[Trailslug46]

We received a laptop from my sister-in-law that is full of bugs and constantly flipping to blue screen and rebooting. It currently has the XP o/s and I would like to wipe it out and start fresh. Has anyone used the dban program, is there a better choice?

 

[jonKranked]

just reinstall windows and format the c drive during install.

but check it for pr0n first.

 

[sanjuro]

 

[IH8Rice]

 

[johnbryanpeters]

And formatting when installing the operating system does the job as well as it need be done.

 

[H8R]

We received a laptop from my sister-in-law that is full of bugs and constantly flipping to blue screen and rebooting. It currently has the XP o/s and I would like to wipe it out and start fresh. Has anyone used the dban program, is there a better choice?

Use:

http://ubuntu.com

to create a live CD that you can boot into. You can check/retrieve any files off the drive before you format it.

When ready, just hit install.

 

[dante]

Use:

http://ubuntu.com

to create a live CD that you can boot into. You can check/retrieve any files off the drive before you format it.

When ready, just hit install.

This. We installed this on an old TiBook, and we were able to run the OS off of the CD drive, and then install when we were confident that it was going to work.

And definitely check for pr0n before wiping the HD.

 

[splat]

get ghost

the command

gdisk wipe

Meets DoD standards for disk cleaning

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Use:

http://ubuntu.com

to create a live CD that you can boot into. You can check/retrieve any files off the drive before you format it.

When ready, just hit install.

He said operating system, not nightmare.

 

[dante]

He said operating system, not nightmare.

Actually, he did say "nightmare", he referenced Windows XP.

 

[jonKranked]

but check it for pr0n first.

just a reminder

 

[w00dy]

Use:

http://ubuntu.com

to create a live CD that you can boot into. You can check/retrieve any files off the drive before you format it.

When ready, just hit install.

One more vote for this. Problem free for several years now.
Just be sure to get VLC player so it will play DVDs. It's free, as is almost everything for linux.

 

[DirtyMike]

get ghost

the command

gdisk wipe

Meets DoD standards for disk cleaning

This one, makes Ubuntu look terrible.

Sadly, when formatting your not actually erasing anything, just letting the program know its ok to overwrite onto it....... Ghost will actually go through and remove the data.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Actually, he did say "nightmare", he referenced Windows XP.

XP wasn't fabulous to be sure... but I deal with Linux as an admin on a regular basis and I wouldn't recommend people generally fvck with it unless:

1) They have an aptitude for computer work
2) They don't mind fvcking with it endlessly to make things work
3) Aren't afraid of fvcking around with "config" files
4) Don't mind occasionally screwing the pooch and having to reinstall

YMMV.

 

[SkaredShtles]

This one, makes Ubuntu look terrible.

Sadly, when formatting your not actually erasing anything, just letting the program know its ok to overwrite onto it....... Ghost will actually go through and remove the data.

Yeah - but the OP just wants to "wipe" the drive to "start fresh" - running a Win 7 install and selecting to format the OS drive will work just fine.

 

[DirtyMike]

If its bluescreening with windows xp due to virus's... It may not, ran across that a few times were the info from the virus remained, and found its way back in when that sector was reused