Mixing new/old parts

[HarmTouch]

Hello.I will be doing my first pc build.I've did quite a bit of research over the last few days before ordering the parts.I have some questions regarding windows7 and the use of my old mechanical HDD(s) with the new parts.But first i'll list what parts I got =D

i5 2500k cpu
Asus P8P67 pro mobo
8GB (2x4GB) 1600 Corsair vengeance ram
Asus gtx560 video card
Win7 home premium 64b OEM

Parts reusing:
Antec900 case
750w PS
80GB HDD
250GB HDD

Now, I've never reformatted or 'deleted' any drives before.The current drives are full of garbage and possibly a couple viruses.The 80GB drive has winXP installed, while the 250GB has random programs such as games etc.After the new parts are assembled with the old HDD for the initial POST, what steps do I take to make sure those drives are completely fresh and the 80GB hdd gtg for the win7 install? Since the core components are new I defo wanted the PC to 'be like new', including the HDD(s).

Also, what is the diffrence in deleting and formatting? And when do I need to use said method(s)? I always hear of people 'reformatting' hard drives and reinstalling windows for a fresh pc.I've only recently sen this 'deleteing' option via howto tutorials, that the people never use the format option... im a bit confused.

These "how to build a pc" tutorials i've been watching always use all new parts.So i haven't gotten a chance to be perfectly clear on what exactly it is that I need to do with these drives before installing windows.

note: I want both hdd like brandnew and want to install win7 after.Any help is appreciated.Thanks.

regards,
David

[glc]

"Zero fill" the hard drives.

Darik's Boot And Nuke | Hard Drive Disk Wipe and Data Clearing

Download the iso and burn it to a CD-R, then boot with it.

[DeViLzzz]

If there was anything you really wanted to save from the old system you could burn images of the drive or drives onto media or you could just drag the files you want to keep and burn them normally.

In terms of erasing everything off a hard drive when you reformat the drive when installing Windows 7 it will be clear through the steps that you are doing just that. It will wipe the drive clean and install the OS. Remove any partitions and whatever and then have it install to the drive.

GL with your build and have fun.

[glc]

To make the hard drive "like new" it has to be zero filled.

[Staren]

Also depending on how old the drives are, I would probobly want to run them through Spinrite or at least a chkdsk while you're at it. Starting over is a good time to make sure you still have good solid hard drives.

[Jaak]

Hi,
saving dollars on not putting in a new and much faster (electronic-wise, mostly) hard drive right away, is just postponing a cost you will want to take.

your 80 and 250 Gb are probably IDE, or a mixed bunch of IDE and sata1

Anything that says sata2 will outperform it.

I know that currently, HDD prices are way too high (compared to may 2011), but you should be able to avoid a costly upgrade (time, and money) and get a speed benefit, by looking for a new 500, or 1 Tera drive

just my opinion.
Kind regards, Jaak.

[Jaak]

I just looked at the mobo specs.

I should have done that before my earlier reply, but, I had a pretty good idea about what a P67 chip can do.

Sir, you don't want anything slower than a good spec sata2, and if you can afford the extra, get sata3.

I would not throttle that mobo with old 12 to 26MBs hard drive continuous throughput bottlenecks.
If I were you, I'd get me a good spinner, and use the old (if still reliable, as others pointed out), as a data retainer.
That 80? I'd not even put it in.

For some reason, in a mobo with 10 controller hard points on it, the slowest will make the fast one on same bus work just as slow.
(I did say, on same bus)

[Jaak]

Question for staren.

Last paid spinrite version I used was 5.x, and when I really needed it, it hung.
(got my money back. hung in drive BIOS)
I used a competitor's and another's, and then an old ghost from, well, an old dinosaur called ghost.
Used its forensics und hopla.. got that data back.

won't work in newest drives, and you will need an OLD mobo to do it on. (and DOS.)
just for your info.

[glc]

Spinrite 6.0 works on everything I've tried it on.

There's no need to go to that extreme. Before doing the zero fill, it wouldn't hurt to run manufacturer's diagnostics on them to make sure they aren't developing bad sectors.