Help Index > General Computing Help

Removing all data and software from a hard drive

Windows 95/98

• Need a bootable disk?
  (Go to http://www.computerhope.com/boot.htm for instructions on creating a boot disk.)
• Insert disk in floppy drive.
• Turn PC on or reboot PC.
• Once the PC starts from this disk, you will see "a:\" on the screen
• Type in format (space) c:
• Answer yes to the question "Do you really want to do this?"; press enter
• The PC will automatically start formatting
• When complete, you will be asked " Do you want to put a label name on the disk?" Press enter (to say no)
• The screen will return to the "a" drive.

Windows XP, 2000 or NT

• Need a bootable set of disks?
  (Go to http://www.computerhope.com/boot.htm for instructions on creating a boot disk.)
• Insert disk in floppy drive.
• Turn PC on or reboot PC.
• Once the PC starts from this disk, you will be asked "Do you want to repair or install Windows 2000, XP or NT?" Answer yes. Press enter to install.
• Screen will display "You already have a partition. Do you want to delete the partition? " Answer yes.
• Do you want to create a partition? Answer yes.
• "Do you want to format the partition?" Answer yes.
• At the end of the formatting, press F3.
• Press Quit when complete.

Time needed to Format Machines for All Operating Systems:

• 40 GB hard drive - Approximately 2 hours
• 80 GB hard drive - Approximately 4 hours
• 120 GB hard drive - Approximately 6 hours

Macintosh Computers running OS X

Apple’s Disk Utility software can be used on any Macintosh computer capable of running Mac OS X.

Using Apple’s Disk Utility:

• Power off the computer on which Disk Utility will be run.
• Insert the OS X Install CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive and then power on the computer holding down the C key, to boot from the CD. 

Note: The OS X Install CD must be for version 10.2.3 or later

• The computer will load the OS X install application automatically, and ask you to select a language. Select Open Disk Utility from the Installer menu.  The Disk Utility screen will look like this:

• Select the Hard drive then select the erase tab. 

• Click on the Options button, and check Zero all data:

• Click OK.
• Click Erase.
• Repeat 2 or more times.

If the computer has more than one hard disk drive, follow the preceding steps to remove data from any additional disk drives.

Macintosh Computers running OS 7.x-9.x

Using Apple’s Drive Setup:

• Power off the computer on which Drive Setup will be run.
• Insert the OS 9 Install CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive and then power on the computer holding down the C key, to boot from the CD. 
• The computer will load OS 9 and present you with the Macintosh Desktop. Double Click on the CD icon, Double Click on the Utilitites Folder.  Double Click Drive Setup, to run the Application.  The screen will look like this:

• Select the Hard drive.
• Select Initialization Options from the Function Menu.

• Check Zero all data.
• Click OK.
• Click Initialize.
• Repeat 2 or more times.

If the computer has more than one hard disk drive, follow the preceding steps to remove data from any additional disk drives.