Best way to format hard drive

[the People's Champ]

I always thought the best way was to use the startup disk for windows 98. my friend says that he is content with the xp cd. there should be a better way to get a clean format, is there?

 

[2Thick]

DOS is the best way (using the start-up disk).

 

[the People's Champ]

the same one needed to boot up windows 98? in that case, could someone hook me up wid dat? sned via msn or aim?

 

[2Thick]

Are you talking about XP?

 

[the People's Champ]

DOS is the best way (using the start-up disk).

which start up disk? I just want to format my hard drive to get it at as clean state as I can, and I don't think the xp startup disk does a very good job, compared to the floppy startup disk for 98. or is my thinking wrong?

 

[2Thick]

I agree. I think the only other option is starting up in DOS mode.

 

[the People's Champ]

if I only knew DOS...

 

[ungbygger]

if I only knew DOS...

Download dos/win98 bootdisk from: www.bootdisk.com , run the .exe file on any win9x/2k/xp system, and create the bootdisk..

"Format c: /u" <- Isnt this command supposed to make the drive "unrecoverable" ( sorry, bad english

 

[WODIN]

if you format your drive you are erasing everything on it and re-establishing the partitions and sectors according to the FAT format.

Are you sure this is what you want to do?

 

[KA-BAR]

I format 2x with dos then I format with NTFS file system with XP.

 

[Y_lifter]

Boot from the XP CD
Select NEW INSTALL vs Upgrade
Run the Format Utility during install
Install XP to the clean formatted HDD

How is this worse than:
Booting from a DOS floppy
Running formatt.exe from that floppy
re-Booting from the XP CD and installing on the formatted HDD

 

[bullett]

Boot from the XP CD
Select NEW INSTALL vs Upgrade
Run the Format Utility during install
Install XP to the clean formatted HDD

How is this worse than:
Booting from a DOS floppy
Running formatt.exe from that floppy
re-Booting from the XP CD and installing on the formatted HDD

Either way = same result

 

[Y_lifter]

Exactly my point brolies

 

[KA-BAR]

There should not be any difference but for me it seems to make it more stable. Also On a few computers I would keep getting blue screened formatting with xp cd so I would do a format in dos and everything would work after that. I dont know what it is about dos but Ive notices a difference.

Boot from the XP CD
Select NEW INSTALL vs Upgrade
Run the Format Utility during install
Install XP to the clean formatted HDD

How is this worse than:
Booting from a DOS floppy
Running formatt.exe from that floppy
re-Booting from the XP CD and installing on the formatted HDD

 

[bullett]

Hey, I really love ka-bar knives...do you have any?

 

[KA-BAR]

I just have my Marine Knife. Looks just like the one in my pic.

 

[gsxr1000]

Alot of times when doing a rebuild I'll used WDCLEAR utility (you can download it off the net and copy it to a floppy, just do a search for wdclear.exe)

This utility runs in dos and completely wipes your hardrive clean of everything, then you can do a fresh format from there of whatever you want FAT/NTFS.

 

[naturally anabolic]

very large strong magnet. works like a charm

 

[68GT350]

if you format your drive you are erasing everything on it and re-establishing the partitions and sectors according to the FAT format.

Are you sure this is what you want to do?

You sound like a pop-up window.

Formatting is extreme. Are you sure you want to get rid of EVERYTHING?!

 

[ungbygger]

very large strong magnet. works like a charm

I actually tried this on my fathers laptop ( 386 sx 25) some years ago.. It works like a charm

All data gone..