Simple formating question

[StickEGreenleaf]

Not to long ago my father was having computer problems and at that same time I had just built my own computer. I had a second drive which I hadn't the need for, so he made that drive a backup for his old computer.

It seems that everytime I run a virus, trojan, adware scanner something always shows as infected. I swear I have quarantined the entire drive. Anyways, I have moved out of my house and now need that drive for school, editing, and general space.

My question is, which is the best way to format this drive? I don't want a trace of the older files on it because, as I stated, it is riddled with more viruses than a $2 whore.

I know you can put the Windows boot CD in to format a drive, but since this is an extra drive, that I don't need windows on, what is the best way to do it? Just a simple Right Click->Format? Thanks for your help, PCMechers.

[spyder003]

You can do a right click and format, but the most efficient way would be to use the zero fill utility from the drive manufacturer. Download it from the manufacturer's website and it will write all the 1's back to 0's, restoring the drive to same condition it was when it was new.

[Cricket]

You can also run KillDisk (http://www.killdisk.com/) on it...it's a hard drive eraser.

:) Cricket

[StickEGreenleaf]

Maxtor states that it doesn't have any factory low-level format but recommends MaxBlaster 3

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/Maxtor/menuitem.3c67e325e0a6b1f6294198b091346068/?channelpath=/en_us/Support/Software%20Downloads/ATA%20Hard%20Drives&downloadID=57

Is this the same thing? And will this get my drive completely clean?

[sigmaseven]

Try this:

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=110826&highlight=darik%27s+boot+nuke

[StickEGreenleaf]

What I'm concerned about is, will I get the option to erase my E drive (second drive). I'm scared that using one of these programs will take it upon itself to whipe my C drive, which I need.

[rjfvillarosa]

What I'm concerned about is, will I get the option to erase my E drive (second drive). I'm scared that using one of these programs will take it upon itself to whipe my C drive, which I need.
If the hard drive you want to wipe is a Maxtor, then download Powermax from the maxtor site and install it to a floppy disk, install the drive you want to clean in your machine and disconnect the IDE or power cable from the drive you want to keep. Reboot the machine with the floppy in place and powermax will launch its utility in DOS, it will detect the hard drive then give you the options to check the drive for errors and to do a low level format.
Since you want to use the hard drive for back ups, running both utilities would be a good idea.