wipe it out.

[Instinct5]

I currently have a computer just sitting around because i need to wipe out the hard drive to re-install windows the only problem is, is that i cant access the internet from it because the internet crap got erased from the windows because of a virus. so we got rid of the virus and it took the internet codes i guess away with it. So is there anyway to re-format/wipe out my hard drive without accessing the internet. Also i heard there was a way to set your computer back like a year or somehting? If i could do that do you think it would help me?

 

[PC eye]

You don't need to be connected online to see a drive wiped. There are drive tools that boot off of a floppy to zero fill drives(write binary 0s) as well as live for cd partitioning tools that simply see a drive cleaned by deleting the existing one or more partitions.

Using the system restore process seen in Windows 2000, XP, and Vista only goes back about a month at the most. For seeing a virus wiped that feature is generally turned off since restore points can simply see a system reinfected with the same bug. The only thing you need internet connection for is for product activation and downloading updates if you are a Windows user.

Linux offers a free drive tool that will clean that mess up fast once you simply follow the giudelines seen for GParted live for cd(Gnome Partition Editor) seen at http://gparted.sourceforge.net/larry/generalities/gparted.htm

The 0.3.3.0 release about number #15 down the page at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=173828 can not only delete the partitions but see new ones for Windows as well as Linux created. Have a cd or dvd burner and a blank cd-r? The image here shows what to look for when looking for the platform independent releases of GParted live.



The free version of BurnOn will work well at seeing the iso image burned onto disk which you then boot up from. http://www.burnworld.com/burnoncddvd/

There are retail programs as well as the Windows installation disk that can also see partitions removed and created. If you don't have a full install disk for the version of Windows you plan to run on the system? oops! You will end up with a blank drive.

 

[voyagerfan99]

You should have the option to format the drive when you reinstall windows.

 

[SirKenin]

System Restore can go back a year, depending on the amount of activity you do and the amount of drive space allocated. There are many variables involved, so expect anywhere from three to twelve months, depending.

As for installing Windows, you don't need a connection to install it. Just load off of the disk, use the setup program to delete the old partition, create a new one and format it, then go ahead and install Windows on it.

That's all there is to it.

 

[Instinct5]

the problem is, is that i dont have a windows disk so i wanted to see if i could wipe it out without paying somone to do it so that i could just buy a new operating system. Thanks for the links pc eye

 

[PC eye]

With a deep infection of the drive and all restore points assumed infected you wouldn't even use the system restore option. Another thing that in order to see over so many restore points created old ones are automatically deleted to make room for the newer ones as you go along.

For seeing a fresh copy of Windows put on your option besides a repair shop or retail store with a tech available would be simply buying a full install disk for the version of Windows you plan to run. OEM full install disks for both XP and Vista are not too far apart in price when you shop around for them.

Once you get familiar after a few times of using GParted you won't worry about partitioning and formatting drives since that will become a simple task of simply booting up with the cd-r. Even with the improved capabilities seen now in the Disk Management tool and Vista's installation disk as far as creating, deleting, resizing, even formatting primary partitions

GParted still finds that 1-8mb of unallocated drive space at times since the MS tools are meant more for easy installation and no fuss about losing a floppy sized amount of drive space. The Linux tool on the other hand is familiar to those who study computer sciences as well as build their own systems and free of charge there.

 

[StrangleHold]

the problem is, is that i dont have a windows disk so i wanted to see if i could wipe it out without paying somone to do it so that i could just buy a new operating system. Thanks for the links pc eye

If you buy a new OS you can just use that disk to partition and format the drive.

 

[PC eye]

He already knows that. The one thing you can't do with the Windows installer is see different types of primaries created if later deciding to try other OSs like Linux.

GParted is great light weight tool for general use and costs a cd-r over spending $40-$50 on a retail partitioning software for cross platform use. For simply seeing a drive nuked even though a drive partitioning tool will do that anyways to see all traces of a vrus gone totally one freeware you use from a boot disk does that well. http://dban.sourceforge.net/

 

[StrangleHold]

He already knows that. The one thing you can't do with the Windows installer is see different types of primaries created if later deciding to try other OSs like Linux.

GParted is great light weight tool for general use and costs a cd-r over spending $40-$50 on a retail partitioning software for cross platform use. For simply seeing a drive nuked even though a drive partitioning tool will do that anyways to see all traces of a vrus gone totally one freeware you use from a boot disk does that well. http://dban.sourceforge.net/

He must not have known it, he thought you needed internet access to do it and was wanting a tool to do it before he bought the OS thinking the OS cd cant do it. And nobody said anything about different OS or partitions, (he said to reinstall WINDOWS) when he got his new CD. When he gets his new windows CD thats all he needs to reinstall Windows, There no need to use GParted here other than you shoving it down someones throat when its as simple as booting to his new (Windows) cd. But of course I guess we will get a two paragraph story of how great GParted is even though its not needed here. The Poster has said nothing about different OSs or Partition. He just wanted to reinstall Windows when he buys his new OS. Period.... Ramble on some more PCeye. GParted is a good tool but not needed here!
Plus what you said above about Windows 2000, it does not have System restore. Windows ME has it but 2000 does not and restore can go back further than 30 days.

 

[PC eye]

He must not have known it, he thought you needed internet access to do it and was wanting a tool to do it before he bought the OS thinking the OS cd cant do it. And nobody said anything about different OS or partitions, (he said to reinstall WINDOWS) when he got his new CD. When he gets his new windows CD thats all he needs to reinstall Windows, There no need to use GParted here other than you shoving it down someones throat when its as simple as booting to his new (Windows) cd. But of course I guess we will get a two paragraph story of how great GParted is even though its not needed here. The Poster has said nothing about different OSs or Partition. He just wanted to reinstall Windows when he buys his new OS. Period.... Ramble on some more PCeye. GParted is a good tool but not needed here!
Plus what you said above about Windows 2000, it does not have System restore. Windows ME has it but 2000 does not and restore can go back further than 30 days.

What you seemed to have missed "as usual" is the fact that Instinct5 doesn't have a Windows installation disk in order to wipe the drive in the first place!

You know so much but you know so little in actually from never "listening" more carefully as to "why" the suggestion was made. Apparently you'll been following someone else's "lame example" of how to mouth off rather then paying closer attention to what was being discussed here as usual.

GParted just happens to an effective tool to see a drive wiped if you planning to see an OS go on later. For disposing of or selling a used system then a stronger tool that nukes a drive with binary zeros would be advised instead.

 

[StrangleHold]

I currently have a computer just sitting around because i need to wipe out the hard drive to re-install windows the only problem is, is that i cant access the internet from it because the internet crap got erased from the windows because of a virus. so we got rid of the virus and it took the internet codes i guess away with it. So is there anyway to re-format/wipe out my hard drive without accessing the internet. Also i heard there was a way to set your computer back like a year or somehting? If i could do that do you think it would help me?

the problem is, is that i dont have a windows disk so i wanted to see if i could wipe it out without paying somone to do it so that i could just buy a new operating system. Thanks for the links pc eye

PCeye you are walking nonsence full of B/S. If you (can read) The guy has no idea that a Windows CD/DVD can partition and format and even thought you needed internet access to do it or had to take it somewhere to format it for money. All he needs is his new Windows CD/DVD which he is buying to format and partition the drive. You can try to sideline the issue just like you think Windows 2000 has System restore or you only have 30 days worth of restore points just to deflecting your shortcommings noobness google king post freak you are!!!!! Anybody that corrects you, you start with this Over your head-you missed it- dont listen- just to misdirect your complete misunderstanding of anything that you read or nonsence that you type.

 

[Instinct5]

What you seemed to have missed "as usual" is the fact that Instinct5 doesn't have a Windows installation disk in order to wipe the drive in the first place!

You know so much but you know so little in actually from never "listening" more carefully as to "why" the suggestion was made. Apparently you'll been following someone else's "lame example" of how to mouth off rather then paying closer attention to what was being discussed here as usual.

GParted just happens to an effective tool to see a drive wiped if you planning to see an OS go on later. For disposing of or selling a used system then a stronger tool that nukes a drive with binary zeros would be advised instead.

But to use that gpart thing you need internet. I already said i dont have it on my other computer my intension was to wipe out my hard drive as if it were brand new. No OS no traces of anything. After that has been done i planned on buying a new OS and installing it. Then the computer would be like new.

 

[StrangleHold]

But to use that gpart thing you need internet. I already said i dont have it on my other computer my intension was to wipe out my hard drive as if it were brand new. No OS no traces of anything. After that has been done i planned on buying a new OS and installing it. Then the computer would be like new.

When you buy your new windows OS all the tools you need will be on it to partition it and format. No need to use anything else or have a internet connection. As far a GParted you can download it on another PC and burn it but theres no need to use it. Your New Windows CD will have the tools needed.

 

[Instinct5]

so i go buy a new OS and put the disk in and it will wipe out everything on my HDD and just install the OS?

 

[StrangleHold]

When you boot to the Windows CD/DVD it will show your drive - you just delete the partition and create a new one and format. That will wipe the drive. Then the Install of windows will continue on the fresh partition.

 

[Instinct5]

alright thanks

 

[StrangleHold]

This is a good site to review about installing any windows OS. Just pick what ever OS your installing from the top and it will show different ways to set it up.
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/

 

[PC eye]

But to use that gpart thing you need internet. I already said i dont have it on my other computer my intension was to wipe out my hard drive as if it were brand new. No OS no traces of anything. After that has been done i planned on buying a new OS and installing it. Then the computer would be like new.

That's where you are getting confused by someone else there. As I mentioned before since you are online using a different machine you can download either GParted and burn that to a cd-r or download a security tool you used when booting up from a floppy or burned to cd-r for that which will wipe anything and everything off of a drive by repeatedly writing binary zeros to the drive.

The advantage of having a drive tool like GParted onhand besides simply wiping the drive would be seen later if you eventually decide to try out another OS like Linux where you then need a cross platform partitioning tool. For resizing primaries in order to create a second partition on a drive the XP installation disk lacks the ability for that where you would still need a 3rd party tool.

Someone else simply doesn't want you to know that there are other options available besides the Windows installer for seeing a drive tool used that offers more capabilities. If you do later decide to dual boot different versions of Windows even you would be one step ahead of the game having the tool needed already onhand "free of charge"!

 

[Instinct5]

true but im putting windows XP on it for my mom because it was a good expensive computer when it was popular

 

[StrangleHold]

Like PCeye always does, I never said GParted wasnt a good tool, its just not needed here. And Instinct5 can download it at anytime and check it out. But theres no need in going into a 2 step process here when all you need is the XP cd.