Windows 10: Format complete hard drive

I have a hard drive with an older windows 10 version and some other partitions. I want to totally reformat the drive and reinstall windows 10. The Device Manager will list only the partitions and not the complete drive. Do I have to format it from a dvd or another hard drive or can it be reformatted from the Media Creation Tool or ?

:)

 

Hard Drive Complete Format and Clean Windows 10 Install

I am running a Gateway SX-2185 that originally came with Windows 8 preinstalled with NO installation disk. I upgraded to Windows 10 Home during the "free" upgrade window. Now I want to take the computer to pristine condition by reformatting the hard drive
and reinstalling Windows 10. When I try to "RESET" the computer, I get the error message "Could Not Find The Recovery Environment." When I try to download the Windows ISO file (create Windows 10 installation media), I get directed to

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10. This is a dead link, with nothing on the page directing me elsewhere. I am at a loss as to where to go from here. I shouldn't have to buy a new PC or even a new piece of software to do this.

Processor: AMD E1-2500 APU with Radeon Graphics 1.40 GHz

Installed Memory (RAM) 4.00 gig

System type 64-bit Operating System, x-64 based processor

Windows edition Windows 10 home

Windows is activated with a valid ID

I am at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions??? All help will be GREATLY appreciated.

***Post has been moved by the moderator to the right forum category***

 

Hard Drive Complete Format and Clean Windows 10 Install

From a working computer, you can use the Media Creation Tool to download and create a bootable copy:

Step 1: How
to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2:

• How to: Perform a clean install of Windows 10

 

Hello Funkyecat, *Smile

If you like, booting from your Windows 10 installation media and doing a normal clean install will completely wipe the disk of all partitions before installing Windows 10 to it.

*Arrow Clean Install Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

I don't have the installation media. Maybe create recovery USB.?

 

This will be a problem.

You can reformat the disk but if you don't have installation media what are you going to do?

You can reset Windows without reinstalling but that will not reformat the disk - see here Reset Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

If you reformat the disk you must have some installation to put on it or it will remain empty.

 

You could use Option One in the tutorial below to create an installation USB with MCT.

*Arrow Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

One issue is that when I perform a complete reinstall, the compotor setting in Bioe in RAID and I am unable set it to AHCI.

 

Switch the setting to AHCI and then boot from your install media, such as a flash drive. The Media Creation Tool will create a flash drive for you.

 

I was told that you have to format the HD. It cannot be done. I'll try to reinstall win 10, Initially it will not boot from a USB via MCT.

 

Double check using the tutorial below to see if it may help to boot from the USB created by MCT.

*Arrow Boot from USB Drive on Windows 10 PC Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

No, you don't have to format the HD. If you boot from USB it doesn't care what is on any of your hard drives and AHCI is a BIOS not a Windows setting.

Assuming you can boot from your USB you can delete all partitions at that point (either from Windows Installer or any other bootable USB).

 

I know, but ut won't work unless you format the drive. I was told by an expeert and have tried it many times.

 

They were wrong.

You can install Windows on a drive formatted anything by destroying the partition table.

You can boot the installer USB with no HD connected at all.

 

There are more then one partitions.