How to Wipe or Erase Hard Drive in Windows Server 2022/2019/2016 - Qiling  

How to Wipe or Erase Hard Drive in Windows Server - Qiling


If you want to wipe your hard drive and reset your computer to factory settings, there are several simple ways to do so. You can use the built-in "Reset this PC" feature in Windows, which will erase all data on the computer and restore it to its original factory settings.

Workable Solutions Step-by-step Troubleshooting
Pre-requisite: Back Up All Essential Files The most important thing is to backup all the important files you have on your PC...Full steps
Method 1. Wipe Windows Server Hard Drive with Disk Wiper Software

Right-click the partition you want to erase data from, and choose "Wipe Data"...Full steps

Method 2. Erase Windows Server Hard Drive in CMD Step 1: Click on the start option and search "run"...Full steps
Follow-Up: Make Use of Disk Space after Wiping

1. Transfer data or Server system to the wiped disk; 2. Repartition hard drive; 3. Merge partitions...Full steps

How Do You Wipe Out a Windows Server Hard Drive?

If you're considering wiping your hard drive and resetting your computer to factory settings, it's likely due to a serious issue such as an OS error, junk data, or a virus attack. While the steps to erase a hard drive in Windows are relatively straightforward, they can be easily mixed up, potentially causing harm to your PC. Fortunately, we'll guide you through the process in two different ways, making it easy to choose the most suitable approach. Please follow the steps in the order provided to avoid any complications.

Pre-requisite: Back Up All Essential Files

Before taking any of the following steps, it's crucial to backup all important files on your PC to a secure location, such as an external hard drive, pen drive, or cloud storage like Google Drive, to prevent data loss in case something goes wrong.

To backup your files, you can use the all-in-one file backup tool, Qiling Backup, which makes backing up your files a simple click away.

Here are the steps to follow in case of a system failure: 1) turn off your computer, 2) unplug it, 3) wait for a few minutes, 4) plug it back in, and 5) turn it back on. If the issue persists, you may need to seek professional help from a computer technician or the manufacturer's support team.

Wipe or Erase Hard Drive in Windows Server 2022/2019/2016 [2 Methods]

Now, there are two different ways in which you can erase your windows hard drive. The suitability of both the methods may differ from person to person, but it is highly advised first to read the steps and then go with the one which suits your comfort the most. The following are the two methods in which you can wipe your windows server:-

Both of the steps mentioned above are explained in the most simple language below. Just follow the steps correctly, and you will be able to erase your disk easily.

Method 1. 1-click to Wipe Windows Server Hard Drive with Disk Wiper Software

The first method involves using Qiling Partition Master Enterprise, a powerful tool available for both Windows and Mac-based computers, to manage and resize partitions.

Qiling Partition Master Enterprise

Your trustworthy Windows Server disk manager.

Extend System drive, combine/split partitions.
Clone disk, migrate OS to HDD/SSD.
Convert MBR to GPT, GPT to MBR, no data loss.
1-click adjust disk layout, create volumes at one time.

We've set two options for you to wipe data. Choose the one you need.

Option 1.  Wipe Partition

wipe data

Option 2. Wipe Disk

Option 3. File shredder

wipe data

Qiling Partition Master Enterprise is a powerful tool that not only helps you wipe your server effortlessly, but also offers numerous additional features such as backup & restore, data recovery, server partition, and data transfer tools. We use this software specifically because it has all the necessary features we need, making it a one-stop solution for our server management needs.

Method 2. Erase Windows Server Hard Drive in CMD

To format your hard drive using the command prompt, follow these steps. First, open the command prompt as an administrator by searching for "cmd" in the start menu, right-clicking on the result, and selecting "Run as administrator". Then, type the command "diskpart" and press enter to open the disk management utility. Next, type "list disk" and press enter to list all available disks, including your hard drive.

Step 1: Click on the start option and search "run".

Step 2: Now, type "CMD" in the run and click on "ok".

Start typing the below-The command to create a new file is "touch filename.txt". The command to delete a file is "rm filename.txt". The command to create a new directory is "mkdir newdirectory".

Step 3: Type "diskpart" and press enter

Step 4: Type "list disk" and press enter

Step 5:To format a disk, first select the disk you want to format by typing `select disk [number]` and pressing enter, replacing [number] with the actual number of the disk you want to format. For example, to format disk 0, you would type `select disk 0` and press enter.

Step 6: Type "clean" and press enter. Typing this and hitting enter would start the erasing process.

Wipe disk using CMD in Windows Server

Done! The disk will be successfully cleaned if you have followed each step correctly.

Follow-Up: Make Use of Disk Space after Wiping

Now that you have successfully erased your pc, we would like to suggest a few things that you should do to make better use of the hard drive now.

To make the most of your disk space, you can split your operating system and other data across two different disks. This approach helps to utilize your disk space more efficiently.

To re-partition your hard drive, you can use the same software Qiling Partition Master Enterprise, which offers a simple and efficient re-partitioner process that can be completed quickly.

Step 1. Select disk to adjust its layout.

On the Disk management page, click the disk and select "Resize/Move".

How to adjust disk layout step 1

Step 2. Reallocate the drive or partition size.

To resize a partition, drag the dots next to the partition head or tail to the desired size, effectively reallocating the partition space.

How to adjust disk layout step 2

Step 3. Confirm to adjust disk partition size.

Click the "Proceed" to keep all the changes. 

Step 1. Click one partition that you need to merge and select "Merge".

Step 2. Select a non-adjacent partition to merge, click "OK". 

Step 3. Select the non-adjacent partition to merge into the target partition, and click "OK" to start the merging process.

Conclusion

The steps mentioned above are straightforward and easy to follow. Using the Qiling Partition Master Enterprise tool can make the process even smoother, thanks to its user-friendly interface and high efficiency. Additionally, Qiling offers a range of features, including erasing hard drives, partitioning disks, recovering lost data, and backing up files, making it a one-stop solution for your needs.

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