Reformatting Windows 98SE hard-drive

Okay, here's my problem.

I have an old IBM Aptiva Windows 98SE which needs to be reformatted before it is sold. It did not come with a Windows Disk (it was pre-installed), and only comes with a "Product Recovery and Diagnostics" Disk. I've tried reformatting from the above disk, but all it does is reinstalls the Windows 98 files - it does not delete the other crap.

How can I delete all the junk on my PC and restore the original settings without a Windows 98 disk? I've called the shop I bought it from, but they do not have any "technical" people there (tech. support is open tomorrow, I need to sell the PC today). The guy on the phone was pretty confident that the Product Recovery and Diagnostics Disk was the solution.

Well, this is how I formate HDDs that refuse to be formated in Windows:

Put any XP or Vista installation Disk into the CD drive, make sure your PC boots on this drive (via Bios).

Run the installation procedure to the point where you have to select which harddrive you want to install it on (you won't have to install it).

There you have the option to delete the existing partition. Do so, and it will say something like:
Unpartitioned Space: "Your hdd's size"

Ok, now abort the installation, start Windows.

Now go to the diskmanagement (diskmgmt.exe in the windows folder), and look for the unpartitioned space. Format it as NTFS....

Done!

Yeha I know how to do it for Win XP... I did it an easier way than you though!

Yea this is the hard way, as I said, sometimes the Disks refuse to be formated under XP for ominous reasons (The disk is still in use, this disk contains system files etc)
Then I delete it with the CD, and format it in XP...

If you've got something that old, chances are you've probably still got a floppy diskette drive hanging around in there - if you don't have a copy of XP, make a boot disk for 98 (or you can do a google for the Universal Windows Boot Disk - I know it's out there!). Once you've created the boot disk, you can then start your computer up with just that disk.

Since you mentioned that you've tried re-installing Windows 98, I'll just assume having a copy of that isn't a problem, so here's your big warning: IF YOU DO THIS YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING ON THE DRIVE. PERIOD. I am constantly amazed by the number of people that don't understand the concept that Formating a hard drive means wiping everything.

That being said, once you get the command prompt to come up, type fdisk. This command will come up with a small program that asks you what you want to do. It's pretty self-explanatory from there, but here's the basic steps: Delete your current disk partition, create a new partition, and then it should automatically ask to format the drive. You may be able to do it manually - it's been quite some time since I've had to do this myself, but I do know it doesn't take a rocket scientist to perform the operation.

Hope this helps.

Using the recovery cd will wipe out everything on the HD and reinstall everything on it that was installed in the factory. By the way Aptivas are so old now they don't even make them anymore I belive.