Low Level Formatting

[JasmineTF]

I have an HP Pro3000 that came with Windows7 Professional as the operating system.

Because of the way they do things around here, it has to be imaged with an image that was from a Pro3000 using VISTA.

I have found that even a "full" format does not destroy the Windows7 on the hard drive, and I can't get the image to boot up. So, I want to low level format the hard drive which is a Western Digital Caviar Blue, WD1600AAJS.

I downloaded a utility called "Active Killdisk for Windows" which supposedly wipes everything clean. It's not the paid version, so it doesn't do anything in terms of security, but I'm not concerned with any of that.

Is this Kill Disk utility low level formatting, or will I have to try to download something else?

[ShuckyD]

You could also look into Darick's Boot N' Nuke, I've always had good results with it and I work in an environment where security is a top concern. So HDD's leave this building either wiped with BnN or with holes created by a Full Metal Jacket

Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

(this utilty WILL perform a low level format like you want)

[JasmineTF]

You could also look into Darick's Boot N' Nuke, I've always had good results with it and I work in an environment where security is a top concern. So HDD's leave this building either wiped with BnN or with holes created by a Full Metal Jacket

Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

(this utilty WILL perform a low level format like you want)

I like!

Since I work in an elementary school district, I think that I'll take a pass on your alternative method.

[ShuckyD]

yea I would advise you not too...

[stroyal]

I just read a dozen articles, to no concision on how it works, but it sounds like a low level format, and righting 0s.

First, you still have to partition and format the drive, after.
Second It wipes the main boot record.

From playing with Linux, I have found, format wipes everything, except the main boot record, as far as windows is concerned.

After using a drive for Linux, then formatting, and installing XP, XP won't boot, until you re-right the main boot record.

If you do a low level format, then a regular format, the boot record gets wiped, and then the new installation of Windows starts normally, without re-righting the MBR.

I'm wondering if the parts of win7 that are left, after a regular format is just the MBR.
Why would win7 be be able to survive a format.
MBR is the only thing, I know of that will survive after a format.(I'm not talking a secure wipe here), but windows shouldn't see it.

I don't know much about 7, but "fixmbr" restores the MBR in XP.

If I'm wrong, see my sig.

[JasmineTF]

First, you still have to format the drive, after.
Second It wipes the main boot record.

From playing with Linux, I have found, format wipes everything, except the main boot record, as far as windows is concerned.

After using a drive for Linux, then formatting, and installing XP, XP won't boot, until you re-right the main boot record.

If you do a low level format, then a regular format, the boot record gets wiped, and then the new installation of Windows starts normally, without re-righting the MBR.

I'm wondering if the parts of win7 that are left, after a regular format is just the MBR.

Yes yes! I know the image took, but it won't boot, and that has to be the reason. So, if this is in fact a LL format, and it works the way it is supposed to, then I should be able to format the drive, load the image, and boot up.

Much like General Custer, I foresee no problems.

[osprey4]

Formatting the drive does not "destroy the Windows7 on the hard drive"?


Don't think I've ever formatted a drive and found a left-over operating system.

[stroyal]

What about re-righting the MBR.
I'm just guessing here.

It's worth a try, but I don't know how to do it with 7

[JasmineTF]

Formatting the drive does not "destroy the Windows7 on the hard drive"?


Don't think I've ever formatted a drive and found a left-over operating system.

I'm thinking that it was a protected partition that survived the process. I really can't think of any other explanation. It was there because it booted up into Windows7. Seeing is believing.

[ShuckyD]

just run dban and be done with it.... FTW

[JasmineTF]

just run dban and be done with it.... FTW

Well, the "KillDisk for Windows" is halfway through its low level formatting, so I'll just let it finish and see what results from that. If that doesn't work, however, I'll do that next.

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

Well, the "KillDisk for Windows" is halfway through its low level formatting, so I'll just let it finish and see what results from that. If that doesn't work, however, I'll do that next.

I was just about to suggest using KillDisk... ( Active@ Kill Disk Hard Drive Eraser. Low Level Format. )

[JasmineTF]

Oh, m'God!

I left work yesterday when it was about 80% complete. When I got in this morning, it was at 99% with an error message saying "retry" or "abort". I retried several times and then finally chose "abort". It then said "retry" or "ignore". I chose "ignore" and it finished.

What exactly, did it ignore? If that causes this whole process to fail, I will absolutely scream. NINETY-NINE percent and then failure?!

We shall soon see.

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

I would imagine that it would be just the last 1% that failed, otherwise it would need to go back and re-write the 0s and 1s as they were before....or it should have failed sooner...

[JasmineTF]

I would imagine that it would be just the last 1% that failed, otherwise it would need to go back and re-write the 0s and 1s as they were before....or it should have failed sooner...

What is in that "last one percent"? I hope it isn't the boot sector because that is especially what I wanted to reformat from scratch. If it is, cover your ears, 'cause you'll hear me from Chicagoland!

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

Without knowing any more than you mentioned, I would imagine it would be very similar to how the HP DV1000 that I used to have was set up....

There were two partitions on the drive (albeit one might have been hidden) and one of those was the 'recovery' partition, the other being the OS partition. Go into "Computer Management" then drill down to "Storage" > "Disk Management" and see what partitions are showing up in there... That's were any 'hidden' partitions would show up..

[JasmineTF]

Crap!

Ah, well, time to download Darik's Boot and Duke Nuk'em and try that.

[Nude_Lewd_Man]

I heard that...

[JasmineTF]

You could also look into Darick's Boot N' Nuke, I've always had good results with it and I work in an environment where security is a top concern. So HDD's leave this building either wiped with BnN or with holes created by a Full Metal Jacket

Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

(this utilty WILL perform a low level format like you want)

I don't understand. It's a zip file. I burned it to a disk, but it won't boot, yet at the site it says, "Do NOT unzip this file." What gives?

[JasmineTF]

I don't understand. It's a zip file. I burned it to a disk, but it won't boot, yet at the site it says, "Do NOT unzip this file." What gives?

Oh, it's an "iso" image! I got it now!

Well, I'm using "autonuke", and it says I have 1:55 to go for the process to complete. If so, I'll know before I leave for my 3-day weekend whether or not this has worked.

Is "autonuke" sufficient to get rid of everything on the hard drive including any recovery partitions for Windows7?