Author Topic: Wiping a computer hard drive?  (Read 5865 times)

Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Wiping a computer hard drive?
« on: July 26, 2010, 04:55:07 PM »
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How would this be done? I backed up my computer (its working but only barely) and I wanted to run my OS disk to erase all the stuff on my computer but that doesn't want to work. Are the any other ways to essentially reset my computer?
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Offline ACe

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2010, 05:28:57 PM »
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You could just do a factory reset to it. its in the setup menu when you press f12 i believe you should have a code on the bottom or on the side of your comp or laptop. you will need it to reinstall windows. doing this will erase everything and it will be like when you just bought it at the store.
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Offline Daniel TS RED

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2010, 05:41:28 PM »
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Is this a computer you made yourself with your own real Windows CD?  If so, then you'll have to use your Windows CD unless you made some sort of backup partition.  If it's one you purchased from a retail brand, you should be able to use the factory restore option stored on your hard drive.  Sometimes it's F8, i've seen control + f11 too. 

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Offline xCaLeBx

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2010, 08:56:35 PM »
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If you have a windows OS disk then you can reinstall the OS and thus erasing the old OS with all its parts, me and my dad actually did this to 8 laptops awhile back for a job. Now if you don't have a disk you go to thepiratebay. org and you download your OS you want (and it isn't stealing since you bought the OS but lost the disk) and you download it and mount it onto a DVD-R and run it like a OS disk
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Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2010, 09:05:25 PM »
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A.) Which OS?
B.) Laptop/Desktop?
C.) Brand?
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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2010, 10:00:32 PM »
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A.) Which OS?
B.) Laptop/Desktop?
C.) Brand?
Windows XP
Lappy
Toshiba
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Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2010, 10:14:09 PM »
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Reinstalling the OS (XP) should work, if you only want to reuse the hard drive.  If you want to go deeper, it'll require a little more.
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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #7 on: July 26, 2010, 10:33:36 PM »
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I pretty much want to reset it back to the way it was but the OS disk isn't reinstalling it.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2010, 10:37:20 PM by TheKarazyvicePresidentRR »
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Offline Daniel TS RED

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2010, 11:01:21 PM »
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This might work.  Make sure you have EVERYTHING you need backed up on CDs or a zip drive or another harddrive.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_reset_toshiba_computer_to_factory_condition

Doing this should get your computer reset back to the day you got it home, just like pulling it out of the box.

Let us know if this doesn't work.

Daniel

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2010, 12:00:54 AM »
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Is there a way to completely wipe out a hard drive that can't be placed into a pc due to viruses? I need to recycle them but would like to wipe them before then (the virus restarts the computer around every 5-20 seconds).

Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2010, 01:11:06 AM »
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DBAN is your friend for total wipeout.
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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2010, 02:15:20 PM »
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This might work.  Make sure you have EVERYTHING you need backed up on CDs or a zip drive or another harddrive.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_reset_toshiba_computer_to_factory_condition

Doing this should get your computer reset back to the day you got it home, just like pulling it out of the box.

Let us know if this doesn't work.

Daniel

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1. Insert the disc into the drive.
2. Restart the laptop and press F12 key when you see the Toshiba logo on the screen.
3. Select CD/DVD drive from the boot menu.
4. Press OK and wait until the laptop boot from the CD.
5. Select "Recovery to factory defaults" and press OK. It will take some time to reimage the hard dive.


I can't find 5, it just booted up to the normal screen.
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Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2010, 02:46:50 PM »
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Did you set CD/DVD to first in the boot order in BIOS?
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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2010, 04:02:34 PM »
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Yeah it just boots it up normally :/
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Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2010, 04:42:54 PM »
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If you're using the normal XP CD, there should be a "Press any key to boot from CD..."
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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2010, 05:53:12 PM »
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I saw that once, but not since :/
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Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2010, 06:42:53 PM »
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Well, press that when you see it.  To find it, you must kill the brown dragon beyond the hills of Monzon.
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Offline xCaLeBx

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2010, 08:06:26 PM »
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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2010, 08:08:39 PM »
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Use a lemon scented clorox desposible wipe.

Offline Daniel TS RED

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2010, 08:12:15 PM »
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Did your laptop come with restore discs?  Not the real windows XP disc, but should say like Toshiba Restore Disc on it.  That's what you need I think.

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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #20 on: July 28, 2010, 02:14:08 PM »
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I got the disc working and then..

STOP Error 0x0000006f Session3_initialization_failed
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Offline Daniel TS RED

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #21 on: July 28, 2010, 02:52:02 PM »
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http://forums.techarena.in/windows-xp-support/867056.htm

A lot of mixed stuff in here.  If you have access to another disc I would try to borrow one and try that first.  Could be a problem with the CD you're using.  When you're in the BIOS, you can also try to disable any preload virus scans that might be going on.  Try those 2 things first.  Btw, what exact Toshiba model is it, that might give us some more options.

Daniel
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Offline TheKarazyvicePresidentRR

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #22 on: July 28, 2010, 09:23:33 PM »
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I'll run malware bytes but I can't run it in safe mode, though I can in regular.
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Offline xCaLeBx

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #23 on: July 28, 2010, 10:30:12 PM »
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I'll run malware bytes but I can't run it in safe mode, though I can in regular.
Man you're computer must be pretty darn messed up to not let you run the disk.....try taking out the disk drive and putting it back in thus installing it again.


Also this sounds just as frustrating as 21 gb of music and 4 gbs of movies at 4am in the morning not cooperating (the story of last night lol)
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Offline SomeKittens

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Re: Wiping a computer hard drive?
« Reply #24 on: July 29, 2010, 01:06:18 AM »
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If you've got all the data backed up, try DBAN then XP boot
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