How do I format a hard drive with windows NT on it.

The hard drive does not respond to the Format command or fdisk one. It is working however and loads to a prompt for a User ID and password.

Thanks a lot.

go to start ; programs; administrative tools; disk manager; click on the drive you want to format then click on the tools menu and format.. Or if you have the installation disks you could format using those.

You cannot use Disk Manager to delete/(re)format a partition that contains the boot and/or system files. You're in effect asking the OS to commit suicide and it won't...

If you want to reformat that/those partitions then you can use the setup disks (run setup and choose the option to create/delete/format partitions).

Fdisk will not remove ntfs partitions if in the Extended partition area; only will remove Primary ntfs area. If Extended area = ntfs then you 'can' use Disk Admin. to do the job - as long as the partition/logical-drive does not contain the system files. If system files in the Extended areas (as ntfs) then it's the setup routine as alluded to already; or you use the delpart.exe util to remove any/all partitions.

Delpart - freebie downlaod - fits on a floppy at:

http://hercules.lss.ksu.edu/download/MSSTUFF/index.htm

Run from a DOS (a:>\) prompt. So you boot with '9x boot-disk, change floppy and run util; or add it to the '9x floppy and save a disk change at the a:>\ prompt.

Delpart will remove just about any partition - permanently.

Once delpart has done its work, reconfigure/reformat drive/partitions?

This is the situation we have our old computers that they giving away for donation

I need to erase all the information’s off the drives beyond recovery (format with I/0)

So I need a utility software that can delete a hard drive from being recover

Can you help?

Use the delpart.exe util as indicated in above post Then reformat the drive(s) a couple of times?.

This should be adequate unless you have really critical data on these drives?

There is also a Symantec/Norton utility that effectively 'washes' the drive clean of all data. Not sure what it's called these days; but it should be around on their web-site?

And a search in google.com for:

disk washer

will bring up a few other similar items; one being:

http://www.cix.co.uk/~net-services/wash/

and using:

disk cleaner

as the search term/string

brings up others; e.g.

http://www.ontrack.com/dataeraser/

You can also use the mid-level-format util from the manufacturer of the drive(s). This writes zero's to the drive and obliterates data. It resets the drive back to factory gate status (more or less). It is sometimes called a low-level-format but it is not actually correct to call it that. A true low-level-format is a different item. On recent/current drives it is not advised to do a true low-level-format; it 'can' wreck the drive. Check the web-site for each drive make you have to deal with; download as appropriate. This latter approach is usually a freebie util; the other options are probably a few(?) $$$$/£££s?!

I follow the posted advice for removing the partion..but can't get any dos commands (format/help...anything) to come up in MSDOS prompt. How do you get to the reformat? I want to get rid of NT and put WIN 98 SE on a computer my brother gave me.

Thanks for your help oh wise ones!

Bob

bobbyb:

Don't know about your initial situation; nor what you have been advised to do... Details of what was on the drive initially, also partitions etc. might still be useful here; and how you removed all of the partitions?

Fdisk/format etc are run from a true DOS style prompt (a:>\); not from within an installed OS. Are you booting up with a '98 boot-disk? A proper '98/95/DOS boot-disk will have Fdisk/Format command included.

Also is bios sequence set to allow/attempt a boot from a: then c: ?

Once you do boot successfully with a '98 boot-disk you 'should' arrive at a DOS prompt (the a:>\ prompt).

If you do not have a suitable '98 boot-disk then go to:

http://ww.bootdisk.com and then click on the link:

w0rm

There are various images there which you can download. Each image self expands to provide a boot-floppy. Get the version with CDROM suport. You copy the image to your HD, run it (click on it); extract to a blank floppy - which then label clearly and use.

Tutorials re Fdisk/Format:

http://www.compguystechweb.com/index.html

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q255/8/67.ASP

and as well as the above tutorial this link includes all about installing '98:

http://www.btinternet.com/~robert.bale1/formatinstall.htm