| Author |
Message |
dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:52 pm Post subject: How to Wipe a hard drive? |
|
|
Since you guys are disputing what to do with partitions in another thread it got me to thinking about my spare computer which is infected with some obnoxious virus.
It loads up in any mode safe, mode regular mode, safe mod with networking.
It is stuck on, load this program insert disc in drive ... no disc is in drive.... go to internet .... internet is not available.
Lan is working and loaded and recognized.
It just keeps looping.
Anyway I have the discs that came with it to re-install.
How do I wipe this crap out and start fresh. There is nothing of value on it it was just used to surf the net when my son lived with me, so other the a few games and some Porn somewhere I'm sure it did nothing of real value.
Help?
EDIT: [Sorry, Dell 4600 running Windows XP]
_________________
Firefly rules. Can't stop the signal.
http://www.hulu.com/firefly
Last edited by dturco on Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
jkruger
Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Posts: 2435
Location: Carlsbad, CA
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Sounds like you need to boot from a different disk and then format the infected drive.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 4:57 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| jkruger wrote: | | Sounds like you need to boot from a different disk and then format the infected drive. |
Non techy dude sez... Sure, ahh... great...How?
_________________
Firefly rules. Can't stop the signal.
http://www.hulu.com/firefly
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanky Ham
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 5643
Location: Comedy Central
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
What kind of drive? If it is a WD, then you could use their utility to test it and wipe it at the same time.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Ignore this advice, since I know crap about computers:
If you put a Windows disc into the CDROM, won't the computer simply boot off that and not the HD? Install Windows, and you're done.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Spanky Ham wrote: | | What kind of drive? If it is a WD, then you could use their utility to test it and wipe it at the same time. |
Man this is going to be hard.. How do I find that out? I have the side panel off and everything just says Dell.
_________________
Firefly rules. Can't stop the signal.
http://www.hulu.com/firefly
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Curt Palme wrote: | Ignore this advice, since I know crap about computers:
If you put a Windows disc into the CDROM, won't the computer simply boot off that and not the HD? Install Windows, and you're done. |
That sounds good to me too Curt I haven't tried it yet though. But I kept thinking, it wants a disc so give it one. 
_________________
Firefly rules. Can't stop the signal.
http://www.hulu.com/firefly
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanky Ham
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 5643
Location: Comedy Central
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Just look at the drive. It should say the name on it. There might be some other freeware that can test all brands.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: How to Wipe a hard drive? |
|
|
| dturco wrote: | Since you guys are disputing what to do with partitions in another thread it got me to thinking about my spare computer which is infected with some obnoxious virus.
It loads up in any mode safe, mode regular mode, safe mod with networking.
It is stuck on, load this program insert disc in drive ... no disc is in drive.... go to internet .... internet is not available.
Lan is working and loaded and recognized.
It just keeps looping.
Anyway I have the discs that came with it to re-install.
How do I wipe this crap out and start fresh. There is nothing of value on it it was just used to surf the net when my son lived with me, so other the a few games and some Porn somewhere I'm sure it did nothing of real value.
Help?
EDIT: [Sorry, Dell 4600 running Windows XP] |
The sad part about this question Dave is that you will probably end up getting a dozen different suggestions on what to do and if your in the middle of the process and getting conflicting information you wont know what to do.
You would be better off doing this with someone in PM or email land.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| macgyver655 wrote: | | You would be better off doing this with someone in PM or email land. |
But, in that case, you only receive one person's opinion/suggestion, which may- or may not be the best option. Even two experts don't necessarily agree on the best methods or tools...
Granted, the open forum can offer multiple courses of action which may confuse some, but for others, it gives them multiple ideas and they can perhaps choose the course of action they're most comfortable with.
For instance, in this case, if Dave has the original Dell restore discs, and there's nothing to be saved from the drive, then I'd recommend he try the restore disc first, as he can restore the drive to the original as-shipped state without the hassle of finding and installing drivers.
Now, that may- or may not be desirable depending on what OS he's running now, what it came with, how much software he has to install, etc. But, that's probably the easiest course of action for most people.
SC
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ecrabb wrote: | | macgyver655 wrote: | | You would be better off doing this with someone in PM or email land. |
But, in that case, you only receive one person's opinion/suggestion, which may- or may not be the best option. Even two experts don't necessarily agree on the best methods or tools...
|
Which is why you must choose wisely my son................... 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| macgyver655 wrote: | | Which is why you must choose wisely my son................... |
So true, but how do you know how to choose wisely? 
SC
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
macgyver655
Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ecrabb wrote: | | macgyver655 wrote: | | Which is why you must choose wisely my son................... |
So true, but how do you know how to choose wisely?
SC |
History...................
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
greg_mitch
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 5320
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 7:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ecrabb wrote: | | macgyver655 wrote: | | Which is why you must choose wisely my son................... |
So true, but how do you know how to choose wisely?
SC |
Experience...which means he has to choose unwisely before he knows better.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
AnalogRocks
Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 26706
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV/Projector: Sony 1252Q, AMPRO 4000G
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Start
Run
CMD
c:/format *.*
Y
Enter
_________________
Tech support for nothing
CRT.
HD done right!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| AnalogRocks wrote: | Start
Run
CMD
c:/format *.*
Y
Enter |
Now that sounds great, just dump it. Only now I have another issue to deal with the re-installation dvd won't except the product key from the windows key sticker on the computers tower.
I'm starting to feel like smashing this POS. And getting an APPLE.
Or something that will do Blu-ray. Hmmm
_________________
Firefly rules. Can't stop the signal.
http://www.hulu.com/firefly
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanky Ham
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 5643
Location: Comedy Central
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
If this is a spare computer, then what are your plans with it. You could just load Ubuntu on it and use it for internet surfing and light computing.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dturco
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 3778
Location: Eastern Shore Maryland
TV/Projector: Runco DLP VX-3000i Marquee 9500 parts doner
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Spanky Ham wrote: | | If this is a spare computer, then what are your plans with it. You could just load Ubuntu on it and use it for internet surfing and light computing. |
Yes it is the spare computer, how can I load anything to it when it won't get to the internet?
All the Dell would be used for is running Calman for calibrations and very light Net surfing.
Are you saying I can download Ubuntu to my computer I'm working on right now, with out screwing up what works on it now, then transfer the program to the screwed up Dell?
If that's the case that might work.
_________________
Firefly rules. Can't stop the signal.
http://www.hulu.com/firefly
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| dturco wrote: | | Only now I have another issue to deal with the re-installation dvd won't except the product key from the windows key sticker on the computers tower. |
That's weird if you're truly using the restore disc that came with the computer. Are you certain you're typing in the key exactly and correctly? It's kind of tricky unless you look really closely - G's, 6's, 8's, and zeros can all look similar, never mind some of the letters. The damn things are so hard to read, on our office machines, I photocopy the sticker off the bottom of the computer at 200% before I do an install. Yes, I'm getting old.
| dturco wrote: | | I'm starting to feel like smashing this POS. And getting an APPLE. |
That's always an option.
| dturco wrote: | | Are you saying I can download Ubuntu to my computer I'm working on right now, with out screwing up what works on it now, then transfer the program to the screwed up Dell? |
Yes. You download the image of an installation CD/DVD on your working computer just like you would download anything else, then you burn that image to a CD/DVD, and use that CD/DVD to install on the non-running computer.
SC
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanky Ham
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 5643
Location: Comedy Central
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ecrabb wrote: | | dturco wrote: | | Only now I have another issue to deal with the re-installation dvd won't except the product key from the windows key sticker on the computers tower. |
That's weird if you're truly using the restore disc that came with the computer. Are you certain you're typing in the key exactly and correctly? It's kind of tricky unless you look really closely - G's, 6's, 8's, and zeros can all look similar, never mind some of the letters. The damn things are so hard to read, on our office machines, I photocopy the sticker off the bottom of the computer at 200% before I do an install. Yes, I'm getting old.
SC |
It is almost as if MS doesn't want you to use their OS. I can understand with all of the complaints they get.
Dave,
You aren't going to be able to use Calman with Ubuntu. If you decide to go with Ubuntu, then you might want to do a dual boot with Windows and Ubuntu. Like Crabb said it is pretty straight forward. Just read the download page at Ubuntu. Some would have an issue with it, but I would dual boot Ubuntu and TinyXP. That way you get XP and Linux in a nice clean install. You can download TinyXP off of torrent sites like btjunkie.
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
