what does reformating a hard drive mean and how is it done?

Question

I have a dell pc and its about 1 1/2 year old, i want to complete take everything off my pc except windows and just start how it was when I opened it out of the box. Is reformatting my answer or what should I do? Thanks in advance for you help

Answer 1

Reformating a hard drive means wiping everything off it - think of erasing a blackboard.

You should have received two CDs with your Dell - an OS CD and a Resource CD. Before you start, back up anything you want to keep, because reloading your computer removes ALL files and puts it back to the way it was when it came out of the box.

Boot your computer off the OS CD and follow the instructions to install Windows. You may need the registration key - it's on a sticker on your computer. After you've installed the OS, insert the Resource CD and it will load a webpage with any necessary drivers to get everything working again.

Answer 2

I will agree fully with the first answer, but the second one is centric only to Mcirosoft crapware and vaporware, which is rooted in the ancient DOS rituals of roasting your electronics, with slow, painful, re-iterations of pass writing Bill Gate's initials, seven times, in every data storage bit on the drive... No wonder that Linux and BSD, and MACs run 50X faster than Microsoft!

The 800 versions of UNIX, GNU/Linux, BSD, and MAC all are modern, fast, and complete, with 'drivers' contained in the kernel.
Linux GPartEd boots, show the drive(s), writes your choices to the
Partition Directory, and exits! All done, in two minutes!

No scrambling to find a scratched up CDrom, or some obscure Floppy disc parked under the refrigerator magnets in the old cigar box!

And, an install for most Linux, BSD, etc., means closing the CDrom drawer, letting the system boot, and 'pressing' the Install icon on the computer screen! Twenty minutes later, you are a "Guru" who can install SECURE and STABLE Operating Systems, with 5,000 GAMES, applications!

It is all FREE so what is keeping you mired in the ancient ways that attract 150 Microsoft Virus Definitions?

Answer 3

I would recommend looking for your "restore cd", or rebooting the pc and looking for the system restore option as it boots up. These options will erase everything on the pc and restore it to the image when you first opened it out of the box. Just save your data, documents, excel files, stuff you made onto a CDR or jump drive(those little memory sticks) and you will jammin!! I've got 2 emachines and a compaq computer, so i'm an expert and restore cds, haha =)

Answer 4

Hi! In my opinion, it is better for you to reformat your computer unless you have any program or document that is important to you. Reformatting mean installing new operation system ( OS ). You can remove all your hard disk data when reformatting. But, you need to reinstall your computer driver and program. It is better for you to backup your file, program and driver. Before backup your file, program and driver, scan for viruses. To choose an OS, make sure your computer hardware can support it. You can wait until next year ( 1st January ) to get a new OS from Microsoft called Window Vista. Be careful with viruses. Bye!

Answer 5

Reformatting a complicated force erases each and every thing on that force, so previously doing so, that is a magnificent idea to backup some thing you do not opt to lose onto a separate storage medium, operating example: Cd's, exterior complicated force, etc. maximum operating platforms (OS), in the course of the deploy procedure, delivers you with the alternative of reformatting your force previously it installs the hot OS. desire this helps.

Answer 6

You can't format and leave the OS on it. When you format, it removes EVERYTHING.
You will have to re-install everything from scratch.
It's done very easily, but methods depend on the OS your using.
You should also have the disks for your hardware available eg: sound card, 10/100 ethernet..etc...

Answer 7

formatting a hardrive will wipe all data from the disk. to format the easy way put in a 98 start up floppy and at the a:> prompt type "format /s c:"

Answer 8

if you have a recovery cd or the recovery on your hard drive just follow the instructions, re-installing with format erase everything on the computer. so save your files first.

Answer 9

backup your files before doing that, you'll lost everything that you have stored in your harddrive.. reformatting is not hard is easy.. go to www.microsoft.com search how to reformatt a harddrive? and follow the steps.. good luck.

Answer 10

Formating will delete everything, even windows.

Here's a safe site to use that'll give you all the information you need to format your hard drive: http://www.webtechgeek.com/How-to-Format-a-Hard-Drive.htm