Stupid question but...

[Adzh]

I ordered a new HDD, which i plan on using in my new comp, on this HDD will ONLY be, windows, and games/applications.

On my old one, i will keep media, ie pics vids music. But it already has Windows and lots of media already on it.

This seems like a stupid question, but i've never done it before...

How do i COMPLETELY wipe this old HDD clean, including Windows, and all the media?

I could manually delete all the files IN the old pc (by booting it up and just deleting, lol). But i need to get rid of Windows too.

Also need to get rid of the partitions.

[Phantom118]

1.To delete partitions go into
"Control Panel" "Administrative Tools" "Computer management" than expand the "storage" tab in the left box and click "disk management", you can right click on partitions to delete them, and you can create new partitions on your new HDD.

2. You can re-format your old harddrive when you are ready to install windows on your new one that will completely wipe the harddrive. Also if you are unsure how to do that, after you install windows on your new hard drive you can go into "My computer" right click on your old harddrive and click format. Or you can again use the computer management tool.

Hope this helps!

[Adzh]

Thanks a bunch.

What happens if i put my new rig together, with JUST my new HDD. Install windows. When the rig is up and running fine, but my old HDD in (which bare in my still has my old windows on), won't the windows clash or something, how will it know which one to boot from?

If this will work fine and i can then proceed to formatting the HDD, thanks a bunch =D

[Adzh]

Ehm what am i thinking.

It should be possible to just Formate the harddrive including windows, even when im on it (ie on my old rig) right?

but it'll just re-boot with nothing on it?

[Phantom118]

ya you can format the harddrive on your old computer than put it in your new one. Thats what i did anyway. windows also gives you the option on which drive you want to boot from.

[Adzh]

Thanks a bunch man.

[Adzh]

When i try the "Computer/c;/ right click format" it brings it all up, i click "start" and i get an error saying;

Formatting HDD (c
Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive, and make sure that no window is displaying the contents of this drive. Then try formatting again.

But nothing is running, theres no disk utilities running and nothing is displaying the contents of it.

[TheMajor]

You can delete the partition(s) of your old disk when installing XP on the new disk. Then create new partition(s) in Windows Disk Management after installing Windows.

[infinity111]

you must insert your windows xp cd and boot the computer from it. in the windows xp setup, format the hdd, but then cancel installing windows.

when this is done, you may install both hard drives and install windows on whichever one you like.