asked on

Hard drive erase software

I built two computers for my children and loaded a test XP sp2 OS from a non-registered disk. I now want to erase the hard drive and install a registered OS. What is the best way or best software to use to erase the hard drive. Thanks in advance.

cosalt123

why not use the windows CD disk itself and detele the partitions and then do a normal NTFS format?

Cosalt123

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Porter

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

SOLUTION

dalva

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

compaq_presario

If you want to completely wipe the disk, so that there was nothing there in the first place, I recomend attaching it to another computer, and running Sdelete by Sysinternals. It is a DoD compliant file eraser, so in other words, it performs a low-level delete. If you just want some way to remove the important windows files, then you simply tell windows to send them to the recycling bin, then empty it.

derickson1625

ASKER

Thanks so much for the comments. I'm going to try a couple of these over the weekend. I have used DBAN before in the Nuke mode, and it seems to take forever. I'll let you all know how it all works out.
Thanks and best regards, David

derickson1625

ASKER

Thanks both these work just fine.