# Need to wipe hard drive... and can't **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015 "2006-04-03T03:41:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/1 "2006-04-03T03:41:40Z")
I need to wipe my hard drive. When I type the dreaded format c: in the Windows XP command line, I get the expected warning. I’m then told I can’t because something’s using the C: drive. I’m asked if I want to “dismount.” That’s even after I’ve used the task manager to shut down everything I can shut down. So I figure, why the hell not… I’m wiping anyway. However, even if I say yes to dismount, I’m told I can’t do that either. Next step: try uninstalling Windows XP so I can go straight to DOS when I boot. But on the add/remove list, Windows XP isn’t there! Of course, if Windows XP offers a way to exit to a plain DOS prompt, it’s keeping mum. So is there anything else I can do less extreme then, I don’t know, detonating an atom bomb four miles above my hard drive? ---
**Author:** ![SlickRoenick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@SlickRoenick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlickRoenick)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/2 "2006-04-03T03:46:01Z")
> [@Engywook](#): > > So is there anything else I can do less extreme then, I don’t know, detonating an atom bomb four miles above my hard drive? Purchase some wiping software. It should be able to wipe the empty space. If you want to wipe the entire hard disk, then you will have to slave it into another system or use an external hard drive case (kinda the same thing as slaving, but different connections) and format in a different computer first, then wipe once you load the software onto it. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/3 "2006-04-03T03:48:31Z")
Just make an MS-DOS boot disk. From Window’s Help File: > [@](#): > > Insert a floppy disk into your computer’s floppy drive. > > Open My Computer, and then click the floppy disk drive to select it. > > On the File menu, point to the name of the floppy drive, and then click Format. > > Under Format options, click Create an MS-DOS startup disk. > > Click Start Also copy the file “Format” found in your WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 directory to the disk. Say bye bye to the data on your hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/4 "2006-04-03T03:50:00Z")
[DBAN](http://dban.sourceforge.net/) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/5 "2006-04-03T03:51:06Z")
I should note when you boot using the boot disk you will come to a prompt at which point you can type “FORMAT C:” to start the process. Usually the setup disks to install (or re-install) an operating system allow you to format the drive so you could try that too. ---
**Author:** ![Squee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@Squee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squee)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/6 "2006-04-03T03:56:37Z")
If you do choose the DBAN route, let me just emphasize what is said on the top of the page: > [@](#): > > **DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.** So if you have any slaved drives that you want to retain data on, remember to disconnect them before using. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/7 "2006-04-03T04:13:13Z")
It sounds like you’ve got Windows XP loaded and then are attempting to format the C: drive. Windows is preventing you from doing that, and generally, that’s a good thing, since you’re running Windows on the C: drive. As others suggested, you need to boot from a disk other than your hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/8 "2006-04-03T04:16:12Z")
Ooooor you could drill a hole in the drive, pour a little CLR (Calcium Lime and Rust remover) in there and power the drive up. I hear it makes the Harddrive a doorstop. 🙂 I’ll second DBAN as a solution. I haven’t used it, but I use a similar utility on our Forensics box when decomissioning servers. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/9 "2006-04-03T04:40:57Z")
> [@Unintentionally Blank](#): > > I’ll second DBAN as a solution. I haven’t used it, but I use a similar utility on our Forensics box when decomissioning servers. I third DBAN, I use it a lot at work, it’s very simple. Make the bootable CD and you’re ready to go. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/10 "2006-04-03T04:52:34Z")
You can boot from your Windows XP installation CD (but you _might_ need to alter a setting in the BIOS first). Then select the option to do a complete re-install of Windows. At some point it will give you the option to chhose which drive to install to, and optionally to format the drive first. After the format completes just cancel the install. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-wipe-hard-drive-and-cant/351015/11 "2006-04-03T15:15:48Z")
Note that the maker of your HD will have a disk setup utility disk (if you don’t have it, you can get it from their website). One of the options should be a destructive test of the drive. It will write patterns of bits over the data in order to test it. Of course the original is gone. It may not wipe the data out to DoD spec, but it’s plenty good enough for most of us and if you already have the setup software, just use it.