure you have disc handy......Then insert disc....change boot parameters to cd-rom first.....then prepare to wait 20-30minutes steadily clicking next.....next.....next.....next.....next....and next some more.


Say a prayer that it works that smoothly also. sacrifice a chicken or 2 alos. May help.


Good luck

Thanks everybody for the help. I just ran an operation that wiped everything clean (at least I THINK it did). I'm reinstalling Windows now. What a pain. I appreciate the help. :)

Instead of just format c: I would have ran debug....

I know you've already gotten past this point, but for future reference if you aren't getting rid of your computer and just want a clean Windows install, you don't need to bother reformatting (or fdisk'ing, or wiping, etc) the hard drive. Just boot to the Windows install CD and when it detects the existing partition choose the option to delete the partition and create a new one.

I know you've already gotten past this point, but for future reference if you aren't getting rid of your computer and just want a clean Windows install, you don't need to bother reformatting (or fdisk'ing, or wiping, etc) the hard drive. Just boot to the Windows install CD and when it detects the existing partition choose the option to delete the partition and create a new one.and this is the worst of all of the above options listed....

I know you've already gotten past this point.

Fixed, I saved all the important advice... :coffee:

and this is the worst of all of the above options listed....
Why's that?

Why's that?Because it's not a clean swipe, alot of the settings you had set on your os before you reinstall that way remain the same... (Believe it or not, your way can leave behind virus and malware and spyware)

The best way to do it is by a debug....

Because it's not a clean swipe, alot of the settings you had set on your os before you reinstall that way remain the same
No, if you delete the system partition the OS is gone. I've rebuilt countless systems (servers and workstations, dating back to NT 3.51) this way and none have retained any OS settings.

(Believe it or not, your way can leave behind virus and malware and spyware)

The best way to do it is by a debug....
I'll agree that a boot sector infection can be left behind with the partition deletion method and wouldn't use it if I suspected a system was infected. I wasn't really thinking she was worried about getting rid of a virus. I thought she simply wanted a clean OS build, based on her original post.

Because it's not a clean swipe, alot of the settings you had set on your os before you reinstall that way remain the same... (Believe it or not, your way can leave behind virus and malware and spyware)

The best way to do it is by a debug....

I've been computing (building, programming, etc.) since the late 70's, early 80's and the only "debug" I am aware of to restore is windows... Blah! I certainly would like to be enlightened of what you mean by "debug"?

To restore from scratch... assuming you are using Windows and not Linux, is to delete the partion(s) in fdisk, and allow Windows to reformat (xp, 2000).