Reformatting Old Hard Drive

[Littlelaner]

Hey guys,

 

Recently came across an old hard drive of my parents, and I am wanting to stick it in a PC that I am not currently using, but looking to sell. It has windows XP on it, but I am guessing that I may need to wipe it before I can actually do anything with it, and that'll probably mean that I need to get a new OS for it. Any help on the best way to wipe it and start fresh would be great,

 

Thanks for any and all help!

[Electronics Wizardy]

if your gonna put a new os on it, in the installer you will have a option to delete all the existing partition, do that and your good.

[ARikozuM]

Diskpart from within the Windows Installer. If you're using a Retail Key, not OEM, you can just enter the number/code for the OS and move it to the new system. 

[Littlelaner]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

Diskpart from within the Windows Installer. If you're using a Retail Key, not OEM, you can just enter the number/code for the OS and move it to the new system. 

Can I do this from the BIOS? I start the computer and either enter BIOS (manually) or it tries to boot up XP and then fails and says error something something.. Think its because of the detected change in hardware.

[ARikozuM]

I would grab the Windows 10 installer for USB from Microsoft. 

 

Boot into the USB Installer.

Find the extra options. 

Open Command Prompt.

"diskpart"

"List disk"

"select disk #"

"clean".

 

Or you can do a format like EW said from within the same installer.

[Littlelaner]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

I would grab the Windows 10 installer for USB from Microsoft. 

 

Boot into the USB Installer.

Find the extra options. 

Open Command Prompt.

"diskpart"

"List disk"

"select disk #"

"clean".

 

Or you can do a format like EW said form within the same installer.

Thanks alot!! Will probably try this tomorrow or on the weekend when I have more time!

[ARikozuM]

Just now, Littlelaner said:

Thanks alot!! Will probably try this tomorrow or on the weekend when I have more time!

Anytime. Let me know if you run into trouble.

[Electronics Wizardy]

11 minutes ago, Littlelaner said:

Thanks alot!! Will probably try this tomorrow or on the weekend when I have more time!

no need to do that, you can just delete all the existing partition when you install the os in the normall installer.

[ARikozuM]

16 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

no need to do that, you can just delete all the existing partition when you install the os in the normall installer.

He already knows. 

[Littlelaner]

On 5/31/2017 at 8:41 PM, ARikozuM said:

Anytime. Let me know if you run into trouble.

So I put windows onto a usb and booted from the bios to the usb and all I get is a black screen with a white flashing line as if I need to write text. If I try to put in text or hit any key for that matter, nothing happens..

 

Did I have to do something with the windows file I downloaded before putting it onto the usb?

[ARikozuM]

7 minutes ago, Littlelaner said:

So I put windows onto a usb and booted from the bios to the usb and all I get is a black screen with a white flashing line as if I need to write text. If I try to put in text or hit any key for that matter, nothing happens..

 

Did I have to do something with the windows file I downloaded before putting it onto the usb?

Did you make the USB bootable with Rufus or the USB Installer?

 

Did you place the USB drive in the boot order?

[Littlelaner]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

Did you make the USB bootable with Rufus or the USB Installer?

 

Did you place the USB drive in the boot order?

I am not sure what Rufus is, if you could clarify that would be awesome. I did make the USB first in the boot order however.

[ARikozuM]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

Download the tool and, while it downloads, format your USB drive (the installer will do it before you install to the USB as well), and create the bootable USB.

 

If you only placed the ISO into the USB as a file, it won't work.

[Littlelaner]

2 minutes ago, ARikozuM said:

Download the tool and, while it downloads, format your USB drive (the installer will do it before you install to the USB as well), and create the bootable USB.

Thanks so much, this should be all I need to get it going. You have been a great help!

[ARikozuM]

7 minutes ago, Littlelaner said:

Thanks so much, this should be all I need to get it going. You have been a great help!

I'm still here if you need me.