Is there a way of restoring my hard drive to it's factory default state &
then from there proceeding to install an OS onto it. Basically trying to
start fresh.

manu08 wrote:

> Is there a way of restoring my hard drive to it's factory default
> state & then from there proceeding to install an OS onto it. Basically
> trying to start fresh.

Certainly. But since you haven't told us anything about your particular
computer, we can't give you specific advice. If this is an OEM machine
(Compaq, HP, Dell, etc.) look at the manual you got when you bought the
computer, or on the OEM's website for instructions.

If this is a home-built or generic computer:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install

How to ask a good question in a newsgroup:
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

Malke
--
MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic"

manu08 wrote:

> Is there a way of restoring my hard drive to it's factory default state &
> then from there proceeding to install an OS onto it. Basically trying to
> start fresh.

What do you mean? Clear the hard drive platters to its
factory-fresh, pristine condition? Sure, there are apps
that can be downloaded from the HD's manufacturer for
this purpose.

Yes, GHalleck that is precisely what I want, I have a Seagate Hard Drive &
was unable to find any application to do this, if you do know any please let
me know but they cannot be ones requiring an OS as this hard disk does not
have any OS on it, it's, well, corrupted & that is what im trying to fix here.

Malke, I have an Alienware computer & with the computer I received a Windows
XP Home Edition CD however what you specified in the repsonse is not what I
am looking for.

"GHalleck" wrote:

>
> manu08 wrote:
>
> > Is there a way of restoring my hard drive to it's factory default state &
> > then from there proceeding to install an OS onto it. Basically trying to
> > start fresh.
>
> What do you mean? Clear the hard drive platters to its
> factory-fresh, pristine condition? Sure, there are apps
> that can be downloaded from the HD's manufacturer for
> this purpose.
>
>

If you boot with the XP Home Edition CD and follow the instructions for a
new installation, overwriting the old installation this will strip all
things, bad and good, from the hard drive. It will not fix corrupted
hardware however.

If you are attempting to "low level format" the drive this is not
recommended by a hard drive manufacturer. However read here about Seagate's
take on it. http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/di...lfmt_what.html

"manu08" <manu08@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BFFE6170-A7E8-4AA0-992F-05084920F34F@microsoft.com...
> Yes, GHalleck that is precisely what I want, I have a Seagate Hard Drive &
> was unable to find any application to do this, if you do know any please
> let
> me know but they cannot be ones requiring an OS as this hard disk does not
> have any OS on it, it's, well, corrupted & that is what im trying to fix
> here.
>
> Malke, I have an Alienware computer & with the computer I received a
> Windows
> XP Home Edition CD however what you specified in the repsonse is not what
> I
> am looking for.
>
> "GHalleck" wrote:
>
>>
>> manu08 wrote:
>>
>> > Is there a way of restoring my hard drive to it's factory default state
>> > &
>> > then from there proceeding to install an OS onto it. Basically trying
>> > to
>> > start fresh.
>>
>> What do you mean? Clear the hard drive platters to its
>> factory-fresh, pristine condition? Sure, there are apps
>> that can be downloaded from the HD's manufacturer for
>> this purpose.
>>
>>
>

manu08 wrote:
> Yes, GHalleck that is precisely what I want, I have a Seagate Hard Drive &
> was unable to find any application to do this, if you do know any please let
> me know but they cannot be ones requiring an OS as this hard disk does not
> have any OS on it, it's, well, corrupted & that is what im trying to fix here.
>

Seagate does not provide a low-level formatting kit from its
website, probably meaning that it does not recommend this way
for wiping its hard drives clean. Normal high-level formatting
would then complete the cleaning and re-mark bad clusters and
other physical defects on the hard drive. But these are known
as "destructive" cleaning, that removes everything on the drive.

Gibson Research, http://www.grc.com/, offers Spinrite. It is
supposed to be a non-destructive process.

But looking at the original, earlier post, this hard drive may
already be beyond repair. There are "soft" crashes and there are
the real physical hard drive crashes. This could be in the latter
since Windows "setup was unable to format the partition."

Actually I wouldn't quite sit on your last comment there. I downloaded the
Seagate Discwizard which I found out about from another forum
(http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/di.../use_dwse.html) & well booted up
using it & set up my disc from it & Windows XP got installed successfully.
Very strange the chain of events that have happened. Yes, of course the first
thing after the installation that I did was run a check on the hard disk for
errors. Currently it is going on & it passed the first 4 tests without any
failure & stage 5 has done 73% without any problem yet. Anyway if you know
any, better maybe more reliable softwares to check the stability & condition
of my hard disk, please let me know about them ASAP.

Thanks a lot for the help.

"GHalleck" wrote:

>
> manu08 wrote:
> > Yes, GHalleck that is precisely what I want, I have a Seagate Hard Drive &
> > was unable to find any application to do this, if you do know any please let
> > me know but they cannot be ones requiring an OS as this hard disk does not
> > have any OS on it, it's, well, corrupted & that is what im trying to fix here.
> >
>
> Seagate does not provide a low-level formatting kit from its
> website, probably meaning that it does not recommend this way
> for wiping its hard drives clean. Normal high-level formatting
> would then complete the cleaning and re-mark bad clusters and
> other physical defects on the hard drive. But these are known
> as "destructive" cleaning, that removes everything on the drive.
>
> Gibson Research, http://www.grc.com/, offers Spinrite. It is
> supposed to be a non-destructive process.
>
> But looking at the original, earlier post, this hard drive may
> already be beyond repair. There are "soft" crashes and there are
> the real physical hard drive crashes. This could be in the latter
> since Windows "setup was unable to format the partition."
>
>

Spinrite "was" mentioned!

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

"manu08" <manu08@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7AC4362C-41E7-4214-989E-052CCD56AEA8@microsoft.com...
> Actually I wouldn't quite sit on your last comment there. I downloaded the
> Seagate Discwizard which I found out about from another forum
> (http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/di.../use_dwse.html) & well booted
> up
> using it & set up my disc from it & Windows XP got installed successfully.
> Very strange the chain of events that have happened. Yes, of course the
> first
> thing after the installation that I did was run a check on the hard disk
> for
> errors. Currently it is going on & it passed the first 4 tests without any
> failure & stage 5 has done 73% without any problem yet. Anyway if you know
> any, better maybe more reliable softwares to check the stability &
> condition
> of my hard disk, please let me know about them ASAP.
>
> Thanks a lot for the help.
>
> "GHalleck" wrote:
>
>>
>> manu08 wrote:
>> > Yes, GHalleck that is precisely what I want, I have a Seagate Hard
>> > Drive &
>> > was unable to find any application to do this, if you do know any
>> > please let
>> > me know but they cannot be ones requiring an OS as this hard disk does
>> > not
>> > have any OS on it, it's, well, corrupted & that is what im trying to
>> > fix here.
>> >
>>
>> Seagate does not provide a low-level formatting kit from its
>> website, probably meaning that it does not recommend this way
>> for wiping its hard drives clean. Normal high-level formatting
>> would then complete the cleaning and re-mark bad clusters and
>> other physical defects on the hard drive. But these are known
>> as "destructive" cleaning, that removes everything on the drive.
>>
>> Gibson Research, http://www.grc.com/, offers Spinrite. It is
>> supposed to be a non-destructive process.
>>
>> But looking at the original, earlier post, this hard drive may
>> already be beyond repair. There are "soft" crashes and there are
>> the real physical hard drive crashes. This could be in the latter
>> since Windows "setup was unable to format the partition."
>>
>>