Is boot and nuke ok for wiping

[SIW2]

Is it an upgrade key?

The trick is to boot the dvd and install without entering the key.

Then perform an upgrade install on the new installation you just did -this time you do enter the key.

Full tutorial with screenshots here:

Clean Install From Upgrade Vista

Hope it helps

 

[niemiro]

Read what SIW2 has said. Once you have got your product key sorted (or not entered it -don't worry, we will be able to activate just fine, as long as you install the exact version of Windows your product key applies to) Then accept a clean install moving files, then format the drive, and then there will be no files on the drive to move, so none will be saved, exactly what you want. The trick is to accept the clean install and Windows.old.

Thank you for the +rep and kind words,

Richard

 

[heatherhh9]

ok thank you for the tut i think i can do it from that easy, but im a little worried about the warning at the beginning, to download drivers and put them on a cd or other media, Can i just go to my drivers folder and copy and paste them to my external drive, or do i actually need to go find them online and download then????? if i can just copy them should i just copy the complete file and put it on my external, also do i need to take the driverstore as well or just the drivers. I hope this makes sense.

Forgot to say yes it is an upgrade version

Heather.

Richard you are most welcome i always say credit where credit is deserved.

 

[niemiro]

Hello Heather,

Do not worry about the drivers. Only very, very rarely do you need to include drivers on modern versions of Windows. Almost all necessary drivers are now built into Windows, and the devices work at least a little bit on basic Windows drivers, enough to download the proper drivers. Therefore, if you have any problems after installing, install drivers (do not worry about this, this is not difficult) The only time you do need to include drivers on the Windows CD is if you have a weird RAID hard disk drive configuration. You don't, and so you can safely ignore this driver message. It is only if you have problems finding hard disks while installing that you need to include drivers on the install DVD, so you can safely ignore this error message.

Richard

 

[heatherhh9]

Ok thank you richard, after having read and written down every thing i need to know for doing this i am now going to give it another try. wish me luck and i will get back to you here as soon as i can if all goes well. if not ill be back in about 10 minutes lol

Heather.

 

[niemiro]

Good luck, and I hope it goes well!

 

[heatherhh9]

Hi every one, just to let you know im back up and running. though i am a little confused as to how come my format took around 5 seconds. im serious here i went through the instructions and did everything i was supposed to when it came to the format part it worked for around 5 seconds then allowed me to click the next button, before those 5 seconds were up the next button was greyed out. I checked in my files and i dont see any thing that even looks like windows old, i had a friend check the registry and they found nothing from old programs. so it does seem that it formatted, but before now when formatting it has taken hours. could some one tell me how it could possibly format in 5 seconds.

Heather.

 

[niemiro]

Hello Heather,

Really glad you are back up and running. If you have any problems, do not ever be afraid to ask.

Do not worry about the five second format. This is a full format as far as you are concerned. In Vista and upwards, the default format will only take about five seconds, you are remembering the XP and below format, or the format by another program. Let me explain:

There are two types of format, a Format, and a Quick Format. Vista and upwards only do a quick format by standard, unlike XP and below which will do a Format, and believe me, a Quick Format will remove all files, so DO NOT worry about it not being enough of a format!

A Quick Format will delete the Master File Table, removing all files, and emptying the hard disk ready for writing. The first byte of each file is marked with hexadecimal E5, and so this is the same deleting as the Recycle bin, gone from view, and ready for the space to be used again (ie files gone and hard disk empty)

In a Full Format all this is done, and then everything is overwritten with 0s, completely unnecessary, and a waste of those precious hard disk writes. Some clever person is probably now going to tell me that Hard Disk Drives do not revolve around limited writes as Solid State Drives do, but it is still usage, and in essence is true.

Richard

 

[heatherhh9]

Richard, thank you, you have put my mind at rest on that, i honestly couldn't see how it could format in only 5 seconds. but now you've explained it i do see. Once again, you are a well of information, and its great to know you are willing to share it with others. I have learned a lot in the last few days, thank you. Next is my desktop, which is xp so i guess i can expect a long wait for that to format. lolol.

This is most definitely the place i will be coming to ask about any thing i need to know.


Heather.

 

[niemiro]

You are most welcome Heather and I have enjoyed working with you, and thank you for providing such clear, easy to read updates, and being so generally clear and concise. It does make a big difference when we can understand somebody without having to read the post ten times, although I will make a big effort to help those who have learned English as a second language. I talk in easy English as possible << Notice example! << and we have helped many people in this way.

Good luck to you, and as I have said before, come back as often as you like, to this thread or a new one to ask what you want to know!

Thank you very much for your +rep again, it was very generous, and it means a lot to me. I make a point of never asking for +rep, and so I know that everybody who gives it really means it. Some members ask for it in their signatures, some explain what the button is used for just after solving their problem, hint hint, and I have nothing against these members at all, but by not asking, I think you open yourself up to the members you really want to give it. Anyway, I am rambling on about something completely unrelated and unhelpful, so see you around, and hope to be able to help you again!

Sorry if I ever had a late reply, that was because I am only 14, had exams all of last week, and just as I finish them and have time to spare, the problem is solved! Have fun with your empty hard disk, and good luck to you in all of your endeavours!

Richard

 

[heatherhh9]

No, thank you Richard, the pleasure has been all mine. you are right the only way to get the help you need is to give clear instructions, other wise how do you expect to get the help you need. Its no good saying i need help with my hard drive and then not putting what the problem is, how on earth is some one in another country or even just another city supposed to know whats wrong with your hard drive if you don't explain it.

Is my English so bad that you think i have learned it as a second language, or is it just the Jeddah in my profile lol i am actually British but living in Jeddah.

Good luck to you with your exams, i hope you do very well with them. I must admit i was a little amazed to find the person helping me is only 14, but its a breath of fresh air to know that not all youngsters just sit playing games on their computers.
You can be sure if i need any more help with mine this is the place ill be coming. Ive learned so much in the last couple of days.

As for the +rep i don't give them if i don't think the person deserves it, even if they ask lol. And you are most welcome, you surely do deserve. Just so you know you weren't late with any replies and if you had been who could blame you with exams to do as well.

Well take care and good luck with any further exams and life in general.

Heather.

 

[niemiro]

It was nothing to do with you. I though you did speak English as a first language, it was so good!

Believe me, we get worse than "problem with hard disk". Quote below from somewhere (sorry, forgotten where from so cannot link)

my computre brokn plz plz plzplz hlp me..........

There is one more I would like to share with you. The English was perfect, and the logic works, and we cannot ever laugh, but it does remind you of the people who are trying to learn how to use a computer:

I have a question,


I recently took delivery of my new Dell, which came with the 32bit version of Windows 7, however the PC is capable of running at 64bit.


If I install Windows 7 32bit twice would that make it 64bit?


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Upgrading from Windows 7 32bit to 64bit.

 

[osholt]

It was nothing to do with you. I though you did speak English as a first language, it was so good!

Believe me, we get worse than "problem with hard disk". Quote below from somewhere (sorry, forgotten where from so cannot link)

my computre brokn plz plz plzplz hlp me..........

There is one more I would like to share with you. The English was perfect, and the logic works, and we cannot ever laugh, but it does remind you of the people who are trying to learn how to use a computer:

I have a question,


I recently took delivery of my new Dell, which came with the 32bit version of Windows 7, however the PC is capable of running at 64bit.


If I install Windows 7 32bit twice would that make it 64bit?


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Upgrading from Windows 7 32bit to 64bit.

That quote is pure gold. Thanks for reminding me of it.

Oli

 

[heatherhh9]

Oh well im glad at least that my English hasn't got to bad over the years lol

all i can say is that persons computer couldn't be that broke or they wouldnt have been able to get on the forum to ask for help lololol


um ok sorry but well i just cant help it i just have to im sorry i know i shouldn't laugh but is that person safe around a computer if they think its ok to install a 32 bit twice to make it a 64bit. please forgive me my moment of weakness but im sure youve been longing to do it as well.. go on admit it lolol.

 

[niemiro]

It did amuse me when I first read it! << The closest you will get to me admitting to laughing!