How to properly wipe a disk drive

Noviceman

Hi Folks,

I have an issue with a Dell desktop machine. I have windows xp home running on it and it ran into problems, cut a long story short, i wanted to do a re-install. i have the xpo cd and did a re-install after formatting the drive, however i am still getting problems even with the fresh install. They are problems such as service pack has encountered an error or mouse crashes or various other such as issues with avg. I have re-installed a few times now and get the same problems all the time. The issue I believe lies on the hidden paritions that the dell desktops have, I can't wipe them.

I'm looking for something like the old fdisk, i've tried partition magic, but it doesn't work, i get errors like partition's drive letter cannot be identified when i launch it.

Anybody got any ideas here, i'm at my wits end... ta:mad:

biko

If you download the Ubuntu or Knoppix Live CD, you can use fdisk to partition the disk and do whatever you want (assuming you know what to do).
I've only done this to then install Ubuntu but in theory it should work.

budgemook

Yeah the Ubuntu live CD is great for partitioning and will remove that hidden Dell partition with no problems. And you can just use the partitioner and then don't have to install Ubuntu if you don't want.

Noviceman

ok, thanks will give that a try

RoadKillTs

DBan that bad boy!!

1. Download / Burn the iso to a cd
2. Boot from cd
3. Type "dod" without quotes at the prompt
4. Wave bye bye to the data

Voodu Child

I highly doubt a hidden partition is causing the problems you describe.

petes

RoadKillTs wrote: »

DBan that bad boy!!

1. Download / Burn the iso to a cd
2. Boot from cd
3. Type "dod" without quotes at the prompt
4. Wave bye bye to the data

This.

BopNiblets

Voodu Child wrote: »

I highly doubt a hidden partition is causing the problems you describe.

More likely this.

Cluster

Noviceman wrote: »

Hi Folks,

I have an issue with a Dell desktop machine. I have windows xp home running on it and it ran into problems, cut a long story short, i wanted to do a re-install. i have the xpo cd and did a re-install after formatting the drive, however i am still getting problems even with the fresh install. They are problems such as service pack has encountered an error or mouse crashes or various other such as issues with avg. I have re-installed a few times now and get the same problems all the time. The issue I believe lies on the hidden paritions that the dell desktops have, I can't wipe them.

I'm looking for something like the old fdisk, i've tried partition magic, but it doesn't work, i get errors like partition's drive letter cannot be identified when i launch it.

Anybody got any ideas here, i'm at my wits end... ta:mad:

Strange as you have to reformat the disk to add a fresh install. Is buying a new disk an option?

When you install do you do a full windows update? This should take care of the SP issue.

What issues with AVG? You get to the stage where you can install AVG? from a CD or the internet?

Noviceman

well, i did dban the disk and it did certainly wipe everything out, took a helluva long time, about 10 hours....

and as some people has suggested on this thread it did not solve my problems, i am still getting service pack problems, i installed sp2, but it can't seem to install sp3 or some other updates, it comes up with the message service pack has enountered an error message and crashes or some data prevention error messages

as for avg, it installs avg, but runs into problems when I try to update the database, everything seems to work ok, except when i try to do updates on avg or windows...

absolutely baffled by this, i thought completely wiping the disk would cure my problem but hasn't

and no i haven't tried another, prob my next step, but it's a 450 GB hard drive and dat's expensive to replace, the guy i'm trying to fix it for will want same disk space back i'm sure...

Cluster

Noviceman wrote: »

well, i did dban the disk and it did certainly wipe everything out, took a helluva long time, about 10 hours....

and as some people has suggested on this thread it did not solve my problems, i am still getting service pack problems, i installed sp2, but it can't seem to install sp3 or some other updates, it comes up with the message service pack has enountered an error message and crashes or some data prevention error messages

as for avg, it installs avg, but runs into problems when I try to update the database, everything seems to work ok, except when i try to do updates on avg or windows...

absolutely baffled by this, i thought completely wiping the disk would cure my problem but hasn't

and no i haven't tried another, prob my next step, but it's a 450 GB hard drive and dat's expensive to replace, the guy i'm trying to fix it for will want same disk space back i'm sure...

Tough one!

Whats the exact error your getting when trying to install SP3?

"If Windows XP Service Pack cannot update a registry key because it is restricted by another program, the service pack installation fails."

If its XP your trying to update of course.

This also caught my eye,

"Method 2: Restart the computer, and then close or disable any antivirus or antispyware program that may be running"

I dont know fella, let us know how you get on.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377/

BaconZombie

Why don't you not just install SP3 on a clean install?

Noviceman

it was a clean install of xp, i've re-installed several times, i even tried a cd xp and sp3 slipstreamed, failed, i also had no anti virus on it....

anyway, the latest update is that I have now seem to have got all the windows updates on, i just kept searching for updates and kept installing and after a lot of errors saying the update failed they are now all installed, i'm not sure if everything is ok, it looks ok and works ok so far, previously i was getting error messages whereas now i'm not - fingers crossed...

nBan is good though i have to say

my other issue now is anti virus, i've scrapped the idea of using avg, it is just not going to work, any other free ones out there i can use, or should just do a trial of norton 360?

ShooterSF

Noviceman wrote: »

my other issue now is anti virus, i've scrapped the idea of using avg, it is just not going to work, any other free ones out there i can use, or should just do a trial of norton 360?

Avast home edition is pretty good imo and is free (though you do have to register).

NothingMan

Currently using Microsoft security essentials, and is the first MS app I would recommend. Very easy on resources and no issues so far. That along side spybot.

Cluster

NothingMan wrote: »

Currently using Microsoft security essentials, and is the first MS app I would recommend. Very easy on resources and no issues so far. That along side spybot.

Me too