Reformatting without cd drive

[COKEDUDEUSF]

How do you reformat a Windows XP computer without a CD Drive? Sorry I forgot to mention it has USB and no floppy drive or firewire.

Edited November 2, 2009 by COKEDUDEUSF

[iamtheky]

Assuming there is one HD with one partition:

a floppy, a usb device, a firewire device, a zip disk

any of those with sdelete or your favorite write to 0s script.

[COKEDUDEUSF]

Assuming there is one HD with one partition:

a floppy, a usb device, a firewire device, a zip disk

any of those with sdelete or your favorite write to 0s script.

Could you please explain the USB method.

[iamtheky]

make your usb bootable:

http://www.bootdisk.com/pendrive.htm

put sdelete on it:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb897443.aspx

sdelete -p 7 -q -c c:

;;;;would make 7 passes on the c: drive (some pseudo DOD action)

[COKEDUDEUSF]

Whats the sdelete for? Any chance that you have a working sdelete link? The link won't work .

[jaclaz]

@iamtheky

All sdelete can do is to WIPE files/drives.

Moreover, it is completely overkill to make 7 passes!

http://www.msfn.org/board/hard-drive-secur...pe-t125900.html

Also, you seemingly forgot how to put on the stick a NT compatible system (i.e. and environment capable of running sdelete).

@COKEDUDEUSF

Are you asking:

1. How to wipe a disk drive clean?
   
2. How to partition or re-partition a disk drive?
   
3. How to format a volume on a partitoned disk drive?
   

jaclaz

Edited November 2, 2009 by jaclaz

[iamtheky]

True, i got a D on that one

I should have certainly caveated that with - i use the bart solution -

that and I partition (diskpart) separately from wiping/erasing.

*And 7 passes is indeed overkill, but satisfying arbitrary requirements is my livelihood

Edited November 2, 2009 by iamtheky

[Ponch]

@COKEDUDEUSF

Are you asking:

1. How to wipe a disk drive clean?
   
2. How to partition or re-partition a disk drive?
   
3. How to format a volume on a partitoned disk drive?
   

I read his question as

4.How to reinstall XP (clean install including disk format) without (booting from) CD.

--> See "Install XP from USB" sub forum and its (at least 3) different methods.

[COKEDUDEUSF]

@COKEDUDEUSF

Are you asking:

1. How to wipe a disk drive clean?
   
2. How to partition or re-partition a disk drive?
   
3. How to format a volume on a partitoned disk drive?
   

jaclaz

I want wipe the old version of XP off the HD then put my custom version of XP on the HD . Doesn't that equal a reformat?

[COKEDUDEUSF]

@COKEDUDEUSF

Are you asking:

1. How to wipe a disk drive clean?
   
2. How to partition or re-partition a disk drive?
   
3. How to format a volume on a partitoned disk drive?
   

I read his question as

4.How to reinstall XP (clean install including disk format) without (booting from) CD.

--> See "Install XP from USB" sub forum and its (at least 3) different methods.

Could you give me a link please .

[jaclaz]

OK.

Let's start from the beginning.

You do not need to "wipe" anything.

All you have to do is:

• delete the partition table in the MBR or the MBR
  
• create a (one or more) new partitions
  
• format it/them appropriately
  
• install XP
  

Since you want to do that from USB, the most suitable solution is, among the 3 4 ( @Ponch ) you can find here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/install-windows-usb-f157.html

most probably this one:

http://www.msfn.org/board/2-t121446.html

jaclaz