To any that answer, Thanks VERY much in advance!I just bought a new HD the other day. Spent all day installing it, but it was buggin me!!!Here is my question:HOW can I COMPLETELY wipe the hard drive, and start over with a 320GB unpartitioned space, SO I can PROPERLY install how I want it?THANKS!

I meant for this to be in teh HARDWARE FORUM!

Hi There,I use Partition Magic 8 by Symantec, to partion all my drives into Operating System, Page File and Game file folders. That way I can have as many virtual drives as I need, and can resize them as necessary. My FS2004 folder is currently 70Gb and growing!If you buy this program and are running XP make sure your run Chkdsk/f (If you don't know what this is read up on it carefully)before resizing partions or you will get stuck in a BSOD loop. You will then need to boot of you XP disc to fix it. I have done this by accident twice, and it is very scary the first time it happens!regards,Damunn

is there not a way I can just erase the whole HD, and start over again?

Hi,If I recall correctly with Windows setup, you can remove/create new partitions (FDISK) on your harddisk. ALL exisiting data will be REMOVED. Aftwards you have to format any created partitions (Primary & secundairy if you create one)Your Windows (setup) should be on a bootable CD.Be advised:I'm not an expert so before doing anything: Google and do some more extensive reading.Everything on your own risk.BTW:Did you replace you excisting drive or added a new one next to your excisting one? If the latter, you should just format the new one.

Hi,I just replaced the old one. The new one is installed now. All I want to do is totally erase the new HD...as if making it so it was just out of the box. Then I could just install windows again and be happy :(

is this a secondary HD? If so, then it's pretty easy.if XP can see it, then right click the drive and select format drive. Everything will be erased.If XP can't see it, but you've connected it correctly, then go to Admin tools/manage devices and you should see your HD there. Now you can format it and set up any partitions.Some Bios also allow you to forma the drive. Boot into your bios, and there will be a page displaying your HD setup. Some will allow you to format them. *** always becareful when it comes to formats. Make sure you are on the correct drive. It's easy to accidently format the wrong one.-feng

Hi,I only have the one drive. I just want it erased, to factory settings. I have everything I need on an external HD, so that is not a problem. I tried the format thing via right clicking the drive, but it said "It is running utilities and blah blah" and it would not do it :(.Maybe i'll try the admin tools. Will that completely erase it?EDIT: I'm not understanding this admin tools way? You mean via Control panel?

Boot off your WinXP CD and start the Windows install. Early in the install process you'll be given the option to format the disk to the full partition size. Doug

>HOW can I COMPLETELY wipe the hard drive, and start over with>a 320GB unpartitioned space, SO I can PROPERLY install how I>want it?>I have a Hitachi disc and they have special test programs that boot from a FD and can do this among other things.

Another possibility is going to the manufacturer of your HD's homepage, download their HD tool and let it write zeros to the drive. I.e. Seatools for Seagate HDs, PowerMax for Maxtor HDs, etc. AFAIK, some (if not most?) of them will require a floppy drive present. Good luck Jaap

Get a copy of Win 98 ;) and use fdisk to do it.

I've tried using the Window's disk, but it just keeps saying "Can't delete partition, because files needed are on it"I will try again, and will look at maybe going to Western Digital's site and giving that a shot as well!Thanks for the tips so far!

Hi there,You may have tried this already but when I bought my 160GB WD it came with a utilities dist that also containged some instructions on how to format the disk properly so that xp would recognize the disk at the correct volume. I have not checked but this utility disk may have the correct formatting program for you to use on it. Hopefully this will help. Best of luck figuring it out.Tony

I have a document that came from www.resnet.uni.edu/docs/reformatxp.html that I have used to guide me through what you are trying to do. Unfortunately the link no longer works but you may be able to find the document reformatxp.html elsewhere. It might even be a Microsoft document. It was actually quite easy as the document was crystal clear on walking me through the procedure.I know nothing about computers but that document got me re-formatted and installed windowsXP twice, once into an acquired computer that had Chinese Windows XP on it and another time when I threw in the towel after my one and only virus experience. The windows XP disk did most of the work.