Gateway Parts

How do I wipe the hard drive on my Gateway Solo 5350?

I have a Gateway Solo 5350 laptop that I would like to sell, so I would like to wipe the hard-drive. Can someone tell me how I can do this so that it does not cost me anything? Ok so now I've tried right clicking the C: drive and formatting it, but then a little window pops up that says "Windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities or other programs that are using this drive, and make sure that no window is displaying the contents of the drive." I have nothing else open when I'm doing this so....I'm confused.

Public Comments

1. reinstall the operating system.
2. EXTREMELY easy. Click on "My Computer". Click on "C" drive. Right click and you'll see a menu. Choose Delete. and go for it. However, if you're worried about ANY info being retrieved, you're right. Go to MajorGeeks.com andget some FREE programs to help completely clean your hard drive. It doesn't just delete, but also scrambles so that the info can't be recovered.
3. You could format it but going into My Computer and right click on the Hard Drive you want to wipe (Local Disc C it will probably be) and then select Format... then follow the instructions and it will format everything (formating isnt the same as deleting becuase if you delete everything it technically can be resolved whereas formating completely takes everthing off)
4. Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN")
5. Reformat it, go to my computer then right click the C:/ drive. It should say reformat or configure. Click that and it will delete your data. Or install a program to to the work for you.