How to format my hard drive and delete all partitions?

[Kyle4]

I have no OS on my pc and I NEED to format it. Can I boot from a USB or CD and format it from there? I want everything deleted. Something happened to my computer and I need to delete everything. I had nothing on there, so I'm not gonna lose anything and don't need to backup anything.

[WAWood]

Kyle4

I recommend the use of a third-party tool known as Minitool Partition Wizard. This is a free partitioning tool and you should download their Boot CD ISO file to a local drive: https://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html

Once you have this, you have a choice of media to create:
1) If you can boot from CD, download and install ImgBurn and use the Write Image to Disk option to create a bootable CD.
2) If you can boot from USB, download and install RUFUS and use the option to create a bootable USB stick from the ISO file.

Boot your PC with the media you created. You should now be able to do partition changes without problems.

Good Luck

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[Kyle4]

If I burn the ISO image to my 32GB flash drive, will I be able to format it? I don't want that on my flash drive FOREVER, so I can format it after using it?

[WAWood]

OK, two things ...

First, you don't "burn the ISO" to a flash drive.  If you simply copy the ISO file to the drive, that will accomplish nothing.

Instead, you have to use RUFUS to create a bootable flash drive from the ISO file.

Second, once you have used the flash drive, you are free to reformat it however you want.

Good Luck
========================================================================
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor do I represent, HP.
---------------------------------------------------------------
If my posts helped you, please click the Thumbs-Up symbol on my post to say thanks.
If my posts solved your problem please click "Accept As Solution".
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