Erase everything from my hdd

[Alinz]

Hi guys,

 

I recently started building my new pc.

I am new to this kind of stuff so I ask you tech loving guys for some help!

 

For my new build I will be storing windows on my new ssd, but I have an old harddrive that I want to keep using. However my os is still on it. So my question is how do i completely wipe the hdd so i can keep using it?

 

I hope you guys can help me out!

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

A new pc enthausiast

[Smeltie]

in the windows instalation you can delete all partitions, then when in windows go to control panel, system and security and then under system management there should be a tab called, make or partition drives, or something in that sense.

there you can select your hard drive, right click and create new partition, make it max size name it how ever you want and select quickformat.

[Bananasplit_00]

if you want it super duper ultra wiped you could use Davids Boot Nuke but as thats probably exessive a formatting will do it, just plug it in and format or format it during the new windows instal

[Spotty]

You can reformat it in windows which will have the drive show as empty and allow you to fill it up again.

1. Install Windows on to your SSD.
2. Boot in to windows on the SSD.
3. Copy and files you want to keep off of the hard drive to either the SSD or another HDD.
4. Open Disk Management and reformat the partition for the HDD you want to wipe.

[homeap5]

My suggestion - if you have lot of space, leave your old OS. It may be usfeul (for example - if you want to access to your new OS for some reason, for virus scan, making backup of your new system, revert some changes that you made accidentally on your new system). After some time you can delete Windows directory if you want, remove additional partitions and extend existing one. No reformat required.

[Alinz]

3 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

if you want it super duper ultra wiped you could use Davids Boot Nuke but as thats probably exessive a formatting will do it, just plug it in and format or format it during the new windows instal

So i can just plug it in when i installed windows on my new ssd? Can I Format it in the bios? As i said i am super duper new to this stuff haha. I might try this tho! Thanks for your response

[Bananasplit_00]

2 minutes ago, Thorben said:

So i can just plug it in when i installed windows on my new ssd? Can I Format it in the bios? As i said i am super duper new to this stuff haha. I might try this tho! Thanks for your response

you can have it plugged in while installing windows 10, and format it during the install

[Alinz]

2 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

My suggestion - if you have lot of space, leave your old OS. It may be usfeul (for example - if you want to access to your new OS for some reason, for virus scan, making backup of your new system, revert some changes that you made accidentally on your new system). After some time you can delete Windows directory if you want, remove additional partitions and extend existing one. No reformat required.

120gb ssd and a 2tb seagate barracuda, plenty for me. But if I understand correctly I can just plug it in, but do I have to instal windows to my ssd first? 

[Alinz]

Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

you can have it plugged in while installing windows 10, and format it during the install

Alrighty, do you have a tutorial of some sort that i can follow. Would be helpfull for me!

[homeap5]

1 minute ago, Thorben said:

120gb ssd and a 2tb seagate barracuda, plenty for me. But if I understand correctly I can just plug it in, but do I have to instal windows to my ssd first? 

Yes, if you want to have windows on ssd.

Then you can connect (after first boot from ssd) your HDD and it will work. Without formatting.

You can also boot from your old HDD.

[Alinz]

2 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

Yes, if you want to have windows on ssd.

Then you can connect (after first boot from ssd) your HDD and it will work. Without formatting.

You can also boot from your old HDD.

That clears things up for me, thanks!

[Alinz]

23 minutes ago, Martijn Klerks said:

in the windows instalation you can delete all partitions, then when in windows go to control panel, system and security and then under system management there should be a tab called, make or partition drives, or something in that sense.

there you can select your hard drive, right click and create new partition, make it max size name it how ever you want and select quickformat.

Alrighty, so first things thirst. Step 1 : plug in the ssd and install windows on it step 2 : shut down and insert the hdd step 3 : your post?

[Alinz]

Update : 

I formatted the hdd and the system is up and running! Thanks for all the tips!