Quick easy way to format the HD and erase all files?

MamaBear2017

Member
Messages
95
Location
Denver
I want to sell my older Windows 8.1 PC, and need a quick easy way to format the HD and erase all files, making just a C drive. It didn't come with a Windows install disk.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
Ask Hillary!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows-7 64-Bit Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Elite 8300 CMT
    CPU
    3.40 gigahertz Intel Core i7-3770
    Motherboard
    Whatever HP uses
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    On mother board
    Sound Card
    On mother board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    1080
    Hard Drives
    WD Black 6TB
    PSU
    Whatever HP uses
    Case
    Whatever HP uses
    Cooling
    Whatever HP uses
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    Spectrum, varies up to 100MB
    Browser
    IE-11 and MS Edge
    Antivirus
    MSE + WebRoot
    Other Info
    Nothing exotic, essentially just generic HP PC
Most Windows 8/8.1 Computers came with a Recovery Image (Partition) - You may be able to Restore the PC to Factory State...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 3.1 > Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8700
    CPU
    I7
    Memory
    24 GB
I don't know how to do this, which was why I asked if there was a simple way. Used to be, I could just say Format: C:
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
No you can't. But then a PC without a working Operating System is a worthless piece of junk.
A neat way to prepare any PC for sale or giveaway, is:
Go into the users app in the Control Panel, and create a new user and give it a generic name with Administrator Privileged.
Then reboot the PC, and log in as the new user (don't use a password. The new owner can add a password if they want to)
Then once you're logged in as the new user, go back into the Users app in the Control panel, and delete the OLD User.
That not only deletes the user but all of that user's data files/folders/etc.
I've done that a few (dozen) times myself, and it works a treat and you don't loose the OS, Drivers, setups, etc.
Now you'll have a PC that's actually refreshed and worth something.

If someone gives me an old PC, that's the first thing I do, to preserve the OS, Drivers, etc.
Then I can tweak it, and tune it, to my own specifications.

Good Luck,
TM :cool:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win-8.1/Pro/64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer X-1200
    CPU
    AMD 2 Core
    Motherboard
    Acer
    Memory
    Crucial, 4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDEA GeForce 9200
    Sound Card
    On Board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" Acer
    Hard Drives
    Sandisk, SSD 500GB
    PSU
    Acer
    Case
    SFF Slimline
    Keyboard
    emachines 101 key
    Mouse
    Logitech Wireless
    Internet Speed
    5 Meg
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Using Classic Shell on Win-8.1 /pro/64
No you can't. But then a PC without a working Operating System is a worthless piece of junk.
A neat way to prepare any PC for sale or giveaway, is:
Go into the users app in the Control Panel, and create a new user and give it a generic name with Administrator Privileged.
Then reboot the PC, and log in as the new user (don't use a password. The new owner can add a password if they want to)
Then once you're logged in as the new user, go back into the Users app in the Control panel, and delete the OLD User.
That not only deletes the user but all of that user's data files/folders/etc.
I've done that a few (dozen) times myself, and it works a treat and you don't loose the OS, Drivers, setups, etc.
Now you'll have a PC that's actually refreshed and worth something.

If someone gives me an old PC, that's the first thing I do, to preserve the OS, Drivers, etc.
Then I can tweak it, and tune it, to my own specifications.

Good Luck,
TM :cool:

Ahhh! I created a new user - just User with no password, and it installed all my old programs in it!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
I went and deleted all the programs and oops - now I don't even have the wireless internet drivers....

Now I need to download Windows 8.1 wireless internet drivers to a thumb drive on my Windows 10 PC, then get them reinstalled on the AMD 8310 Windows 8.1 PC.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
Windows 8.1 should have the Driver. Just update the driver in "Device manager".
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8.1 Core
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP dv6
    CPU
    i3
    Browser
    Palemoon 28.x
Windows 8.1 should have the Driver. Just update the driver in "Device manager".

I got one last night, from M32BC - Support and it seems to work.

I went and uninstalled all my software and emptied the recycle bin.

Now all that remains are some random folders, which don't seem to have any of my data in them - some of which cant be deleted. Cleanup doesn't apparently cover those.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
just boot up any OS you have bitting dust in your drawers and format from there, it also cleans up the bitmap/NTFS type of MBR/GPT depending what you had giving you a brand new HDD to make it how you probably want
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    ASRock
    CPU
    AMD
    Motherboard
    ASRock
    Memory
    6144MB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GEFORCE GSO PALIT SMART 512
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky
just boot up any OS you have bitting dust in your drawers and format from there, it also cleans up the bitmap/NTFS type of MBR/GPT depending what you had giving you a brand new HDD to make it how you probably want

Nope - everything, for many years, has been coming on PC only.

Is there a way to generate a Windows DVD from the HD?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Professional x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7 3770 (non K) @ 4.45 GHZ / Ryzen 5 3600
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77 / MSI B450
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 / 16GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX 1050 Ti / GTX 970
    Screen Resolution
    x2 1920x1080
    Internet Speed
    10 Mb/s Down | 2Mb/s Up
    Browser
    Google Chrome 109
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    No Windows Update/Windows Defender

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
I think I'd need a system disk for that.

WHAT IF I just run the free upgrade to Windows 10? Will that wipe everything but the OS?
You don't need anything for it to work.

It will if you choose it to do so :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Professional x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7 3770 (non K) @ 4.45 GHZ / Ryzen 5 3600
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77 / MSI B450
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 / 16GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX 1050 Ti / GTX 970
    Screen Resolution
    x2 1920x1080
    Internet Speed
    10 Mb/s Down | 2Mb/s Up
    Browser
    Google Chrome 109
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    No Windows Update/Windows Defender

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Professional x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7 3770 (non K) @ 4.45 GHZ / Ryzen 5 3600
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77 / MSI B450
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 / 16GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX 1050 Ti / GTX 970
    Screen Resolution
    x2 1920x1080
    Internet Speed
    10 Mb/s Down | 2Mb/s Up
    Browser
    Google Chrome 109
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    No Windows Update/Windows Defender
Sorry... lol




Yeah it will.


Nope. Video here :

Thanks, will try that. ...

Oops. "Could not find recovery environment, insert installation or recovery media.

This is crazy, I found an Acronis rescue disk in the drawer here, but I cant even get the PC to boot from the DVD drive. Oh wait, it's from 2013. I got nothing...
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB
Thanks, will try that. ...

Oops. "Could not find recovery environment, insert installation or recovery media.

This is crazy, I found an Acronis rescue disk in the drawer here, but I cant even get the PC to boot from the DVD drive. Oh wait, it's from 2013. I got nothing...
Maybe try to create a bootable USB?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Professional x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7 3770 (non K) @ 4.45 GHZ / Ryzen 5 3600
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77 / MSI B450
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 / 16GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX 1050 Ti / GTX 970
    Screen Resolution
    x2 1920x1080
    Internet Speed
    10 Mb/s Down | 2Mb/s Up
    Browser
    Google Chrome 109
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    No Windows Update/Windows Defender
Can I refresh Windows 8.1 online from Microsoft?

Or what if I just update it online?...

OK, I updated it, with very few folders left from me - all empty.

Now I want to upgrade to Windows 10. It says to enter a product code. Back serial label?
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus
    CPU
    FX-8310
    Memory
    DDR3 16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon R7 240 2GB

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Professional x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7 3770 (non K) @ 4.45 GHZ / Ryzen 5 3600
    Motherboard
    MSI Z77 / MSI B450
    Memory
    16GB DDR3 / 16GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX 1050 Ti / GTX 970
    Screen Resolution
    x2 1920x1080
    Internet Speed
    10 Mb/s Down | 2Mb/s Up
    Browser
    Google Chrome 109
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    No Windows Update/Windows Defender
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