Is there a way to just completely delete/remove everything from a hard drive so that it is just like new??

format c:\

You are very wise to want to completely erase and start over instead of just reinstalling. As I have done this hundreds of times, let me give you some advise first.

1/ I assume that you have a way of backing up your individual data files. I suggest going out and buying a USB dard drive for the backup. Theyre cheap. Get one at least as large as your C drive so everything will fit on it.

2/ Run a program like Belarc (free - link below) that will give you a full hardware and software report, as well as the all important application keys for reinstalling (in case you lost them).

3/ Review all your hardware. Go to the website of each and download the latest drivers and save them to your USB drive.

4/ When you reboot from your windows CD, make sure you format the C drive using NTFS. It will ask you, just make sure you do.

5/ Once running, update all your drivers from the files saved in step 3.

Do not surf the net until you do the below

After you reload windows, do the following in order:

1/ Microsoft update. (be prepared for a lot of updates). Keep doing the critical until no more. Then do the optional updates. Again, keep doing until no more. Take all recommendations like firewall.

2/ Go to Avast or AVG and run their free antivirus. Personally, I prefer Avast. Schedule boot time scan of all local hard drives (including your USB drive)

3/ Reinstall your applications.

4/ Run Microsoft update again (this will also update office if you installed).

5/ Open your Internet Options control panel and default your different security zones, and set other preferences you want.

6/ I use a small free program called winpatrol to make sure that no startups try to sneak in. Install it at this time, and review your startups. You will see that some of your applications try to start a lot of crap on their own that isnt required. Just disable in the startup tab. Research individual programs through http://www.liutilities.com/ and you will be safe.

At this point, you are safe to surf, and will probably be faster than ever. Have fun. The whole process should take you 1 evening to do.

Now you know why the IT guys like me charge a lot!!!

Before you do anything......do an internet search for "Zero Fill". *It helps to know the name of your hard drive but there are a few downloads that will zero fill any hard drive. Download to a disk or floppy so you have a copy. Put the disk into your computer, reboot and just follow the directions.

WARNING! This will destroy ALL data on the hard drive, all boot sector info and all data on all partitions. It will not however render the disk useless, you simply have a clean disk that only needs to have partitions created and a new boot sector installed, which will happen when you install any OS including Linux or Windows. This is a good way to clean up any bad partitions, viruses, botched installs or data that you don't want to be seen (OK, it is theoretically possible to forensically retrive data after using this method, but not likely and not doable by the average computer user) and it is simple to do with existing GNU/Linux!

you can reformatt,the drive will be empty or at least ready for you to install a new operating system or use for storage.But the info will still be on the disk untill it is written over,someone with a recovery software can reconstruct the files if you are trying to make a disk completely unreadable (blank) you must use a complete deletion tool,you can get these free on 9down or smartcomputing.com.they write over the info stored on the disk so it cant be restored.

When installing a new Windows on it. It would usually promt you if you want to Format your Hard Drive. Formatting it would remove everything from it.

1st good success with that lol right here we pass: you're able to be logged on as an administrator to accomplish those steps. once you delete a perplexing disk partition or quantity, you create empty area which you are able to use to create new partitions. in the journey that your perplexing disk is at the instant set up as a unmarried partition, then you definately can't delete it. you apart from mght can't delete the equipment partition, boot partition, or any partition that consists of the digital reminiscence paging document, by way of fact homestead windows desires this techniques to initiate properly. For this, click to open your "laptop managment" (im asserting this finding at my own OS that's VISTA homestead top rate). in the Navigation pane, below storage, click Disk administration suited-click the quantity, which incorporate a partition or logical stress, which you particularly prefer to delete, and then click Delete quantity click specific to delete the quantity The ensuing empty area is named unallocated area in case you deleted a ordinary partition, or unfastened area in case you deleted a logical stress interior a protracted partition. you are able to now use the empty area to create added volumes wish this enables guy!

That is called formatting a drive. I can give you a link that deals with hard drive problems.Some RAM/hard drive problems can be easily fixed yourself by using easily available tools. I found the info at http://fixit.in/ useful. Try this site, if you can get what is required.

You could reformat it. But, if you want it completely wiped clean, take it out and run a magnet over it a few times. That is as close as you can get.

boot up pc and hit f2 at begining screen. change boot sequence to boot from cd-rom first. put windows cd in and restart. install windows and format when prompted.

you will need a restore disk or a full version of the os that you want to install.

o and if you run a magnet over your hard drive you will just need to throw it in the trash.

no there will always be remenants of stuff unless you have military strength programs...so your kiddie porn will be seen by the repair man you sick puppy