Windows 7: Should I reformat this HD?

Hey,
I just want to know if I should reformat this HD becuase this maybe the reason why my computer is running a bit slower than usual and I scanned with an Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware both scans came back negative for infetion. Here is what I have left of Space for it:



I've never really reformated a HD except when I was in school learing about computer assembley. Also, I would like to know if I should install the OS meant for my system first(which is Windows XP) or go ahead and install Windows 7? By the way, can I install Windows 7 from an external HD from the boot order in BIOS?

Formatting your hard drive (deleting everything, including the OS and all your programs) is the "nuclear solution" to any performance issue. It is usually reserved for the occasion where no other solution will work.

There would be no point, and no benefit, to installing XP before Windows 7.

I would think you could install Windows 7 from an external hard drive. I haven't done it. So no help from me on that!

Perhaps you want to address your "slowness" issues in a separate thread and see if you can fix it without nuking the system.

TVeblen,
Ok I will try posting in a diffrent thread and I see what I get there and Thanks for the help too! +1rep

have you run "disk cleanup"?

how much disk space are you trying to free up?

I'm trying to reduce it to about 10-20% full. I know this is a HUGE reduction, but I just want all the unnessary files gone from the HD. I tried to in the past, but no luck they won't get deleted. Yes, I have ran all of the scans Windows 7 has to offer and reudced size about 5%.

have you deleted all but the most recent restore point? reduce the size of your recycle bin? uninstall unused programs and windows features?

Yes, and I do have a recent restore point I didn't delete. I changed the norm function of recycle bin of holding files until I delete them to when I delete something it gets permenatly deleted. I have uninstalled all of the unused programs and features. The is my music I don't want deleted and my pictures also.

i could suggest a couple freeware programs if you like, but i dont know how much space it will free up, but i'm sure your pics and music is probably taking the most space.

9 GB at the most (music+pictures). I don't know. Since the Windows 7 installation takes I think 1.5GB so there should be 12GB used out of 150 GB with all my music and pictures and some necessary programs. I think it has to do with my previous version of windows(which was Windows XP).What do you think? Also, I did a custom install so maybe that's it also?