Trouble completely wiping HDD

I had some unusual things get on my computer, not sure what they were but it blocked access to various websites and a few other unusual things. I decided to do a clean install of XP, even deleted the partition and reformatted. But apparently windows seems to save a lot of stuff anyway, links from internet explorer, at least some of them were saved, and I still have blocked access to particular websites. Apparently XP looks for information on the hard drive from previous installs. Is there anything that can be done to totally wipe all information out... other than installing a brand spanking new hard drive? Thanks in advance for any info.



Very Stumped,





Hector

Did you install a firewall after each format? It could possibly be blocking access to some sites...which specific sites are you trying to access?

NO.. I did not install the firewall....i don't know maybe its a setting on my nic... or my provider.. certain sites are blocked.. like providianonline.com, and some others... I also can basically not use peer to peer networks.. however i have no trouble with gaming....



Hector

Do a google search for a FREE program called "Active KILLDISK". Download the program, run it and it will put a load of files on a floppy disk, boot from the floppy and BANG, 1 hour later there is absolutely nothing on your HDD. 100% to work.

that should not happen, are you sure that you selected to correct format option in xp setup?



dragon2309 makes a good point but instead you could just make a boot disk, copy on format.com (in system32), boot from floppy and use a:\>format c: that will get rid of everything.



Then install xp from cd as per normal.

Yep, that would do pretty much the same thing, apart from the format.com method actually leaves 0's on the disk (binary 0's that is), with active killdisk it literally burns out the whole HDD platter which is why it takes so much longer.



Using killdisk will render your HDD back into the state which you bought it from the manufacturer.