Erasing a Hard DIsk

How to?

[Nick_W]

Hi all,

I can't remember how this is done, I have a DOS screen (A:/>) and need to wipe the whole disk.

Can someone please give me the command?

Thanks!

Nick

[lazerzubb]

FORMAT C:

Man i did it again (response time)

[Nick_W]

TAK! ;)

Nick

[lazerzubb]

It's Tack! ;)

[Nick_W]

Only in Swedish or Norweigen, møghund! hehe!

Nick

[Nick_W]

Hmmm..... getteing 'bad command' for FORMAT C: (but it says A:/> at the prompt?)

Nick

[lazerzubb]

Yeah you have to have a start-up disk or, be able to locate "format" on C: and copy it over to A:\

Din grisebarse.

[Nick_W]

>>Din grisebarse

hehehe!
(we couldn't come up with anything to top that without going overboard ;-)

So, no disk, any ideas? Can I get a disk from somewhere? If so, what do I need to search for?

Nick

[edited by: Nick_W at 5:08 pm (utc) on July 5, 2003]

[killroy]

if there i a windows installation check
c:\windows\command\
c:\winnt\command\

also try deltree c:\

SN

[Nick_W]

No win on it. Got Linux on it at the moment but need to install Win98...

Nick

[Fearless]

My copy of Windoze came with a start up floppy, and they're easy to make. (Hmmnn... I wonder how it works on XP with no DOS?)

(Of course, Macs come with a start up OS built into the install CD, along with a robust Disc Utility- (;-}))

I confess, command line interface gives me migraines, especially DOS. I'm not a True Geek.

[vincevincevince]

winXP CD will format as a setup option - just know when to stop

win98 CD will format as well (boot from CD) - especially if you've a linux format there :-)

if in doubt swap the drive with a friend's and hope they don't notice till you've got out of sight.

[mack]

Had this problem also. I always find it easier to install linux after windows. If I ever need to revert to win 98 I usualy cry, then download a boot floppy. If you can't find a suitable one sticky me and I will upload one and send you a link. I found one a while back that has various options for formating and partitioning.

Good luck.

Anyone got any idea why ms decided to make win 98 cd rom un-bootable?

Mack.

[Nick_W]

Well, I found a boot floopy (still in its package heh!) but I'm having the same trouble?

So, er.........

and thanks everyone, the help is appreciated ;-)

Nick

[amznVibe]

You can get a FreeDOS boot disk with a format and fdisk command here:
[fdos.org...]

The .exe file is a self running floppy image maker, if its not obvious.

[Nick_W]

Thanks, I have fdisk, I tried deleting the partitions but and formatting one big primary DOS but I still get (and I don't think I mentioned it before):

Device: OEMDsomestuff

then

"No drives found"

Nick

[killroy]

Hmm is that on an fdisk? fdisk ought to wipe it, no matter what's on it before.

SN

[netcommr]

fdisk may not be compatible with what is on the drive OR you need to make hardware/bios changes.

make sure your jumpers are in correct position and bios sees the drive correctly

here is a freeware utility [ranish.com]

though PartitionMagic4 [user-friendly.net] is still avail. BUT I don't know if you can use this vertion without a license(used to be free)

[dingman]

I'm late to the party, but how about this:

• boot knoppix
  
• umount /dev/hda
  
• dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda
  

If Knoppix has 'wipe' or 'shred', and you are both patient and paranoid, you could substitute one of those commands for 'dd'.