Removing Old Remains of Windows

I have a hard drive that was once a boot drive for windows(vista?). However, I eventually switched boot drives and used a utility like unlocker to remove the system and/or system32 folder and any other windows related folders as the HDD had acumulated alot of data at that point and I had no avaliable way to store a back up of the data and format it. Now I am trying to install Debian(and of course grub) to a loan SSD(former boot drive that has been formated completley), but grub still detects that the 1TB was once used for windows because if I do an install of Debian and grub with only the SSD hooked up, it does not detect windows. How can I remove all traces of windows on my 1TB? Can I back up only the data to another HHD and format the HDD then restore data? Is it possible I simply need to delete or alter the mbr of the HDD?

I realize this is partially linux related but it is also partially windows related so I hope it is ok here. I also realize this may be vista related rather then 7 related but you guys offer the best windows support on the net imo. :) If this should be moved elsewhere on the forum, my apoligies for having posted in the wrong forum.

The first thing is being able to back up all the data and files you presently have left on the former host drive before nuking it entirely. If the amount is considerable an extra drive apart from the present Windows drive would be advised such another internal if not external HD.

Once you have everything you want from it a deletion of the present primary will remove any traces of the previous Windows installation there. The drive tools on the Vista or 7 dvd can easily delete or simply reformat the former C volume to clean it off entirely. In DiskPart once you have the volume selected you can enter "format fs=ntfs quick".

If you "delete partition" in DiskPart once the volume is selected you then simply type in "create partition primary" followed by the "format fs=ntfs quick" command. Then type assign if you want it to made an active partition with a drive letter assigned by Windows or wait until you go into the Disk Management later to right click on the new volume which can be created there as well to select the change drive letter option.

Once the drive is cleaned off and the new or reformatted primary is tended to you then have a new storage drive available.

If you really are worried you could even download a freebie security tool like Eraser that will write binary zeros to the drive over and over while it is left running. That wouldn't be necessary for this however since simply deleting the primary will take care all OS files including the Vista BCD store and boot files.

Grub will only go where it is pointed to which by default is the drive where you install the distro to unless directed elsewhere by you. I install ubuntu or mostly Linux Mint Debian to larger flash drives where making the root partition the "mount point /" as well as seeing Grub installed to the removable device avoids trashing the 7 mbr!