Reformat: Windows XP

How do I reformat my hard drive with Windows XP?

Need to reformat the hard drive in Windows XP and start with a clean slate? Reformatting a hard drive prepares the disk surface to accept and store data. It is important to reformat the hard drive before selling, donating, or returning a computer to an employer. Likewise, users can reformat a hard drive with Windows XP to remove viruses or errors and return a computer to its' "out of the box" settings.

Warning - A simple hard drive reformat with Windows XP will not permanently erase your data. Even after reformatting the hard drive, deleted files can be easily recovered. If you want to permanently wipe your hard drive by completely overwritting hard drive data, check out WipeDrive.

Windows XP Reformatting Quick Links:

• Reformat the Hard Drive in Windows XP
• Reinstall Windows XP
• Wipe ALL Hard Drive Data

Reformat the Hard Drive in Windows XP

1. To reformat a hard drive with Windows XP, insert Windows CD and restart your computer.
   
   
2. Your computer should automatically boot from the CD to the Windows Setup Main Menu.
   
   
3. At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER.
   
   
4. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.
   
   
5. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you are prompted to repair it. To bypass the repair, press ESC.
   
   
6. Use the ARROW keys to select the partition or the unpartitioned space where you want to create a new partition. Press D to delete an existing partition, or press C to create a new partition.
   
   
7. Type the size in megabytes (MB) that you want to use for the new partition, and then press ENTER, or just press ENTER to create the partition with the maximum size.
   
   
8. Select the format option that you want to use for the partition (Recommended: NTFS), and then press ENTER.
   
   
9. You have now sucessfully reformatted the hard drive with Windows XP.

Reinstall Windows XP

1. To reinstall Windows XP after reformatting the hard drive simply insert Windows XP CD and restart your computer.
   
   
2. If your hard drive has not been reformatted, follow the steps above to reformat the hard drive in Windows XP.
   
   
3. Your computer will automatically boot from the CD and begin the installation process

WipeDrive: Wipe All Data Before Reformatting the Hard Drive

Deleted files can be recovered even after a hard drive has been reformatted!

A recent study of 129 old hard drives (many of them reformatted) revealed more than 5,000 credit card numbers, medical correspondences, love letters, pornography, bank account information, and other confidential data. To protect yourself from identity theft, erase ALL data before reformatting a hard drive.

Do you need to:

• Reformat a hard drive before selling or donating a computer.
  
  
• Reformat a hard drive to erase personal data before returning a computer to an employer.
  
  
• Reformat a hard drive to remove an operating system damaged by viruses or spyware.
  
  
• Reformat a hard drive in compliance with government regulations (including HIPAA).
  
  

Wipe and Reformat Your Hard Drive to DoD Specifications

Need advanced disk sanitization software to ensure maximum security? Reformat hard drives to US Department of Defense specifications with WipeDrive. WipeDrive is one of only five DoD approved products using the DoD 5220.22-M standard for disk sanitation. This standard involves far more than ordinary reformatting and includes multiple overwrites with random characters.

Easily Wipe and Reformat Your Hard Drive

WipeDrive is an easy-to-use disk sanitizing tool that boots right from a CD or floppy disk.

Wiping and reformatting a hard drive is as easy as inserting the WipeDrive disk and restarting your system. WipeDrive will automatically load with prompts to help you securely wipe and reformat your hard drive to Department of Defense specifications.