computer help: How do I erase my hard disk? - Help.com



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How do I erase my hard disk?

My other computer is filled w/ viruses & some spyware and each time i go on it, I’m blocked from the internet & it runs REALLY REALLY slow & all these virus removing softwares appear out of nowhere.
Also, 2 weeks before i’ve had these viruses I installed Windows service pack 2 from some site because the disk i had, didn’t work. I wanted to install the service pack 2 because i deleted it on purpose to be able to restore the graphics software on my computer that was deleted by accident. When I realized my computer had viruses on it i decided to install an anti-virus. But then it said i couldn’t install the anti-virus till i had the service pack 2. So i tried installing it from the CD that i had, but it didn’t work so i took it from a site. Then right after that all these virus removing softwares appeared…I installed my Anti-virus but it didn’t work I looked for it and it wasn’t there & my computer kept on slowing down that you can almost not even click anything. The next day when i turned it on it shut down alone when it wanted to and turned on again….& i really don’t want my computer to crash. So hey, I REALLY NEED!! HELP!!! erasing my hard disk.
HELP???????????
[my budget doesn’t afford me to get a computer technician]

This open post was written 4 months, 2 weeks ago | V/U/S: 849, 12, 8 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post


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RamblingMan offline Verified User (1 year) Long Term User Shouts: 28 #
An Undisclosed Location | 4 months, 2 weeks ago (2 minutes after post)

How to erase my hard disk drive and start over.Information and help with formating and erasing the computer information and starting over.
www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000186.htm - 20k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

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janetlynn_rnj offline Verified User (1 year, 3 months) Long Term User Shouts: 3 #
An Undisclosed Location | 4 months, 2 weeks ago (2 minutes after post)

Format it.

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Anthrax offline Verified User (2 years, 5 months) Help.com Volunteer Moderator Long Term User Shouts: 29 #
An Unknown Location | 4 months, 2 weeks ago (1 hour, 4 minutes after post)

Yup, a clean install will erase your hard disk just fine.

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candyflossgirl_2 offline Verified User (4 months, 2 weeks) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 4 months, 2 weeks ago (1 hour, 18 minutes after post)

but how the hell do you do it?

& is a recovery disk the same as a restore disk?

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adepenguin offline Verified User (4 months, 2 weeks) Long Term User Shouts: 6 #
An Undisclosed Location | 4 months, 2 weeks ago (2 hours, 29 minutes after post)

Each hard drive manufacture has its own software that you can download and use.
Some you can burn to disc and boot from disc, this will show you a simple step by step way to format and zero your hard drive.
It is recommended that if you think you have viruses and your sure you want to get rid of everything. Do the full zero format, warning this WILL take awhile (between two to three hours)
It then sets up your hard drive to run which ever OS you want to run. The software basicly turns your hard drive back to manufacture setings.

A windows format just does a quick surface scan, you will find files still there from your previous installation.

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The Clue online Verified User (3 years, 1 month) Long Term User Shouts: 40 #
Minot, ND, US | 4 months, 1 week ago (14 hours, 6 minutes after post)

If you want just put in your restore disk and select restor to original. When asked click yes to format it. That will get rid of the viruses and make it just like it was when you bought it. Hope this helps :-)

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neku offline Verified User (2 years, 4 months) Long Term User Shouts: 1 #
An Undisclosed Location | 4 months, 1 week ago (2 days, 9 hours after post)

Reformat it and reinstall Windows XP. From http://fixit.in

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phoutdh offline Unverified User #
An Unknown Location | 1 month, 1 week ago (3 months, 1 week after post)

i have just reinstalled my ultimate vista system and was surprised that my hard drive was still full of files and data; i mean there was very little of free space. how do i clean that up? Please help!
Thanks

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Anthrax offline Verified User (2 years, 5 months) Help.com Volunteer Moderator Long Term User Shouts: 29 #
An Unknown Location | 1 month ago (3 months, 1 week after post)

That’s most likely because you’ve done a system restore instead of a clean install.

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The Clue online Verified User (3 years, 1 month) Long Term User Shouts: 40 #
Minot, ND, US | 1 month ago (3 months, 1 week after post)

I would agree with Anthrax’s statement. When you put the disk in you need to select the format the HDD and that will erase everything on your HDD.

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