How to Clean Computer Hard Drive

How to clean computer hard drive? Read the following article to learn all the basic steps to clean the hard drive of your computer.
How to Wipe Computer Hard Drive Clean
Step 1: The first step to learn how to clean computer hard drive is to locate all the important data that you will need after the cleaning or reformatting of the hard drive. Some of the data could be books of e-mail addresses, financial spreadsheets, and other documents.

Step 2: Copy the data found in the above step in a rewritable compact disc (CD). You may also use a jump drive to meet the purpose here.

Step 3: To be on the safer side, save a copy of the anti-virus programs and installation files for the firewall in a CD or a jump drive. This is a very important step to learn how to clean your computer hard drive and must be done every time you clean your computer hard drive.

Step 4: In case you have an internet connection, remove the Ethernet cable running between the computer and the modem.

Step 5: A recovery CD usually comes with the computer. Place it into the CD drive. If you don't have the recovery CD that came with your computer, you can use the web browser and navigate to a website that offers boot drive replacement files.

Step 6: Find a file that is in correspondence with your operating system. Download it and save it on a 3.5-inch floppy disc. Leave it in your computer's floppy drive.

Step 7: If your computer lacks a floppy drive, you can download an ISO version of the boot drive replacement file from the internet. Burn it on a CD and leave the CD in the drive.

Step 8: Now, you have a recovery CD, burned CD or a floppy boot disk in your computer. Whatever is present, allow it to stay in the drive and restart your computer.

Step 9: There will be a message asking whether you want to boot the computer from the disk. Press any key as an answer.

Step 10: Wait for a couple of seconds. There will appear a list of drives on the monitor. Highlight the C:/ drive and click on it or press enter.

Step 11: Again, there will be a list of entries on the monitor. Highlight the entry 'Unpartitioned Drive' and press enter or click on it to open.

Step 12: Now, you will find a list of entries along with a message saying what type of format you want the hard drive to use. Select the entry 'NTFS'.

Step 13: The computer will reinstall. Wait and allow your computer to complete reinstallation. Once all is done, follow the instructions displayed on the screen to set the date and time. Connect the Ethernet cable coming from the modem with your computer. This will connect it to the internet.

Step 14: Reinstall the anti-virus and firewall program that you saved before starting with the task of cleaning your computer hard drive.