Reformat Hard drive

[Agent360]

Hi Fellas,

Wife's computer is just hosed.

I need to low level format the drive and do a complete reinstall.

I know I can take out her hard drive and put it in another computer and format.

Is there anyway to reformat in safe mode or any free tool I can use to do this without hassling with hd swapping.
Cd will boot from win xp cd but not to it when I put in the cd/iso with datalifeguard tools.

[Denholm]

Goodness gracious.... I have a utility on our other computer but I don't have access to it at the moment. It would do exactly what you're asking. The other way would be to look for that software from the manufacturer of the hard-drive. I've heard people tell me that Seagate and Western Digital provide such software for their hard-drives.

[Anodizer]

You just want to do a low level format without having to take her hard drive out?  Sorry, it's late and I've been following in Cheech and Chongs footsteps for a few hours...

Anyhow, yeah..  If that's what you want to do, here's a good tool I use..  Download the latest one there..  The whole download usually contains an ISO..  Burn to a CD(don't just put the ISO on a CD: burn it to CD using Nero or something and specify that you want to burn an ISO so it burns in the right format)..  Make the CD/DVD drive boot-first in the bios..  Boot off the CD, when it pops up, type "autonuke" without caps and it will completely wipe the entire drive several times over (low level format)..  It'll also tell you if the drive is on the verge of failing or if it has bad sectors..  Once you have bad sectors, may as well replace it anyway, even though some other apps will let you mark those sectors as "bad" and not allow the drive to use them..  But still, bad sectors are just the impending doom of your drive anyway..  May as well replace it, especially if it's under warranty.. 
Dammit, I need some Vizine...

Hi Fellas,

Wife's computer is just hosed.

I need to low level format the drive and do a complete reinstall.

I know I can take out her hard drive and put it in another computer and format.

Is there anyway to reformat in safe mode or any free tool I can use to do this without hassling with hd swapping.
Cd will boot from win xp cd but not to it when I put in the cd/iso with datalifeguard tools.

[WMLute]

Ultimate Boot Disk for Windows
Download and burn this onto a CD.  UBD has saved me hours of frustration in the past.  A MUST have even for a casual PC user.

Here is a list of what you get.  All of this is on a bootable disk that runs in a Windows looking enviroment.  You can even surf the web using just this Disk.
(this is all free btw)

Anti-Spyware Tools
aSquared Free:  Scans remote hard drives for spyware, etc.
AVG AntiSpyware         
CWShredder:  Finds and removes traces of CoolWebSearch hijacker.
EzPCFix:  Helpful tool when trying to remove viruses, spyware, other troublesome advertising programs, and malware
HiJackThis:  Helpful tool when trying to remove viruses, spyware, other troublesome advertising programs, and malware.
Rootkitty:  Very new tool in development, searches a system for rootkits
Spy Bot: Effectively scans remote hard drives for spyware/malware!
Super AntiSpyware:  Effectively scans remote hard drives for spyware/malware!
WinSock Fix:  Used to repair WinSock errors
AntiVirus Tools
AVPersonal:  Good full featured freeware AntiVirus software
Avast! Tool:  Scans for a limited number of viruses
Kaspersky VRT:  Free virus Removal Tool from Kaspersky
McAfee Stinger:  Scans for a limited number of viruses
Applications
FireFox:  Internet Browser
Irfanview:  Compact image viewer
NotePad++:  Powerful notepad replacement
Opera:  Internet Browser
PDF Reader:  PDF viewer
nPOPuk:  Email Client
XPSetupLauncher:  Allows you to perform unattended installs of XP from within BPE
CD Burning Applications
DeepBurner:  Allows you to burn CD's in the BPE environment.
DVD RAM:  DVD Burning software
Express Burn:  CD Burning software
SmallCD:  CD Burning software
Commercial software Plugins -note-:requires license and files to build
Ghost:  Excellent imaging software
Kaspersky AV:  Awesome AV software <Plugins for Version 7, and 8>

Disk Tools
-Backup/Cloning
CopyWipe:  Copies and/or securely erases hard drives
Disk Copy:  Floppy disk copier
Disk Image:  Creates and restores images of disks to files
DriveImage XML:  Hard drive backup and cloning
ImgMaker:  Create backup images of your Hard drive, no longer supported?
RawCopy:  Used to transfer data directly to another drive when the original is faulty
SelfImage:  Hard drive backup and cloning
-Defrag
AusLogics Defrag:  Hard disk defragmenter
Defraggler:  Hard drive defragmenter
Dirms:  Comand Line utility to defragement your entire drive
-Diagnostic
Bst5:  Small Win32 application for long time heavily stress testing storage devices. Supports testing at file and device levels.
chkdsk    
DskChkup:  Allows you to monitor the SMART attributes of a hard drive
Disk Check:  Utility to check disks for errors and benchmarking
HDTune:  Hard disk utility that will: Benchmark, Error scan, display temperature, SMART heatlh information and more
WinDLG:  Western Digital HDD diagnostic software for Windows
-Partition
Boot Build:  Create, import, or export your boot sector, useful when damaged by viruses or physical damage
MbrFix:  Fix or create Master boot record
MBRWiz:  Master Boot Record Wizard
TestDisk:  Tool to check and undelete partitions
-Security
CCleaner
Drive Erase:  Permanently erases data from hard disks, removable media, partitions, files and folders.
Disk Wipe:  Securely wipes data from discs
Eraser:  Completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns
Index.dat Suite:  A unique program that allows you not only to delete the index.dat files, temporary internet files, temp files, cookies and history, but it also allows you to view the index.dat files on your system.
File Management
-Compression
IZArc:  Popular freeware compression tool.
7-Zip:  Popular freeware compression tool.
-Explorers
a43:  File management
Agent Ransack:  File search
freeCommander:  File management
Space Monger:  Graphical disk usage viewer tool.
Tiny Hexer:  Hex editor
WinDir Stat:  Disk usage statistics viewer and cleanup tool
xplorer2 Lite:  EXCELLENT File management tool!!
-Recovery
DBXtract:  Repairs PST files for Outlook express
Disk Investigator:  Display the true drive contents by bypassing the operating system and directly reading the raw drive sectors. View and search raw directories, files, clusters, and system sectors. Verify the effectiveness of file and disk wiping programs. Undelete previously deleted files
Fab's AutoBackup:  Backup and restore personal settings like emails, documents, internet browser bookmarks
File Recovery:  Data recovery for damaged files and erased partitions
Floppy Repair:  Eliminates bad sectors of Floppy disk surface, does not hide bad sectors in the file system, as Scandisk like utilities, it really restores them
Free Undelete:  Data recovery program for deleted files
Handy Recovery:  Designed to restore files accidentally deleted from hard disks and floppy drives
Recovery Manager:  Backup & Restore, Duplicate, Recover files accidentally deleted or from corrupted media, and Format Digital Flash Media
Recuva:  File recovery program
Restoration:  File Recovery, restore files that have been deleted from the Recycle Bin
UnChk    3:  Recover CHK files
Swiss Knife:  Useful tool to create, delete, and format partitions
Unstop Copier:  Recovers files from disks with physical damage
Games                                                                              sorry, no sound
Arcade!:  PacMan, Pong, Snake, Space Invaders, Tetris
MS Games:  Freecell, Hearts, Minesweeper, Pinball, Spider
Same Game:  Puzzle game
Linux Tools
Explore2fs:  Allows exploration of Linux partitions in the Windows environment
R-Linux:  Recovery utility for the Ext2FS file system
MultiBoot Tools
MemTest86+:  tester
Vista Recovery Console:  Recovery console for Windows Vista
Network Tools
FileZilla:  FTP Client
IP Sniffer:  Fast IP scanner for Windows
IPScan:  Fast IP scanner for Windows
LAN Monitor:  Karen's
NetStumbler:  Find wireless networks
Network ConfigTool:  Tom's Network ConfigTool, to help setup network configuration settings before building UBCD4Win
NIC Speed:  Bart's
nwdskpe:  Novell's NetWare Client to access NetWare servers by IP/IPX
Putty:  Implementation of Telnet and SSH for Win32 and Unix platforms, along with an xterm terminal emulator
Real VNC Server:  Remote control software which allows you to view and interact with one computer
Quick 'n Easy FTP Server:  Easy FTP Server
Tight VNC Viewer:  Remote control software package
UltraVNC:  Remotely control a computer over any TCP/IP connection
VNC Neighborhood:  VNC server TCP scanner, uses Microsoft Windows Networking features to locate computers in Microsoft

[WMLute]

Windows domains and workgroups
Password Tools
cmos:  Find your CMOS password and/or replace it
PasswordPro:  MD5, MD4, MySQL, SHA-1 hashes password recovery, password keeper, password generator, hash generator, dictionary generator, etc
Sala Password Renew:  (re)set the passwords of any user that has a valid local account, create a new local user with administrator rights, and set administrator rights to existing user on your NT system
Registry Tools
Erunt:  Emergency Recovery Utility -Registry backup and restore
Fix HDC:  Fix the Hard Drive Controller when replacing your motherboard on an XP system, possible replacement for Fix IDE?
Fix IDE:  Fix the IDE Controller when replacing your motherboard on an XP system
RegBrws:  Browses local/remote system registry using a specified account
RegCleaner         
RegResWiz:  Wizard that restores the registry to previous saved states
RegShot         
ServicesPE         
Windows Registry Analyzer    
Shell Features
ASPI:  CD Support
AutoRun:  BPE functionality
atapi_824146:  XP Patch
BartPE:  small win32 application for long term heavy stress testing storage devices at the file and device level
CHM, HLP, WSH, USB Support    n/a    All features are supported/available thanks to the "core" of UBCD4Win
dcomlaunch:  Launch DComLaunch service first -for SP2
Dialup:  Ability to use your modem, you will need to create a modem driver plugin for your particular model.
DosPE:  DOS 16-bit support
GeoShell:  Adds more "XP" feel, enhanced startbutton, quicklaunch, taskbar, etc.
Keyboard support:  Keyboard mapping and "Onscreen keyboard"
MMC Update:  Microsoft Management Console
mstsc:  Remote desktop client
Mouse support:  PS/2, Serial, and USB mouse support
nu2menu:  Menu system
peinst:  HD installation tool for PE
penetcfg:  PE Network Configurator
PPOE2k3:  PPPOE dialup network support for Win 2k3
PPOEXP:  PPPOE dialup network support for XP
RAM Profiles:  Creates a profiles in the RAM drive which allows several tools to work properly
UnxUtils:  GNU utilities for Win32
VBdlls:  Visual Basic DLL's, makes these runtime dll's available in PE

System Information Tools
-Benchmark Tools
CPU Bench:  CPU benchmarking software
Dead Pixel Tester:  Used to help dead pixels on your LCD/TFT monitor
MemTest:  Memory tester, please read manual.htm for instructions and advice
P95:  Prime95, stress tester, popular with overclockers
Quick Bench         
StraightMark:  System benchmarking tool
-Information & Diagnostic Tools
CPUz:  Gathers information on some of the main devices in a system
Driver Wizard
KeyFinder:  Will find your Windows installation key, both the PE and Windows versions are included
Nero InfoTool:  Detailed drive and system information for your CD/DVD drives
SpeedFan         
System Info:  Provides detailed system information, network info., etc.
Unknown Devices:  Helps discover what unknown devices in Device Manager really are
WinAudit:  Audits your software and hardware configurations
WinCPUID:  Displays the CPU information: Shows Frequency, Multiplier, Chipset Info. etc
WUL:  Windows Update list, lists updates and patches installed on a system
UBCD4Win Exclusive Tools
The "Core":  An extremely complex "plugin" that provides a lot of additional XP functionality to UBCD4Win. Many of the "old" plugins have been consolidated into this "core" such as keyboard, onscreen keyboard, USB support, WSH support, and so much more!!
RamDrive:  Purchased OEM license for the RamDrive driver. Provides up to a 2 Gigabyte RAM drive for UBCD4Win
Tom's MyInfo:  Similar to BGInfo in the fact that it displays system information on the desktop
RunScanner:  Registry redirector plugin developed by Paraglider. Used for launching spyware detector programs and has been tested with SpySweeper and Ad-Aware









Buuuut....

Why are you not just booting w/ the WindowsXP cd and doing a format there?  Just start to install XP and you are given that option.

[Shuffler]

Most off the shelf computers these days have a partition with a backup of the system when it was new. You can access it usually by pressing a function (F) key during boot. Some are F8 or F10. Once you access the module you can restore the machine to the way it was when brand new.

[gyrene81]

Hi Fellas,

Wife's computer is just hosed.

I need to low level format the drive and do a complete reinstall.

I know I can take out her hard drive and put it in another computer and format.

Is there anyway to reformat in safe mode or any free tool I can use to do this without hassling with hd swapping.
Cd will boot from win xp cd but not to it when I put in the cd/iso with datalifeguard tools.

Why do you want to do a low level format? If there is some concern with damaged sectors on the drive that would be a reason. If you just have a messed up Windows install all you need to do is use the Windows installer to delete the current partition, create a new partition, the let it do a full NTFS format. Good to go.

[Ghosth]

What gyrene said. Delete the partition, repartition it (in XP Pro boot cd) Reinstall OS,  then MB drivers, and your good to go.

[Shuffler]

What gyrene said. Delete the partition, repartition it (in XP Pro boot cd) Reinstall OS,  then MB drivers, and your good to go.

Would only work if he has the CD. Most don't get one these days.

[gyrene81]

Would only work if he has the CD. Most don't get one these days.

Good thing he has one then...  

Cd will boot from win xp cd but not to it when I put in the cd/iso with datalifeguard tools.

Even then using the factory recovery partition you go through the same process...still Windows setup...unless you have a weird system.

[Ghosth]

Win XP cd's are not hard to come by these days shuffler. (Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum)

[Shuffler]

Win XP cd's are not hard to come by these days shuffler. (Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum)

lol If you update it the key will be questioned now with the changes.