Author Topic: How do I erase everything in my computer? (Read 2226 times)

javeryh · « **on:** September 20, 2004, 01:11:42 pm »

I just got my hands on an old computer (Pentium 1) and I want to erase everything on it and use it solely for Mame (and a front end). It has Windows installed on it among other programs. Since the computer isn't that great, I want to maximize performance (who doesn't?

).

Any suggestions? Thanks!

SirPoonga · « **Reply #1 on:** September 20, 2004, 01:15:45 pm »

Are you going to reinstall windows on it? If so seelct format drive during the installation process.

If you are going to put linux on it you can do the same during installation.

If you are going to put dos on it you may have to format the drive before you install. The setup should have something, if not you just need a boot disk (www.bootdisk.com, I suggest the windows 98 disk) and format the drive from that.

javeryh · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2004, 01:34:46 pm »

Thanks for the reply! Do you think I should I put Windows on it (would you?)? I just want to run Mame and a front end as easily as possible without anything else hogging memory. Thanks!

MonitorGuru · « **Reply #3 on:** September 20, 2004, 01:44:58 pm »

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com

Download BootItNextGeneration (BING) and run the install to place it on a floppy.

It has a real graphical GUI (not character UI) interface and lets you format, slide, copy, image (compress) burn a cd/dvd, restore from cd/dvd/partition. All of this works without limits on the downloadable version. If you pay $30 then you can also use it to do boot management where you can have it hide/unhide partitions in any order so operating systems are separated from each other so they can't even see the other installs.

This is a indispensible tool. No, it won't create a "bootable" parition with dos boot code, but it will format and do everything else with a partition you can imagine, prepping a drive for installs.

All of this on a < 1.4 meg floppy disk.. really amazing. No, I don't work for them, just a very happy customer since 1997 on their original products.

You can image a windows install to a tiny area (< 650 meg with full XP install and windows updates, so long as you turn off the swap file and hibernate area before you image with BING). Then if you need multiple identical paritions, just expand the image to various spots, size as you want, and you dont even have to reinstall windows! Very nice tool.

Thenasty · « **Reply #4 on:** September 20, 2004, 06:14:07 pm »

easy all you have to type is:

echo y | format c: /q

thats it.

or you can do FDISK

daywane · « **Reply #5 on:** September 20, 2004, 07:55:40 pm »

I thought you wanted to know how to permanently erase the hard drive.
format will still keep info on the drive and files still can be recovered kill disk is the only program I know that will really wipe the hard drive clean

MonitorGuru · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2004, 08:09:47 pm »

Yes, BootItNG has "write 0's" as well as "secure erase" IIRC. Format will not remove anything, You can easily recover every bit written to that drive if you do that!

SirPeale · « **Reply #7 on:** September 20, 2004, 08:27:01 pm »

Read again. He just wants to start fresh.

1) get bootdisk, pref. Windows 98SE. http://www.bootdisk.com

2) Boot from disk.

3) at prompt, type:

FORMAT C: /s /u

That will get you a bare, bootable drive.

Thenasty · « **Reply #8 on:** September 20, 2004, 08:29:08 pm »

if you really want to destroy it, just put under the fireplace and cook it up. Still that probably won't erase everyhing so, the best way, open it up and hammer the platters, hmmm even then it might still be recoverable.

javeryh · « **Reply #9 on:** September 20, 2004, 11:14:14 pm »

heh, yeah I just want to start fresh - there's nothing incriminating I'm trying to get rid of or anything so no fireplace or hammers

. Basically, I want as little as possible on the hard drive so the rest of the memory and processing power can go towards storing and running games. I'll try the bootdisk method I guess...

fastredpacman · « **Reply #10 on:** September 21, 2004, 03:54:24 am »

If you want a clean hard drive try Autoclave. Its found here http://staff.washington.edu/jdlarios/autoclave/
Read all the directions. It is pretty good. And like you said if there is nothing damaging you wanna erase then you could just use the first option in the program. Best of all the program is free. Just be aware the bigger the drive the longer it will take.

Mr. Dude · « **Reply #11 on:** September 21, 2004, 03:43:52 pm »

If its only a pentium 1 machine I would strongly suggest just running DOS on it. You'd probably be best off with an older version of MAME as well and maybe something like game launcher as your front end.

javeryh · « **Reply #12 on:** September 21, 2004, 04:02:04 pm »

Quote from: Mr. Dude on September 21, 2004, 03:43:52 pm

If its only a pentium 1 machine I would strongly suggest just running DOS on it. You'd probably be best off with an older version of MAME as well and maybe something like game launcher as your front end.

Wow - I was just looking at the GameLauncher website!

I've never used a front end before but I really like the look of game launcher. Right now all I've figured out how to do is Start-->Run-->type "command.com" (or something) --> DOS window appears --> change directory --> type "mame [game name]." I'm using Mame v.0.86 and all I've got is around 5 or 6 games so far... I'm just happy I was able to play Ms. Pac-man. Is Game Launcher easy to get it up and running?

Also, is this considered running mame in DOS or Windows? Thanks!!

Thenasty · « **Reply #13 on:** September 21, 2004, 11:03:24 pm »

you are srtill runing WINDOWS, thats your primary OS. Running game/MAME under the command prompt makes it WINDOW DOS BOX. YOu need to install DOS as you priimary OS to call it running MAME in pure DOS (DOS are for expert

)

javeryh · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2004, 11:11:41 pm »

yeah, I'll stick to what's easiest. I'm no expert (obviously!). Do I have to put the gamelauncher files in a certain mame folder or vice versa to get the games to work?

Thenasty · « **Reply #15 on:** September 21, 2004, 11:30:37 pm »

I do't use Gamelauncer but most/all FE have it under MAME DIR

C:\MAME
C:\MAME\ALL FRONT END PROGRAMS
C:\MAME\ROMS

etc....

Popcorrin · « **Reply #16 on:** September 22, 2004, 09:40:29 am »

You could just use fraggal's boot cd and it will format your hard drive, install dos, arcadeos, and advmame for you.

javeryh · « **Reply #17 on:** November 01, 2004, 11:47:50 pm »

I knew I asked this already... I think this weekend I'm going to finally "clean" the old P1 that I have laying around and get it ready for some classic gaming. It's been over a month since I thought about doing this - having my first kid in the mean time probably has a lot to do with it (no more free time!).

I don't want to start a new thread so I will post my progress and ask any additional questions here... The old computer might be tough to work with because it is not internet-ready so any program I download to reboot the system will have to be burned to a disc and loaded up...

paigeoliver · « **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2004, 06:21:36 am »

What speed is your computer exactly? As you could possibly be wasting your time.

Nightmare03 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 02, 2004, 07:42:32 am »

I would say no more than 90mhz

Its not worth running mame on it, you might be able to play pac-man and thats about it...

Lilwolf · « **Reply #20 on:** November 02, 2004, 08:41:03 am »

thats not really true.

if you have an older computer... Download an older version of mame. One that was considered acceptable at the time.

Sure you might miss out on some new games and some old games added later... But you will still get TONS of games to run...

The harder part is to get the roms...

javeryh · « **Reply #21 on:** November 02, 2004, 10:04:31 am »

I'm not sure what the speed is - how do I find out? I am only going to be using this computer to play 80s games - Pac-Man, Mr. Do, 1942 and the like so I don't think it has to be that powerful. I just want to start fresh with it so I can use it for nothing else but mame. I am planning to build a mini-cab eventually and give it to my goddaughter...

Crazy Cooter · « **Reply #22 on:** November 10, 2004, 05:49:12 pm »

Download and run the program "cpuid". That will tell you quite a bit about your system.

NoOne=NBA= · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2004, 07:03:49 pm »

The one caution I would add to this is to make sure you CAN boot it up after erasing everything--BEFORE you erase everything.

I had an HP Pentium 200 that I inherited from work several years ago, and it was a complete pain to load ANYTHING onto.
It had a hard drive go, and the HP guy came out, loaded a new hard drive into it, and left.

The BIOS did not support CD functions, so I had to d/l a boot disk image, burn that on a floppy, and boot from that in order to load Windows from the CD.
With a Pentium 100, there's a good chance it still thinks of CD-Rom drives as "those newfangled disc thingys".


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