Questions about re/formatting and partitioning

[Castle]

Hi all. I am new to all these OS and hard disk procedures so would really appreciate if I am be guided through effectively through this thread.
Maybe let me thank you in advance first.

Just to explain further, reformatting through novice method is not new to me(i.e. through the use of recovery software provided by manufacturer) but however through the use of advance method is in fact rather new to me.

Basically my recovery software doesn't seem to properly reinstall the OS and there are frequent crashes after every reinstall from the provided disk.
Some friends of mine suggested using the advance method as the recovery software does not do a clean job especially when it formats and partitions. Well, is that really true?

And my friends have also mentioned that the installing process using advance method is much different from novice method as partitions can be created by use of windows OS disk(of which is what I was told). So a recovery disk will just create a single partion for you.

A clue was given that due to the hard disk was not properly erase or cleared, which was the reason for the frequent crashes as the recovery disk does little on wiping off the hard disk perfectly and entirely clean before a fresh copy was installed on it.

What are the best possible solutions to wipe off the hard disk effectively?
The fedup recovery disk just does not do what it should do!

 

[PC eye]

With a prebuilt system the recovery disk simply restores the OS, softwares, and drivers for hardwares hidden on a recovery partition. Once you wipe a drive you automatically void the factory warranty provided.

There are tools that will nuke a drive entirely especially intended for those planning to sell their used system in order to see all personal data wiped clean off the one or more drives installed. But for simply dumping the current preinstallation and recovery partition in order to see a totally fresh install of Windows you will first have to buy a full install copy of the intended version of Windows.

Both XP and Vista have tools for creating the new primary partition that will see that version of Windows install onto. There are several retail softwares for partitioning and formatting drives in order to prepare them for installing the OS and general use. The simple reformat of an existing partition generally takes care of seeing a recovery disk used to reinstall Windows as the easy alternative.

 

[Castle]

Thanks once again for the fast, well technically responded, faithful geek!!

Just to clarify some doubts,
What are some good examples of those tools that completely wipe off a hard disk in preparation for a fresh installation?

So hmmmm kinda strange that the manufacturer does not provide an OS disk but rather only a recovery disk where I paid the full price for the entire unit.
How can anyone expect me to buy a fresh copy of the same OS where its included in the recovery disk? And even if I do so, the drivers were also not provided on a proper disk for each device, eg motherboard chipset, cd drive etc. but just provided them on a recovery disk.
I was only provided with a recovery disk with OS and drivers in it all. I need them seperately to reformat in an advance method right?

 

[PC eye]

If you use a free tool like Eraser that will write binary zeros to the drive repeatedly to insure nothing can be recovered. That's one of the security tools available from those fine folks at Linux HQ of course. Or better known as sourceforge. http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=37015&package_id=65323

WD and other drive manufacturers have their own drive cleaning tools as well. WD has their set of LifeGuard tools ready for download to put on a boot floppy. Once you do wipe a drive you then have to download the correct driver sets from the support site for that specific model system.

Those include drivers for the board itself they use plus video and sound. When a system gets too old like finding drivers for a 2000 made system that's where the fun comes in. Then you have to searcth web for some site that still has them available like omegadrivers.net. The disks provided especially the recovery disk for Windows is then useless once the disk is totally cleaned. You are on your own from there on.