Aqua-Soft ForumsWhen formatting your PC and installing XP, you're asked if you want to do a quick format or a normal. My question is what is the benefits, if any, of doing a normal format?
Formatting
A full format actually formats the partitions, a Quick Format just erases the Partition Table.
One actually writes data over the partitions.
A quick format doesn't cleanse the hard drive. A full one does. If you have had your hard drive for a while (at least a year) and haven't formatted it and have only had one file system on it, it might be a good idea to do the full format. It might give you better performance than if you did the quick. The quick will work though. Its just a matter of preference.
Thank you guys, I always do a full format, just never knew what it did and felt like such a n.e.w.b.i.e because i didnt.
there is never harm in asking. I wish I knew more about a lot of things too. 
i thought the full format scanned for bad sectors.
i always do a full format as well. it doesn't take long at all.
Originally posted by dreamz+Feb 27 2004, 04:23 PM-->QUOTE(dreamz @ Feb 27 2004, 04:23 PM)i always do a full format as well. it doesn't take long at all.low level format takes ages on anythin over about 50gigs... but on my 200 its rediculous. bsides, i have found no benefit once i have done it to the drive the first time.
are you sure it's a low level format? i recall reading somewhere that it wasn't.
in any case. it doesn't matter for me. the only drive i really reformat is my windows partition, which is 12gb.
Originally posted by dreamz@Feb 27 2004, 04:32 PMare you sure it's a low level format? i recall reading somewhere that it wasn't.
interesting... ive only ever seen 2 options when formatting, one only clears the allocation tables (quick) the other re-writes every sector (full) and clears the tables.
oh well, i could be wrong.
-The Unknown
ahh, an answer: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...6&Product=winxp
Originally posted by dreamz@Feb 27 2004, 04:48 PMahh, an answer: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...6&Product=winxp
well i guess i was mistaken. what then is a "low level" format?
-The Unknown
from my understanding, low level formatting is what manufacturers do, setting certain properties of the drive like tracks and sectors. what end-users do is high-level formatting. i don't think low level formatting is recommended for end-users.
A low level format will go through and write the entire disk with zeros, partition tables and all.
It'll clear everything on the drive, partitions an' all.
A high level format will only format a given partition on a drive.
Low level formatting is what is done to the disk after drive assmebly at the factory.
End users cannot low level format a drive without special software from the drive manufacturer.
There is some generic software out there that will let you do it, but they always come with a caution about there usage.
If you do it wrong, it will damage the media.
Some drive manufacturers like Seagate have software for this and you will void the warranty if you use 3rd party software.
You can perform what is refered to as an NSA or government wipe on your own.
Which is basically doing what Stevie BM stated in a previous post.
You write 0's on the entire disk then 1's then 0's again... usualy about 7 or 8 passes.
From the factory, most HD's media is written with F8 hex charachters over the entire drive.
That's they they did it back when I was new to the business.
It may be different now as I'm not involved at that level of detail in the hardware anymore.
Never mind... Doing a Zero write now...then an extended test... Thnx! 
Low level formatting is not something to be taken lightly.
If done improperly, it can destroy your drive.
It is usualy done as a last resort.
Here is a pretty good article on the subject.
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/formatUtilities-c.html
To perform a "government wipe", something I do to a drive prior to selling it, you just need a good piece of software.
Here is a good list of software to start with.
rjohnstone knows what he's talking about. writing zeroes is wiping the drive clean, and you usually do several passes (as mentioned).
low level formats are generally unheard of in the end-user scenario.
good links, man. 
Originally posted by rjohnstone@Feb 28 2004, 08:47 AMLow level formatting is not something to be taken lightly.
If done improperly, it can destroy your drive.
It is usualy done as a last resort.
Here is a pretty good article on the subject.
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/formatUtilities-c.html
To perform a "government wipe", something I do to a drive prior to selling it, you just need a good piece of software.
Here is a good list of software to start with.
Great apps you liked there to ^^
Do you suffer from paranoia that you have to wipe out data so definitively ? 