Hello......I am thinking of selling my computer to someone. It runs Win Me. I've never sold one before, and would like to know how to clear the hard drive. For example, if you're on Yahoo, which is my homepage, whenever you type a letter in the search box, all the searches that start w/ that letter are shown. How do I get rid of that and clear it out?
I'd appreciate any help. Thanks. :cool:
Please be more specific. Are you:
a) trying to delete all cookies, history, documents, etc.
or are you b) trying to erase the operating system, all software, and all documents?
Option B of your two choices.
you will have to reformat your hard disk. Don't attempt to reformat your hard disk unless you've got an OS to put back on there. Because reformatting a hard disk wipes all info off the hard disk.
#1 Boot computer from a win me boot disk and get into the command prompt. Type FDISK then press enter.
#2 screen will appear asking if you want to enable large disk support, press Y then enter. Then delete the primary DOS partition by going to delete partitions then delete primary DOS partition. It will ask you if you want to delete data on hard disk, press Y then enter, it will ask you for a volume label don't type anything just press enter.
#3 Esc back to command prompt then type A:\> restart with a space between > and restart. If this doesn't work turn computer off at the wall.
#4 Boot computer with the boot disk still in the floppy drive. Get into command prompt and type FDISK
#5 Press Y then enter, then press 1 then enter, then press 1 then enter. This will create a primary DOS partition. It will ask you if you want to you the maximum space available on disk, press Y then enter. The program will then create the partition after it has performed an integrity check on the drive. After that has finished Esc back to command prompt and type A:\> restart. This will restart computer so the partition will be recognized.
#6 Get back into the command prompt. To format the new drive type A:\>FORMAT c: /s (spaces between t and c, : and / )then press enter. Once this has been completed you will be given the choice to label the drive. Just press enter to finish the process. Then type A:\> restart.
#7 The next step is just to install an operating sytem. I'm not to sure how to install win ME but I suppose you just put it in the CD drive and if the computer gives you a choice to either boot from hard disk or CD-ROM boot it from CD-ROM. Then follow the instructions.
Hope this helps
great so far Greg, ...WinME CDs aren't bootable but have 'setup.exe' on the root. So the the A:\ line type CD d: (aka change directory to your WinME CD). At d:/ type 'setup', hit enter and hang on! The prompts are easy from there on, ...just bring food and dig in for about an hour of "next" and other obvious choices, ...let us know how it turns out, ....ME has certain charms that make it a very attractive OS even this long into its history, ...Den, "The Old Geek"
HI...I am trying to format my pc but when i get to the part where you have to type in A:\>FORMAT c: /s it just goes to the A:\> not give me the choice to label the drive... am I typing it in wrong?? Please help..Thank you...
HI...I am trying to format my pc but when i get to the part where you have to type in A:\>FORMAT c: /s it just goes to the A:\> not give me the choice to label the drive... am I typing it in wrong?? Please help..Thank you...
...if you're sure you have everything you want off the hard drive, and have your WinME CD handy, follow Greg's FDISK procedure above. As he says this wipes everything off the HDD (hard drive), but gives you an opportunity to divide your HDD into partitions and some other cool stuff. Anyhow, when you get that done and you're back to A:>, just type ...format C:... (don't copy my dots), hit enter and let'er rip. You get a chance to name your drive here, so I call mine "Win 20gig" or whatever size, so you can distinguish the different partitions in DOS. Once you've formatted your C:, you slap on the new WinME as fol: after your A:> type "D:" and enter to go to your CD drive (CDD). Your CDD might be E: F: G: etc depending on how many partitions you made. Once you're at your CDD, type "setup" (no quotes), and away you go on the way to a fresh WinME install. It's quite a hassle and time commitment but you'll be pleased with the result because you will have erased all the old problems, and WinME will work like it did 'out of the box', ...good luck and let us know how it goes. ...."the Old Geek" :cheesy:
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