Remove Windows 10, 8, 7 from Old HDD?
Remove Windows 10, 8, 7 from Old HDD?
Geeks - If you have an old hard drive with a version of Windows installed on it that you no longer need or want, you can remove it in a few simple steps.
Backup your data. Before you begin the process of removing Windows from your old hard drive, it's important to make sure that you have a backup of any important files or data that you want to keep. This will ensure that you don't lose anything important during the removal process.
Connect the old hard drive to your computer. In order to remove Windows from your old hard drive, you'll need to connect it to a computer. You can do this by using an external hard drive enclosure or by connecting it directly to your computer's motherboard using a SATA cable.
Boot from a bootable USB drive or DVD. In order to remove Windows from your old hard drive, you'll need to boot from a bootable USB drive or DVD that contains a copy of a Windows installation disc. You can create a bootable USB drive or DVD using the Windows Media Creation Tool or by using a third-party tool like Rufus.
Delete the Windows partition. Once you have booted from the bootable USB drive or DVD, you can use the Windows installation tool to delete the Windows partition on your old hard drive. This will remove Windows from the hard drive and free up the space it was using.
Format the hard drive. After you have deleted the Windows partition, you can use the Windows installation tool to format the hard drive. This will erase any remaining data on the hard drive and prepare it for use with a new operating system or for storing data.
Disconnect the old hard drive. Once you have removed Windows and formatted the hard drive, you can safely disconnect it from your computer. You can then use it to store data or install a new operating system if you wish.
It's important to note that removing Windows from an old hard drive will erase all of the data on the drive. Make sure that you have a backup of any important files before you begin the removal process.