|
 |
|
Quick Format a HDD or USB
How to Quick Format a HDD or USB Drive
Published by JaidynM
10 Jun 2011
|
 Published by |
|
|
How to Quick Format a HDD or USB Drive
 Information
This tutorial will show you how to format both external and 'internal' hard disk drives. We will be using both quick formats and also two useful pieces of software that can make fully formatting a HDD or USB much easier. In simple terms, this will remove all your files and folders from your disk storage device.
 Note
You cannot quick format your C: drive as it has your OS installed on it.
 Warning
Formatting your C: drive WILL kill your system. As I said above, whatever you format, back up a copy of all files and folders first on an external hard drive or CD. You follow this tutorial at your own risk. Please, please, please back up your hard drive.
BEFORE YOU START:
- Back up a copy of all your files and folders to an external hard drive or CD.
- Also, either burn or copy all software to a disc (if needed and possible).
Here's How:
Quick Format
1. Open the Start Menu by clicking the orb  , and navigate to My Computer.
2. Right click the hard drive or USB you would like to format.
3. Select Format... from the options that drop down.
4. A new window should pop up. Change the options in the drop down boxes to suit the requirements of your hard drive. Make sure the option Quick Format is ticked and press Start.
5. A warning message should now pop up. Click OK to continue.
6. A message should pop up saying Format Complete. Click OK.
7. The pop up will close and return to the original 'Format Window'. Click Close.
To check whether your hard drive is actually cleared, follow the following steps.
8. Right click the newly formatted hard drive.
9. Click the Properties option.
10. The properties of your hard drive should look similar to the following image (close to zero used space and a large, almost entirely pink pie graph).
Congratulations! You have successfully quick formatted your hard drive.
That's it,
Jaidyn 
|
|
|
|
|
10 Jun 2011
|
#1
|
|
|
Please ignore my image editing. I tried my best. 
|
My System Specs |
|
System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom Build
OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows 8 Consumer Preview x64/Ubuntu 11.04
CPU Intel Pentium Dual Core E6700 3.2GHz
Motherboard ASUS P5G41T-M LX
Memory Strontium 8192MB DDR3 1333Mhz
Graphics Card msi GeForce N560GTX-M2D1GD5 1GB
Sound Card Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays CHIMEI CMV 221D 22"
Screen Resolution 1680x1050
Keyboard Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 1000
Mouse Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000
PSU SHAW Viper-1500w Gaming PSU
Case Black eMaxx ATX Mini Tower Case
Hard Drives Seagate Barracuda LP Green 3.5'' 2TB Internal HDD 5900RPM + WD Elements Desktop 1TB External HDD 7200RPM
Internet Speed 100GB @ 4.76Mbps
|
10 Jun 2011
|
#2
|
|
|
Good simple Tutorial +1 :) - The last picture has your Taskbar in it so you may want to change that
|
| My System Specs |
|
Computer type PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom Built
OS Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1 ; Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
CPU Intel Core i5 2400 @ 3.10GHz
Motherboard Foxconn H67MP-S/-V/H67MP
Memory 8.0GB DDR3 @ 665MHz (2GBx4)
Graphics Card AMD Radeon HD 6870
Sound Card Realtek High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays AOC 2243W & SMB1930NW
Screen Resolution 1440x900 & 1920x1080
Keyboard Dell Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse R.A.T 07 Gaming Mouse
PSU 750W Gaming PSU
Case Novatech Night
Cooling Fan
Hard Drives 977GB Seagate ST31000524AS ATA Drive (SATA)
250GB WD iSCSI attached Drive
Internet Speed Download: 10 Mbps Ping: 30ms Upload: 0.81 Mbps
Browser Google Chrome
Other Info Optiarc DVD RW AD-5260S ATA Device
|
10 Jun 2011
|
#3
|
|
|
Thanks. I edited that last bit out as well. :)
|
| My System Specs |
|
System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom Build
OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows 8 Consumer Preview x64/Ubuntu 11.04
CPU Intel Pentium Dual Core E6700 3.2GHz
Motherboard ASUS P5G41T-M LX
Memory Strontium 8192MB DDR3 1333Mhz
Graphics Card msi GeForce N560GTX-M2D1GD5 1GB
Sound Card Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays CHIMEI CMV 221D 22"
Screen Resolution 1680x1050
Keyboard Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 1000
Mouse Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000
PSU SHAW Viper-1500w Gaming PSU
Case Black eMaxx ATX Mini Tower Case
Hard Drives Seagate Barracuda LP Green 3.5'' 2TB Internal HDD 5900RPM + WD Elements Desktop 1TB External HDD 7200RPM
Internet Speed 100GB @ 4.76Mbps
|
26 Jun 2011
|
#4
|
|
|
Dumb query
Probably dumb query but I am going to wipe / format a HDD in an old XP machine to reinstall just the XP OS shortly - so same procedure - more or less?
|
| My System Specs |
|
Computer type PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model Number Own build (new) Desk1 / Asus ROG Win 7 / Desk2 1st build
OS Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
CPU Desk1 i5 3750K / Laptop i7 GTX 860M / Desk2 i5 2500
Motherboard Desk1 Asus P877-V / Desk2 Gigabyte H67 UD3H / Laptop ?
Memory Desk1 8GB (1866) / Desk2 16GB (1333) / Laptop 8Gb DDR3
Graphics Card Desk 1& 2NVidia GTX 650 & Laptops on board Intel
Sound Card Desk 1 & 2 -XONAR DG Realtek High Def audio Laptop
Monitor(s) Displays Desk 1 Benq HD 2450 / Desk2 Philips 24" / Laptop 17.5"
Screen Resolution 1920x1080 D1 & D2 & Laptop 1
Keyboard Desk 1 MS Sidewinder X6 Desk 2 MS Sidewinder X 4
Mouse Desk 1&2 - Gigabyte MS 900 gamer - laptop - Logitec wireless
PSU Desk 1 Corsair HX 1050/ Laptop ? / Desk 2 Corsair HX 650
Case Desk 1 Cooler HAF XM ? Toshiba laptop / Desk2 Coolermaster
Cooling Fans on all Desk1 -2 Desk2 - all Coolermasters 5 Laptop ?
Hard Drives Desk1 Samsung 120GB 830 SSD
Asus ROG 256GB 850 Pro SSD
Desk2 Samsung 840 256 SSD
Toshiba 120GB EVO
Internet Speed ADSL2+
Other Info One other Desktop (tester) and spare Toshba laptop both with SSD's
Running Kaspersky 2016 ISS on all machines config'd identically
Logitec audio stereo systems on each machine (x3)
Canon MG5250MFC
Router/modem TP-Link running WPA2SK
|
26 Jun 2011
|
#5
|
|
|
I've never had to quick format a HDD to put a new OS on it but I'm assuming that it should do the trick. And you shouldn't have to wipe it first; the re-install (if you clean install) should wipe it for you. :)
|
| My System Specs |
|
System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom Build
OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows 8 Consumer Preview x64/Ubuntu 11.04
CPU Intel Pentium Dual Core E6700 3.2GHz
Motherboard ASUS P5G41T-M LX
Memory Strontium 8192MB DDR3 1333Mhz
Graphics Card msi GeForce N560GTX-M2D1GD5 1GB
Sound Card Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays CHIMEI CMV 221D 22"
Screen Resolution 1680x1050
Keyboard Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 1000
Mouse Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000
PSU SHAW Viper-1500w Gaming PSU
Case Black eMaxx ATX Mini Tower Case
Hard Drives Seagate Barracuda LP Green 3.5'' 2TB Internal HDD 5900RPM + WD Elements Desktop 1TB External HDD 7200RPM
Internet Speed 100GB @ 4.76Mbps
|
26 Jun 2011
|
#6
|
|
|
There is no need to format a HDD or partition you are installing to as the operating system will do it automatically.
That said, a quick format beforehand won't do any harm.
|
| My System Specs |
|
System Manufacturer/Model Number HP Pavilion Elite 495UK
OS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-Bit
CPU Intel Core i7 870 @ 2.93GHz
Motherboard MSI 2A9C (CPU1)
Memory 8Gb Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 664MHz
Graphics Card nVidia GeForce GTX 460 1024MB dedicated RAM
Sound Card Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays HP2310i
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080
Keyboard Logitech K750 solar-powered keyboard
Mouse Logitech Wireless M180 mouse
PSU 460W
Case HP Elite
Cooling Air cooled
Hard Drives 1x1954GB Hitachi HDS22020ALA 330 (RAID), 1x1954GB Hitachi External for backup and storage
Internet Speed 2Mb
Other Info Pure Avanti Flow Internet Radio with iPod Dock, 64Gb iPod, HP USB Speakers, Sony MDR-V500 Headphones, Sony Vaio F-Series Laptop
|
26 Jun 2011
|
#8
|
|
|
Well, there you go. As I said above, the re-installation should wipe it for you. :)
|
| My System Specs |
|
System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom Build
OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows 8 Consumer Preview x64/Ubuntu 11.04
CPU Intel Pentium Dual Core E6700 3.2GHz
Motherboard ASUS P5G41T-M LX
Memory Strontium 8192MB DDR3 1333Mhz
Graphics Card msi GeForce N560GTX-M2D1GD5 1GB
Sound Card Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays CHIMEI CMV 221D 22"
Screen Resolution 1680x1050
Keyboard Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 1000
Mouse Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000
PSU SHAW Viper-1500w Gaming PSU
Case Black eMaxx ATX Mini Tower Case
Hard Drives Seagate Barracuda LP Green 3.5'' 2TB Internal HDD 5900RPM + WD Elements Desktop 1TB External HDD 7200RPM
Internet Speed 100GB @ 4.76Mbps
|
26 Jun 2011
|
#9
|
|
|
Thanks
Thanks to you all at least I know now - still finding out stuff even this simple.:)
|
| My System Specs |
|
Computer type PC/Desktop
System Manufacturer/Model Number Own build (new) Desk1 / Asus ROG Win 7 / Desk2 1st build
OS Desk1 7 Home Prem / Desk2 10 Pro / Main lap Asus ROG 10 Pro 2 laptop Toshiba 7 Pro Asus P2520 7 & 10
CPU Desk1 i5 3750K / Laptop i7 GTX 860M / Desk2 i5 2500
Motherboard Desk1 Asus P877-V / Desk2 Gigabyte H67 UD3H / Laptop ?
Memory Desk1 8GB (1866) / Desk2 16GB (1333) / Laptop 8Gb DDR3
Graphics Card Desk 1& 2NVidia GTX 650 & Laptops on board Intel
Sound Card Desk 1 & 2 -XONAR DG Realtek High Def audio Laptop
Monitor(s) Displays Desk 1 Benq HD 2450 / Desk2 Philips 24" / Laptop 17.5"
Screen Resolution 1920x1080 D1 & D2 & Laptop 1
Keyboard Desk 1 MS Sidewinder X6 Desk 2 MS Sidewinder X 4
Mouse Desk 1&2 - Gigabyte MS 900 gamer - laptop - Logitec wireless
PSU Desk 1 Corsair HX 1050/ Laptop ? / Desk 2 Corsair HX 650
Case Desk 1 Cooler HAF XM ? Toshiba laptop / Desk2 Coolermaster
Cooling Fans on all Desk1 -2 Desk2 - all Coolermasters 5 Laptop ?
Hard Drives Desk1 Samsung 120GB 830 SSD
Asus ROG 256GB 850 Pro SSD
Desk2 Samsung 840 256 SSD
Toshiba 120GB EVO
Internet Speed ADSL2+
Other Info One other Desktop (tester) and spare Toshba laptop both with SSD's
Running Kaspersky 2016 ISS on all machines config'd identically
Logitec audio stereo systems on each machine (x3)
Canon MG5250MFC
Router/modem TP-Link running WPA2SK
|
|
Quote: Originally Posted by ICit2lol
