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Thread ID: 126488 2012-08-31 02:02:00 How to delete hard drive Socal82 (16877) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1298052 2012-08-31 02:02:00 So I picked up this dell computer and it has a virus on it but I want to wipe out the hard drive and use it as a external drive. I right click on C drive and format drive but says quit any utilities or other programs that are using this drive. Any ideas? Thanks inadvancce Socal82 (16877)
1298053 2012-08-31 02:15:00 You cant format it if youre using the hdd youre going to format. You'll have to boot from a windows cd/dvd then do a clean format. Or boot from another hdd, then connect the hdd you want to format, then format it Speedy Gonzales (78)
1298054 2012-08-31 02:18:00 I don't have a cd for windows Anyway to do it without one? Socal82 (16877)
1298055 2012-08-31 02:23:00 If you want to use it as an external, put it in the external cradle and attach to your pc. From there you can re-format the drive. SolMiester (139)
1298056 2012-08-31 02:26:00 Thanks solmiester I'll try that Socal82 (16877)
1298057 2012-08-31 03:20:00 If it has a virus on it I would be wary of connecting it to my PC to do the formatting!

A bootable disk for formatting in the original machine would be safer.

You can wipe the drive with many bootable utilities like HDAT2, DBAN, GParted, Seatools etc.
Agent_24 (57)
1298058 2012-08-31 05:00:00 If it has a virus on it I would be wary of connecting it to my PC to do the formatting!


+1..

You can use DBAN or Magic Patition should do it. Or if you have a bootable Linux CD. You can download the Magic partition bootable CD from here at the bottom of the page www.partitionwizard.com
ronyville (10611)
1298059 2012-08-31 12:21:00 Yes, you'll have to boot from a windows disc in order to format your boot drive, no other way that i know of to do it-sorry. 1994ComputerTech (16873)
1298060 2012-08-31 12:39:00 Yes, you'll have to boot from a windows disc in order to format your boot drive, no other way that i know of to do it-sorry.

If you read the thread you'll know of another 6 ways to do it, I previously listed 4 of them ;)
Agent_24 (57)
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