best way to reformat

[zamacman1]

I am using win xp pro and I am about to reformat. Last time I made a disk off of the internet and used it. I think it had something to do with fdisk. But now I have downloaded something from maxtor called powmax and I can reformat with that. How do u guys do it?

Also will my cable modem still work when I plug it back in? Some people say it should but it did not last time

 

[Idoxash]

HMM ... Depends on how you want the format. Do you want the format to be where the data is just simply over writen, or do you want the data totaly gone? If you pick the first one then the format option on the windows xp cd will do. However if you picked the last one you will need some kick arse tools such as dban. You can do 3, 7, 35 layers of format in all differ kinds of crazy formating ways. Dun ask me to explain I just send you to a site to get it.

--> http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Also if you want to delete things and keep the drive clean when you get it set back up why not go and download Eraser. It's like dban but instead of formating the HD it allows you to manage all the files and such you have on the hd and totaly wipes them off useing the same skills as dban. Ya can get it from here and maybe learn more why you should use such programs.

--> http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/

Have fun!

--Idoxash

 

[bozo1]

Just boot off the CD. You can delete your existing partition, recreate it and format it from Windows setup routine. No need to mess with other tools.

 

[EeyoreX]

Just boot off the CD. You can delete your existing partition, recreate it and format it from Windows setup routine. No need to mess with other tools.

Agreed, why use third party tools, when Windows will do it? A format is a format.

Your cable modem should be fine. You might need to install drivers or software to connect to whoever your service provider is. Why wouldn't it work? at some point the cable modem was not installed before...

\Dan

 

[zamacman1]

Originally posted by: EeyoreX

Just boot off the CD. You can delete your existing partition, recreate it and format it from Windows setup routine. No need to mess with other tools.

Agreed, why use third party tools, when Windows will do it? A format is a format.

Your cable modem should be fine. You might need to install drivers or software to connect to whoever your service provider is. Why wouldn't it work? at some point the cable modem was not installed before...

\Dan

So I should be able to reformat the entite thing off of the win xp boot cd?

 

[Idoxash]

So I should be able to reformat the entite thing off of the win xp boot cd?

Yup ya sure can.

As I told the dude he can use his windows xp cd but a format is not just a format. I gave the dude some options depending on what the dude wanted to do. I'm not saying no one here has things on there computer they don't want anyone to see. Lets say if you do and you format the hd with the windows xp cd you do know that you are not getting rid of that data. Even if you write over it. It's still there and it can still be recover. Thoes 3rd party tools will rid the hd of all data that can never be recover.

--Idoxash

 

[povertystruck]

I dont know about win xp but for winME I got to dos using my startup floppy disk and than I do this

A:format c:

than i agree to format and it starts.

 

[slyedog]

povertystruck has the best answer. gives a good clean format. but also do a fdisk before the format
in case you have any virus on your hdd.

 

[bozo1]

Originally posted by: slyedog
povertystruck has the best answer. gives a good clean format. but also do a fdisk before the format
in case you have any virus on your hdd.

And why is that the best answer? You're going through unneeded steps. You can partition and format right from the XP install routine.

 

[themightygeckoe]

I have always just used booted and format from the xp cd and never had any problems.

Just have it write over the previous installation of windows and format using ntfs if your hard drive can support it.