How to wipe out everything on computer for reinstallation of Windows 7

[dynamite140]

I have a dell desktop and i have the windows 7 reinstallation CD. The few times i have reinstalled it, i just place the CD in and reinstalled it. However... each time i do this, i go check my C drive and i thing see everything wasn't deleted.

For example, my computer has 500GB. But of course its only 451GB because of the drivers etc. Well i just reinstalled windows and i see 388GB free of 451GB, which meant i still had stuff from last time that wasn't deleted... well its deleted but i read this is b/c those files are stored in those folders etc.

Can someone teach me how to completely delete everything so my computer would be like brand new? I know if everything is deleted, it would be something like 440GB free of 451GB. And yes i saved everything onto a usb drive. At the moment, my computer is reinstalled but of course it wasn't completely wiped out.

Thanks.

 

[scrooge]

when install windows 7 you should see a screen with your drives on it . click on the drive you want to use and select formate at the bottom of that screen and your done.

scrooge

 

[derekimo]

I have a dell desktop and i have the windows 7 reinstallation CD. The few times i have reinstalled it, i just place the CD in and reinstalled it. However... each time i do this, i go check my C drive and i thing see everything wasn't deleted.

For example, my computer has 500GB. But of course its only 451GB because of the drivers etc. Well i just reinstalled windows and i see 388GB free of 451GB, which meant i still had stuff from last time that wasn't deleted... well its deleted but i read this is b/c those files are stored in those folders etc.

Can someone teach me how to completely delete everything so my computer would be like brand new? I know if everything is deleted, it would be something like 440GB free of 451GB. And yes i saved everything onto a usb drive. At the moment, my computer is reinstalled but of course it wasn't completely wiped out.

Thanks.

Sounds like you still have the Windows.old folder, you can delete that to gain some space,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/19151-windows-old-folder-delete.html

If you want to do another install that will give you a fresh "Clean" system, have a look at this,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

You need to boot from the install disc for a clean install.

 

[dynamite140]

Hi that was what i did. My problem now is that i still see 388gb free out of 451gb which means i didn't delete everything in computer as in wipe it out.

Is this the link to do it?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

If so, i got lost here. I got to the part where i see disk 0, 1 , 2 , 3, and 4. Only disk 0 status is online and size is 465gb. The rest of them is no media and size is 0 and all of them are 0 Free.

So then for diskpart... i typed 0. Then a whole bunch of stuff popped up. I then typed clean all and it doesnt work. Does anyone know what im doing wrong here?

 

[dynamite140]

Hi, didn't i just that? I installed it from the CD. I put cd in when my computer was on. Then i did that whole process. But after i did that, i still have those old files stuck. So would you say its better to right now just delete that old windows file or just clean it brand new? The thing is i want it really new and im worried just deleting the old windows file now isn't exactly FRESH.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

That's where you went wrong.

Insert the CD & reboot the computer. It will now go to the setup section. There you should see you C drive. Format & install.

Be careful. When you get to the setup screen you can partition the disc to your liking. Watch out for the dell recovery partition if it has one.

Edit: If you follow that second link that derekimo supplies you can't go wrong.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The title you gave this thread is "how to wipe out everything on computer....."

Are you positive that is what you want to do?

It can be done, but are you sure that is what you want to do?

 

[derekimo]

Hi, didn't i just that? I installed it from the CD. I put cd in when my computer was on. Then i did that whole process.

Did you?

The part I highlighted above tells me you didn't.

You need to put the disc in the drive and restart your computer so that it will BOOT from the disc to get a clean install by choosing "Custom"



http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

You must have done the upgrade install if you have a Windows.old and did the install from the already booted desktop.

 

[dynamite140]

Hi. i saw that screen and yes i chosed CUSTOM.

 

[scrooge]

when using diskpart,

first type list disk
then select disk (the disk # you want to clean) ie. select disk 0
then clean all

i think you forget to select the disk when you did it.

scrooge

 

[Hipster Doofus]

After 'custom' follow the instructions closely. There are different options to go with. If you are POSITIVE you have the right drive/partition selected go with delete then create it again by following the guided setup.

 

[dynamite140]

I did. I typed 0. Or am i suppose to type #0? That was the only one that had 465gb.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

This thread is getting very confusing. Why are you trying to do diskpart? I don't get it.

 

[dynamite140]

After 'custom' follow the instructions closely. There are different options to go with. If you are POSITIVE you have the right drive/partition selected go with delete then create it again by following the guided setup.

I remember this part. All i did was choose the partition with the biggest GB space. It was the one with 400 something gb.

So at this point was i suppose to delete a partiton?

 

[dynamite140]

Im trying to get to diskpart because someone told me thats what i need to do to erase everything on computer and wipe it before clean install. Its right here.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Delete then create & away you go.

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Im trying to get to diskpart because someone told me thats what i need to do to erase everything on computer and wipe it before clean install. Its right here.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

I have never done that before.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You don't need to use Diskpart to wipe everything out.

You can wipe everything out during the installation by deleting all partitions----if that is what you truly want to do.

 

[derekimo]

How about posting a screenshot of your disk management window maximized like this,

 

[dynamite140]

So right now what is the best option. Just reinstall it again? If i just delete the old windows folder... that wouldn't make it as clean right?

sonic... I have no idea. Is that what i need to do? What i want right now is to clean my computer and wipe it fully. Is deleting the partition then what i need to do? I remembered there was 3 or 4 partititions. So you want me to delete all of them? Or just leave the big one out? Are you 100% sure i can delete it? When i was at the screen... all i remembered was it told me to pick one and thats it.