2006-07-19 06:44:41 · 5 answers · asked by crispy chicken 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
You are literally wiping it out clean. There will be NOTHING left on the hard drive. Only reformat your hard drive if you know what you are doing and I hope that you have a full version of an operating system to install after you reformat. Make sure that you don't have an upgrade disk or one of those recovery disks. They won't work because they usually don't contain full version of windows. And also make backups of anything you want to save like pictures or music. Everything will be lost and you won't be able to recover anything.
Otherwise, your computer will be completely useless. I mean you can only use it as a big doorstop or something.
Reformatting is perfect if you have a notorious virus or spyware or if your computer is just filled with junk over the years and slowing down and freezing up for no reason. Reformatting is usually the last option but the ultimate one. It will most likely get rid of ANY software problem you may have but it can be pretty expensive (assuming you want everything to be legitimate) because full version of winows is not cheap.
I don't know WHY you want to reformat but if you are doing it because you are throwing it out or giving it away to someone, then just to be safe and just to make sure that all of that data is gone, just reformat 3-4 times.
2006-07-19 06:47:24 · answer #1 · answered by The Prince 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you reformat a computer, it wipes everything off the computer and leaves the hard drive total blank. At tht point you are unable to retrieve any files that were on the computer.
Before you are able to use the PC again, you would have to reinstall Windows and any other programs you want on the PC.
2006-07-19 06:51:53 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you reformat the hard drive then you need to install a new Operating System. You will need to boot from the CD/DVD and put in the operating system disc.
2006-07-19 06:48:18 · answer #3 · answered by Mark R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your computer deletes the address 3fh from all the files so it looks like the files are gone, but they can be recovered unless u start a full reinstall and use up all the space.
2006-07-19 06:48:41 · answer #4 · answered by Paultech 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You erase EVERYTHING. You start from scratch.
2006-07-19 06:47:30 · answer #5 · answered by Du 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋