Does anyone know a lot about hard drives on computers?

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NaughtyGirl21

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I am having a problem with my computer in my room. When I got that computer it had windows 98. I installed xp and it was working really well for like the last 3 or 4 months then it was starting to mess up. I went under system tools to restore it and it would not let me. So I decided I was going to uninstall windows xp and start over. Well that hard drive lost files and everytime I go to turn the computer on it will not load any windows. I got this old hard drive that I put in that has windows 95 on it but it will not install my xp disc.

I just wanted to know if anyone know how to completely wipe out a hard drive to where theres nothing on it as if you baught it from the store and started new?

I just hope someone can help me out with this problem because I really don't want to go spend over a$100 on a brand new hard drive.
 
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NaughtyGirl21

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I dont have any money right not...broke. I just want to know how its done and I can do it. I don't have the money to go get someone to do it. So if you can just please tell me what to do then I can do it from there. :(
 
MaxPower

MaxPower

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get a windows 98 boot floppy. boot from it and choose "Start computer with CD rom support"

once you're at the "A:\>" prompt, type fdisk. This is a utility that you can use to delete the partition.
It will bring you to a screen like this:
Code: 
[CENTER]Fixed Disk Setup Program
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp. 1983 - 1995[/CENTER]
FDISK Options
Current fixed disk drive: 1 

Choose one of the following: 

1. Create DOS partition or Logical DOS Drive 
2. Set active partition
3. Delete partition or Logical DOS Drive
4. Display partition information
5. Change current fixed disk drive


Enter choice (1) 

Press Esc to exit FDISK
Choose 3. Delete partition or Logical DOS Drive
That will Bring you here:
Code: 
[CENTER]Delete DOS Partition or Logical DOS Drive[/CENTER] 

Current fixed disk drive: 1

Choose one of the following:

1.  Delete Primary DOS Partition
2.  Delete Extended DOS Partition
3.  Delete Logical DOS Drive(s) in the Extended DOS Partition                
4.  Delete Non-DOS Partition

Enter choice: [ ]

Press Esc to return to FDISK Options
Choose: 4. Delete Non-DOS Partition If you get an error then choose 1. Delete Primary DOS Partition

You will then switch to this screen:
Code: 
[CENTER] Delete Primary DOS Partition                      

Current fixed disk drive: 1

Partition  Status   Type    Volume Label  Mbytes   System   Usage             
 C: 1         A    PRI DOS   PROGRAMS       500   FAT16       25%
 
Total disk space is 2012 Mbytes (1 Mbyte = 1048576 bytes)

WARNING! Data in the deleted Primary DOS Partition will be lost.
What primary partition do you want to delete..? [1]

[/CENTER]
Press Esc to return to FDISK Options
type 1 and when it asks for a volume name type the name it shows under Volume Label if that's blank then just hiy <enter>

It will delete the partition and effectively make your drive a clean slate. You still need to format it but if you reboot using your windows XP CD, it will give you that option. When you get to that point, I recomend choosing NTFS, not FAT32, and don't choose NTFS (quick format)

Good luck. PM me if you need additional help or you can email me at [email protected]
 
Jung

Jung

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it was sarcasm, i hate macs. macs are more user friendly for people who aren't computer friendly. i was going to try and help, but max pretty much summed up what i was going to say.
 
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NaughtyGirl21

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junglizm said:
because you did it wrong
Click to expand...
I don't see how, I have unintalled and reinstalled xp on this computer I am on now many times and it works fine. I got a new hard drive today though. Its an 80Gb but I got it from "Wal-Mart" so I don't know it someone else had bought it and returned it or what. I went to install it and the screen did not come up as reading new hard drive. Instead windows 98 appeard and I was kinda confused about that. Do you know how to install a new hard drive with out any problems?
 
Jung

Jung

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CuddleMuffin said:
I don't see how, I have unintalled and reinstalled xp on this computer I am on now many times and it works fine. I got a new hard drive today though. Its an 80Gb but I got it from "Wal-Mart" so I don't know it someone else had bought it and returned it or what. I went to install it and the screen did not come up as reading new hard drive. Instead windows 98 appeard and I was kinda confused about that. Do you know how to install a new hard drive with out any problems?
Click to expand...

you have to set the jumpers on the drive as either master or slave, if you have two drives. read the manual and look at the jumpers. the OS drive should be master and the 2nd drive should be slave. also make sure you set it to boot off of the cd drive.

aim me if you really need, i'll be around.
 
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NaughtyGirl21

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junglizm said:
you have to set the jumpers on the drive as either master or slave, if you have two drives. read the manual and look at the jumpers. the OS drive should be master and the 2nd drive should be slave. also make sure you set it to boot off of the cd drive.
Click to expand...
I know about the jumpers, but how do you set it to boot off the cd drive?
 
Jung

Jung

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in the bios. it should tell you which key to hit when it's booting, usually DEL or F2.
 
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Hypertron

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CuddleMuffin said:
I know about the jumpers, but how do you set it to boot off the cd drive?
Click to expand...
ok when you turn on your computer it will say something like "press f2 to enter setup" its not always f2 mine personaly is delete, then you want to go in the bios and change first boot device to 3 1/2 floppy to the cd drive, then save settings and restart the computer, load windows and after you get done you want to go back into the bios and change primary boot divice back to 3 1/2 floppy. and whoever said put the jumpers to master and slave why do that when its eaiser to just put it on cable select and let the machine decide which is master and slave.

sorry if any of this didn't make sense, i have some weird virus right now and i have a temp of 104.6 so im kinda out of it.
 
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