Windows XP Wipe hard drive

if you enter your BIOS and set it to boot from CD, stick you XP CD in and you can format you hard drive
 
you did? I just saw the first post which said you needed to do it without entering xp. Why didn't the dos bootdisk work?
 
Formatting HDD
READ THIS CAREFULLY
This method will take time especially if you are a novice, so be prepared.

If all else fails and you have checked all other components have found them to be functioning correctly, you find that you are still unable to format using your WINDOWS and/or recovery disk, also you have no FLOPPY drive to create an FDISK, you can however create a CD which contains FDISK and boot from that, failing all the above in an attempt to format your HDD you will need ACCESS to another PC and I stress ACCSESS to a second PC.

As I see quite a number of posts regarding FORMATTING this will help you as long as you are NOT a complete novice, if you are a novice PLEASE be careful, in understanding this article fully, you will succeed.

  • Before you work on any PC remove the mains supply cable, once removed [NO POWER] press the start button, as this will drain any power that is left in the PC. It is advisable to earth yourself while working on any PC, by means of a wrist earth strap.
  • Remove the HDD you need to format from your malfunctioning PC.
  • On the second PC providing it has a spare IDE connector connect the HDD making sure the jumpers are set correctly MASTER/SLAVE, IE: if the existing one is set to MASTER set the one you need to format to SLAVE or vice versa.
  • If you do not have a spare IDE remove one of your other drives CD/DVD etc: NOT your main HDD.
  • Now when you start the PC it will recognise the second HDD if asked which one to boot up from obviously use the existing one.
  • When the PC is up and running go to START click, scroll up to SETTINGS.
  • Now enter CONTROL PANEL click.
  • In control panel choose ADMINISTRATVE TOOLS double click to open.
  • Now choose COMPUTER MANAGEMENT double click to open.
  • When the window opens you will see on the left hand side DISK MANAGEMENT double click to open.
  • You will now see your HDD`s C=D=E= or similar.
  • Choose the drive you need to FORMAT you cannot format the HDD that is needed IE the operating system as it is in use.
  • Make sure you have chosen the correct HDD to format.
  • Now RIGHT click where it says C=D=E= or whatever a box will open
  • Choose FORMAT and run it you have a choice long or quick FORMAT make your choice.
  • When you have finished CLOSE all open windows, shut the PC down and you have a nice clean HARD DRIVE, now put it back in your computer and set up your operating system.
 
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