How to Format C From a Windows Setup Disc
This is easy, but it will probably take several minutes or longer to format C using a Windows Setup disc. Here’s how. When you format C, you remove your entire operating system. This means that when you restart your computer and attempt to boot from your hard drive, it will not work because there’s no longer anything there. What you’ll get instead is a BOOTMGR is missing or an NTLDR is missing error message, meaning there was no operating system found. Watch for the Press any key to boot from CD or DVD message after your computer turns on and be sure to do that. If you don’t see this message but instead see the Windows is loading files message, that’s fine, too. Change any language, time, or keyboard options if you need to and then select Next. If you’re using the Windows 7 install disc, you can skip down to Step 6. If you’re using the Windows 7 disc, choose Custom (advanced) followed by Drive options (advanced). Select OK. When the cursor turns back into an arrow, the format is complete. You’re not otherwise notified that the format is over. You can now remove the Windows Setup DVD and turn off your computer.
Tips & More Help
When you format C from a Windows setup disc, you don’t truly erase the information on the drive. You only hide it (and not very well) from a future operating system or program! This is because a format performed this way from the setup disc is a “quick” format that skips the write-zero portion performed during a standard format. If you want to actually erase the data on your C drive and prevent most data recovery methods from being able to resurrect it, you’ll need to wipe your hard drive.
