All files of the Windows 7 operating system are stored on two local drives. To completely remove this OS from the hard drive, you must format both partitions. There are several algorithms to carry out this process.
Necessary
- - installation disk for Windows 7;
- - Partition Manager;
- - the second computer.
Instructions
Step 1
If you can connect your hard drive to a second computer, follow this procedure. After turning on this PC, open the BIOS menu and check the boot priority of the devices. Make sure that the "native" hard drive of the computer is the first in the list of hardware.
Step 2
Wait for the operating system to load and open the control panel. Go to the Administration menu. In Windows 7, this menu can be accessed through system properties. Open the Computer Management submenu.
Step 3
Find and open Disk Management. Right-click on the graphic image of the partition of your hard drive where Windows 7 is installed. Select "Format". Run the cleaning procedure for the selected volume.
Step 4
Format the boot partition in the same way. The size of this volume is usually 100 MB. After completing these steps, shut down your computer and remove the hard drive.
Step 5
If you need to delete all files without using an additional PC, then download a boot disk image with Partition Manager or Acronis Disk Director. Burn this image to a DVD disc using the Create Bootable Disc function.
Step 6
Insert the resulting disc into the drive and restart your computer. Press the F8 key and select DVD-Rom. Wait for the selected utility to start. Format the desired partitions using the program's graphical menu.
Step 7
If you have a Windows 7 installation disc, start it in DOS mode, as described in the previous step. Start installing the new OS. After opening the list of available partitions, select the system volume and click the "Format" button.
Step 8
Repeat this operation to clean up the boot partition. Exit the installer by turning off your computer.
