Solved Will cleanall delete/overwrite MBR/BootSector?

[90fox]

Hello,

I did some searching and reading of tutorials and just want to make sure I understand what I'm interested in learning.

I might have been infected with some malware or virus etc and I want to wipe the drive and ensure that there are no rootkits hiding anywhere in the MBR or boot sector or at the end of the disk drive.

From what I've read, it appears that a clean or cleanall command from diskpart will do what I need.

Is this true?

Thank you in advance!

PS the tutorials are awesome. Thank you to all who contribute and take the time to put that information together for noobies like me to learn.

Best,

Fox

 

[Brink]

Hello Fox, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That's correct. Running "Clean all" will completely wipe and override the hard drive sector by sector. It'll let you start fresh again.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/52129-disk-clean-clean-all-diskpart-command.html

 

[90fox]

Perfect! Thank you for your help and quick response.

Best,

Fox

 

[AddRAM]

It takes a while, so the sooner you start the better.


clean
clean [all]
Removes any and all partition or volume formatting from the disk with focus. On master boot record (MBR) disks, only the MBR partitioning information and hidden sector information are overwritten. On GUID partition table (GPT) disks, the GPT partitioning information, including the Protective MBR, is overwritten; there is no hidden sector information.
all
Specifies that each and every sector on the disk is zeroed, which completely deletes all data contained on the disk.

 

[90fox]

Thank you for the added info addram.

I've run into a wall and was hoping I could get some additional help. If I should start a new thread please let me know. apologies in advance.

I'm trying to figure out how to perform a cleanall on my hdd installed in my laptop. I read this tutorial:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/682-command-prompt-startup.html

and to start diskpart I need to be able to access command prompt.

The tutorial gives 2 was to get into command prompt. The first way suggests using the windows install/repair disk. The problem is I do not have a windows installation or repair disc to use to boot command prompt. I have a lenovo which came with this software called onekey recovery and the factory recovery disc I burned when I first got the laptop boots into the onekey recovery software with no option for command prompt. I even tried shift+f10. no luck.

The other option it says to use is enter safe mode with cmd prompt. But if I'm running cleanall, would that eventually delete the data that the computer is using to run in safe mode cmd prompt? I don't think I can run command prompt on the "system drive". The OS will likely block that attempt right?

What options do I have?

I've read that I might need to connect my hdd to another computer via a sata adapter or something and use that other computer to run the cleanall function on my connected hdd. This can't be the only way right?

Maybe the only other feasible option is to download a copy of windows 7 and place it on a bootable USB drive? Then use that usb drive to boot windows into command prompt and then use the cleanall function?

Thank you in advance.

 

[AddRAM]

You can either download the windows 7 iso file and burn to dvd, or you can create a system repair disc on a windows 7 computer with a cd burner. Make sure you get the proper version of windows you need, either 32 or 64 bit. With or without Service Pack 1.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

A usb drive is an easy option also.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/

http://bootableusb.net/wintobootic-bootable-usb-drive-windows-vista78/

http://rufus.akeo.ie/

If you can hook it to another pc, that would really save you some time, I`ve done that

 

[90fox]

Oh duh! aha! Thank you, I think the system repair disc should do the trick. I just hope if there is any malware that it doesn't infect the repair disc and eventually end back up on my hdd after a cleanall function in diskpart.

By chance would you know the size of the repair disc? I would like to figure out how many dvd's I need. I dont have any at the moment but can stop at the store and pick up a small pack if that's what it takes to get this done right.

Again, thank you. I appreciate your help. I majored in a different subject, but I always wish I went into computer science or engineering and picked up a few programming languages. This stuff interests me very much and I enjoy learning about it through tutorials and research online.

 

[AddRAM]

It can`t infect the repair disc. But I would hope you make it on a clean pc

You only need 1 cd to create a SRD. Choose Backup and Restore in the Control Panel to make one.
Since you will only be using it to run Diskpart, I don`t think whether the pc is 32 or 64 bit matters.

 

[90fox]

Again, duh! Why can't i think of these things myself? I appreciate your patience with me. Haha My mom has a windows 7 pc which should be clean. But her version is 32bit and my version is 64bit. I don't believe it will make a difference, right?

 

[AddRAM]

Your version shouldn`t matter because you are wiping it. Make the 64 bit SRD and let us know how you make out.

The only time I`ve come across a version problem is when running startup repair or launching a disk image.

Yaay Microsoft

Can a 32 bit installer be used to launch a 64 bit image ........Hmmm, experiment time :sarc:

 

[90fox]

Nice. Seems like I'm set to roll out my first ever drive wipe and reinstall. I plan to reinstall with the factory restore disks i created with the onekey recovery back up software that came with my laptop. I figure that it's safer than the iso images for clean windows install... I don't believe there is any download from Microsoft directly.

Plus the laptop had very minimal bloatware and performed fast enough for my needs.

This is one of many problems. Apparently, because i used the battery gauge reset function which is available in the lenovo energy management software, my battery will not charge. From much research, it damages the motherboard somehow. I never thought software could damage hardware. Maybe if it didn't damage the motherboard the reinstall will correct any software errors.

Either way the only way to charge the battery is to pull out the battery, start the laptop using only charger. Once computer is on, reinstall battery. Then it charges. If at any point i unplug charger and reconnect it, it doesn't detect the charge unless i perform the battery removal and charger only startup. I suppose this is neither here nor there. Hopefully the reinstall will help.

Thanks again. Have a good night.

 

[gregrocker]

Everything needed is here to get and keep a perfect Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7. Be sure to use 64 bit licensed version if your RAM is greater than 4gb.

Boot into System Recovery Options Command Line first to wipe the HD with Diskpart Clean Command.

Feel free to ask back any questions, and pay particular attention to how drivers are handled in Win7 which are the sections in tutorial in red. Put your wireless driver in your backup so if it isn't provided during install you can install it to get online, enable Automatically deliver drivers via Windows Update (Step 3) and then run all rounds of Important and Optional Windows Updates (except Bing) until no more are offered after each reboot.

Then import any missing drivers in Device Manager from the PC's Support Downloads webpage. If any drivers cannot be found or functions you need are missing let us know.