Hard Drive Formatting Problem

I have a problem...

when i format my hard drive, and then reinstall windows, my drivers and so on are still on the computer.

I decided to reboot due to some annoying adware pop ups that wouldnt go away, but again these have not been removed from my computer.

The only thing that seems to have gone are the software installed.

I am selling the computer to a mate shortly aswell and would like the hard drive to be completely clean so i can reinstall the drivers for the video card etc. and get rid of the annoying adware programs installed.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Welcome to WD logie48,

1] Which OS aer u trying to install? XP/ME/2000
2] Choose the Format Hard Disk option when u Install Windows.

I'm installing windows XP but im booting from a windows millenium start up floopy, ive already formatted through command prompt and through the Xp installation disk but still the drivers remain on the computer, i never had this problem before, although it has been about a year since the last time i rebooted the computer

dont use a start up disk, the XP CD, is bootable from when u put the PC on, follow the steps and say FORMAT hd, and then install XP, also XP has built in drivers for a lot of Hardware.

i will try that

thanks for the advice

but it has the exact driver names when i go to control panel > system >device manager...

for example i have a sound blaster 5.1 live sound card and that is the driver that is on the computer, i dont think windows would install this driver...

previously i had to install all drivers when i rebooted...like the MB, soundcard etc

do you think it would help if i took all the hardware out before rebooting

I don't think you have formatted at all.

Have you partitioned the drive into more than one partition?

XP has some basic drivers for a few things...so it may recognise the sblive card correctly, just not install the full suite of drivers.

well the drivers for my motherboard, soundcard, graphic card, network card are all there, how can you check the partions on the hard drive

Go to My Computer, how many drives names after A: are listed and not including the CDROM/DVDROM. Let us know exactly

A: floppy
C: hard drive
D: cd drive

that means I partition. Try to boot from XP CD and then Choose FORMAT, better yet read this
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

info how to do a format and clean install
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm#b

ive done all this before. it goes through the format process, but when windows starts after its been installed its like it always been with the drivers still installed...could these be installed on another partion on my hard drive or what?

Then most probably (99.9%) , XP detects all the hardware you have, its not a bad thing you know!

lol yeah,

but what about the adaware, the hard drive must not be completely formated,

how can i check and delete all the partions

thanks for the help so far...its really annoying me this

u need 1 partition on one HD, u have that, so dont go there again.

The adware must be gone, if u formatted, but if u conenct to the net, chances are youre gonna get some more, and dont install and P2P(file sharing app) too, thats the BEST source of adware

You need an AV: FREE ONES: www.grisoft.com www.avast.com

To clean adware: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/
Get the Free SE version

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/
Spybot S&D