0xE0000100 How do I 'completely wipe entire hard disk'

I am suffering the Error code: 0xE0000100 while attempting to do a 'Custom Install' of Windows 7. My problem is a corrupt MBR etc. which I caused by deleting the first partition on the disk! I have read the thread 'Installation error' in this forum and it is clear that I need to 'completely wipe the entire hard disk'. How do I do this as there appear to be 2 invalid partitions on the disk (which don't have disk letters or names).

So how do I go about 'completely wiping the hard disk'.

Thanks

Geoff

formula400 said:

So how do I go about 'completely wiping the hard disk'.

Something like Parted Magic can do it.

Securely erase your entire hard drive, wiping it clean from all data.

P.S. - You probably only need to wipe out the first 512 bytes, because that's where the MBR lives. Wiping the whole disk will work too but it will take much longer.

I suppose any prior OS is already gone, so have you tried the Disk Options button on the bottom right of the partition screen during the install?

Hi Sup3rsprt and Saltgrass,

I couldn't use the Disk Options because I got the error message before getting to that screen.

I still had Vista and a Windows 7 RC installation working on 2 partitions. I had Paragon Disk Manager trial installed on the Windows 7 RC partition. I used Paragon to delete the 'second' of the 2 'invalid' partitions. It then became possible to assign a disk letter to the other invalid partition. I guess that must have been the 'invalid' Windows 7 RC that I had been able to run.

Anyway, I could now do a custom Windows 7 install without getting the error!!

So, WIndows 7 is now installed. I'm taking it slowly, making disk images every step along the way. Paranoid? - possibly.

Thanks for your swift responses,

Geoff

Well, then you could have used either the Win 7 RC or the Vista Disk Management to fix it.

Oh well, as long as it works. Sometimes I think folks are so used to not being able to manipulate partitions because of prior versions of Windows, they don't realize what can be done.