How can i wipe windows 8 without a screen?

Orange Furball · 01:33 PM

Hello all, i broke my laptop, and sold it on eBay. I had connected it to an external monitor before to click the erase PC option that deletes all user data while keeping Windows 8 on the device (i was thrilled to see this option in windows finally)

So i did it.

Monitor went blank. And i cant see the image on the screen. I restarted a few times and all that but i cant get it to come on the screen to verify the wipe.

Help!!!!!

TedM · Mar 12, 2013, 06:22 PM

That is bad times. Have you tried another monitor. My theory is you succeeded in wiping the computer and its missing drivers which is why the screen won't show up. It really sucks you can't tell what's going on. Thank god replacement screens aren't too bad.

Orange Furball · Mar 12, 2013, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TedM

That is bad times. Have you tried another monitor. My theory is you succeeded in wiping the computer and its missing drivers which is why the screen won't show up. It really sucks you can't tell what's going on. Thank god replacement screens aren't too bad.

It cant be missing drivers because i used the built in feature to only remove user programs and files not drivers.

I cant replace the screen because i already sold it and bought another laptop :/

spencers · Mar 13, 2013, 09:55 AM

Got access to another laptop/Windows computer? Put the drive in it and reinstall Windows

0dev · Mar 13, 2013, 04:46 PM

Pull the hard drive out, stick it in an enclosure, plug it into another machine, wipe it, boot from it, install Windows, put it back in the laptop. Result!

If you didn't encrypt your data I'd recommend zeroing out the drive when you wipe it too so your data can't be recovered.

Orange Furball · Mar 13, 2013, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0dev

Pull the hard drive out, stick it in an enclosure, plug it into another machine, wipe it, boot from it, install Windows, put it back in the laptop. Result!

If you didn't encrypt your data I'd recommend zeroing out the drive when you wipe it too so your data can't be recovered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spencers

Got access to another laptop/Windows computer? Put the drive in it and reinstall Windows

How can i do this without disks? Its Windows 8 were talking about, Windows 8 is a diskless world :sly:

0dev · Mar 13, 2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orange Furball

How can i do this without disks? Its Windows 8 were talking about, Windows 8 is a diskless world :sly:

What media is it on? If you have to rely on an installation partition on the hard drive then it should be easy enough if you boot from that drive on another computer, yeah. Don't wipe the drive if you do it this way though obviously.

cuestakid · Mar 13, 2013, 10:44 PM

here are direct links to various Windows 8 installers.

http://www.sajedul.com/2012/10/windo...-download.html

you can download and burn one of those to a DVD or usb drive.

Note these are the generic installers, so any additional special applications that came with the machine wont be there (you will likely have drivers that will work just fine).

waloshin · Mar 14, 2013, 01:21 AM

Take the hard drive out and smash it.

Orange Furball · Mar 15, 2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waloshin

Take the hard drive out and smash it.

This will happen soon if i don't figure this out

roadbloc · Mar 15, 2013, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waloshin

Take the hard drive out and smash it.

This. Or at least take it out and shove it in another computer that has a working screen.

Orange Furball · Mar 15, 2013, 12:45 PM

All of my other computers can't boot off of this. I have one more to try but all others failed so far

Zombie Acorn · Mar 16, 2013, 11:12 AM

Have you tried hooking a keyboard and mouse up and closing the lid after powering on? It might auto default to the external.

Orange Furball · Mar 16, 2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Have you tried hooking a keyboard and mouse up and closing the lid after powering on? It might auto default to the external.

That puts it into sleep mode :/

Zombie Acorn · Mar 16, 2013, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orange Furball

That puts it into sleep mode :/

Sleep mode is typically a Windows feature, are u powering it all the way off before trying this? Do you get a splash screen?

I'm talking about hitting power and closing the lid immediately.

Orange Furball · Mar 16, 2013, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Sleep mode is typically a Windows feature, are u powering it all the way off before trying this? Do you get a splash screen?

I'm talking about hitting power and closing the lid immediately.

Ill try this now then

Orange Furball · 01:32 PM

Thank you. My god thank you!!

Never mind. Cant get past the attempting repairs thing. I went to advanced and then to continue to windows 8. I'm just stuck in a loop. Crap

Mar 12, 2013, 06:15 PM	#1
Orange Furball macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Scranton, PA, USA	How can i wipe windows 8 without a screen? Hello all, i broke my laptop, and sold it on eBay. I had connected it to an external monitor before to click the erase PC option that deletes all user data while keeping Windows 8 on the device (i was thrilled to see this option in windows finally) So i did it. Monitor went blank. And i cant see the image on the screen. I restarted a few times and all that but i cant get it to come on the screen to verify the wipe. Help!!!!! Attached Thumbnails __________________ Hackintosh: Intel Core i5 2310 2.9GHz Quad Core, 8GB RAM, 64GB Boot SSD, 1TB OS X storage drive, 250GB Windows 7 drive, two DVD drives, running Mac OS X 10.8.1 Last edited by Orange Furball; Mar 16, 2013 at 01:33 PM.
	0

Mar 12, 2013, 06:22 PM	#2
TedM macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: California	That is bad times. Have you tried another monitor. My theory is you succeeded in wiping the computer and its missing drivers which is why the screen won't show up. It really sucks you can't tell what's going on. Thank god replacement screens aren't too bad. __________________ http://www.yourpoetic.com/
	0

Mar 13, 2013, 09:55 AM	#4
spencers macrumors 68000 Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Fayetteville, AR	Got access to another laptop/Windows computer? Put the drive in it and reinstall Windows __________________ Mac user since the late 80's MacBook Air 13" 1.7ghz i5 128GB \| iPhone 5 16GB AT&T \| iPad 3 16GB Verizon
	0

Mar 13, 2013, 10:44 PM	#8
cuestakid macrumors 65832 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Fran	here are direct links to various Windows 8 installers. http://www.sajedul.com/2012/10/windo...-download.html you can download and burn one of those to a DVD or usb drive. Note these are the generic installers, so any additional special applications that came with the machine wont be there (you will likely have drivers that will work just fine). __________________ 15in 2.2ghz i7SB, 750GB HD,16GB RAM Apple TV Hockey PuckiPhone 4S 32GB Verizon iPad3 WiFi 32GB
	0

Mar 14, 2013, 01:21 AM	#9
waloshin macrumors 68030 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: in my world.	Take the hard drive out and smash it. __________________ My Site Come Check It Out! 2011 Macbook Air 13 1.7" i5
	1

Mar 13, 2013, 04:46 PM	#5
0dev macrumors 68040 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: 127.0.0.1	Pull the hard drive out, stick it in an enclosure, plug it into another machine, wipe it, boot from it, install Windows, put it back in the laptop. Result! If you didn't encrypt your data I'd recommend zeroing out the drive when you wipe it too so your data can't be recovered.
	0

Mar 15, 2013, 12:45 PM	#12
Orange Furball Thread Starter macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Scranton, PA, USA	All of my other computers can't boot off of this. I have one more to try but all others failed so far __________________ Hackintosh: Intel Core i5 2310 2.9GHz Quad Core, 8GB RAM, 64GB Boot SSD, 1TB OS X storage drive, 250GB Windows 7 drive, two DVD drives, running Mac OS X 10.8.1
	0

Mar 16, 2013, 11:12 AM	#13
Zombie Acorn macrumors 65816 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario	Have you tried hooking a keyboard and mouse up and closing the lid after powering on? It might auto default to the external.
	0

Mar 16, 2013, 01:26 PM	#17
Orange Furball Thread Starter macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Scranton, PA, USA	Thank you. My god thank you!! Never mind. Cant get past the attempting repairs thing. I went to advanced and then to continue to windows 8. I'm just stuck in a loop. Crap Attached Thumbnails __________________ Hackintosh: Intel Core i5 2310 2.9GHz Quad Core, 8GB RAM, 64GB Boot SSD, 1TB OS X storage drive, 250GB Windows 7 drive, two DVD drives, running Mac OS X 10.8.1 Last edited by Orange Furball; Mar 16, 2013 at 01:32 PM.
	0

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