...without installing Windows XP?

I just want the HDD erased before I sell it.

I know it's a fairly basic question to ask. Can anyone guide me?

12/11/2007 10:18:38 PM

boot disk

12/11/2007 10:20:02 PM

if it's a desktop hard drive and you have a computer that will boot to windows (using another drive) then put this drive in as a slave and just go to my computer, right click on the drive and hit format. in all honest though you need to write random data to the drive if you really want to make everything unrecoverable... just formatting isn't going to do it. there is also sometimes an option in your bios to do a low level format... look into that.

[Edited on December 11, 2007 at 10:21 PM. Reason : or boot disk, format c: if it's the master and you're done]

12/11/2007 10:21:09 PM

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS230US230&q=How+do+I+format+the+Hard+drive+-xp&btnG=Search

but yeah, google for boot disk. thats probably the easiest way. or plug it into another computer if you have the skills to do that.

12/11/2007 10:21:34 PM

Actually, it's a laptop so plugging it into another computer is out of the question.

And I do not have a boot disk.

Hmmm....I wanted to format the HDD just so I can sell the laptop without an OS.

Any other suggestions?

12/11/2007 10:31:41 PM

Quote :

"Actually, it's a laptop so plugging it into another computer is out of the question. And I do not have a boot disk. Hmmm....I wanted to format the HDD just so I can sell the laptop without an OS."

1) no its not, they have converters
2) you have to download one, and burn the image to a cd. they you have bootdisk
3) oh. well that makes it easy then. just search google for dban. you can use it with a floppy or cd (if you have a floppy drive use that)

12/11/2007 10:34:23 PM

a glock 19 with a 20 clip

12/11/2007 10:38:01 PM

DBAN, FTW
http://dban.sourceforge.net/

12/11/2007 10:39:29 PM

Thank you, gentlemen!

12/11/2007 10:41:45 PM

How about you just sell it with Linux, format with their Cds

12/11/2007 10:41:47 PM

man, i dod erase (http://www.heidi.ie/eraser/) my drives before selling...makes me nervous

12/12/2007 8:29:35 AM

DBAN's autonuke does DoD

12/12/2007 11:05:47 AM