How to Format or Reset a Computer with Windows XP Cassette by KShare


Warning - Formatting hard drive information does not permanently erase the data. Even after a computer has been formatted, deleted files can be easily recovered. If you want to permanently wipe your hard drive by completely overwritting hard drive data, check out WipeDrive.

  1. The first step in learning how to format a computer with Windows XP or 2000, is to insert Windows CD and restart your computer.

  2. Your computer should automatically boot from the CD to the Windows Setup Menu.

  3. At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER.

  4. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.

  5. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you are prompted to repair it. To bypass the repair, press ESC.

  6. Use the ARROW keys to select the partition or the unpartitioned space where you want to create a new partition. Press D to delete an existing partition, or press C to create a new partition.

  7. Type the size in megabytes (MB) that you want to use for the new partition, and then press ENTER, or just press ENTER to create the partition with the maximum size.

  8. Select the format option that you want to use for the partition (Recommended: NTFS), and then press ENTER.

  9. After the Windows Setup program formats the partition, follow the instructions that appear on the screen to continue installing Windows.


Format Laptop Without Windows Installation USB/CD



  • Step 1. Start your computer, then press F8 or F11 before Windows loads.

  • Step 2. Click “Next” to enter System Recovery. There are two options for choose. If you have already backed data up, a Destructive Recovery will help you get a brand-new laptop.

  • Step 3. The utility will complete the formatting and restart your laptop. Just wait patiently until the last.


Tip: If you haven’t saved anything of the laptop disk before formatting, there is still great chance to recover lost files/photos/videos from laptop using professional data recovery software like RePicvid Free Photo Recovery.

WipeDrive: Wipe All Data Before Formatting


Deleted files can be recovered even after a computer has been formatted!

A recent study of 129 old hard drives (many of them formatted) revealed more than 5,000 credit card numbers, medical correspondences, love letters, pornography, bank account information, and other confidential data. To protect yourself from identity theft, erase ALL data before formatting a hard drive.

Do you need to know:



  • How to format a computer before selling or donating a system.

  • How to format a computer to erase personal data before returning it to an employer.

  • How to format a computer with an operating system damaged by viruses or spyware.

  • How to format a computer in compliance with government regulations (including HIPAA).


Learn how to format a computer to US Department of Defense specifications. WipeDrive is one of only five DoD approved products that knows how to format a computer using the DoD 5220.22-M standard for disk sanitation. This standard involves far more than an ordinary drive format and includes multiple overwrites with random characters.