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Completely removing files from HD

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11 replies

by togi1

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I installed Windows 2000 Professional over Windows ME. I ended up with a very unstable system and could not find all the drivers I needed to get any work done with the computer. I tried formatting the hard drive with a boot disk made with Win ME, but it would not format bnecause of NTFS. I used a third party program from Maxtor called MaxBlaster to format the hard drive. I reinstalled Win Me, but I think some files from 2000 are still on the drive. I say that because I get a message some times when I try to install some software that says I do not have permission to install the program! I also started getting a lot of error messages in all of my Applications.
Is there a way to completely remove ALL info and restore my hard drive toa like new condition where there is absolutely nothing left on it?

11 replies

by syscokid

Get yourself a boot disk, boot from it, and run fdisk. Use fdisk to delete any partitions on the drive. Then create a new partition(s) (enable large disk access), and make one partition active. Then format the drive using "format C: /s". That should do it.

by redler

Although a disk is formatted, some if not all the information can be recovered. This can be tragic if personal information(i.e. private, medical, finacial, etc.) should be recovered and abused.

The drive disk must be wiped...that is, all info deleted and the entire disk written over in random 1's and 0's.

Jetico, Inc. markets a wipe utility that is used by certain government agencies for cleaning hard disks. It is the BCWipe Utility, which can be found at:

http://www.jetico.sci.fi/

I use this regularly at work(military), and I am CONFIDENT that no sensitive information will be obtained from my workstation.

BCWipe is easy to use, and extrememly effective.

by zlitocook

bc wipe is great, I use it too. But Microsoft has a free utility called delpart just for this type of thing. Also when you use fdisk you can remove non dos partitions, there is one section that lets you do this. If you still can not get this done I have several programs that will make a hard drive like new. Let me know zlito@aol.com

by jimkiler

Run the install again for Win2000 and when you get to the HD part delete the partitions on your HD then exit from the install.

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