Formatting your harddrive?

Question

Will formatting your harddrive erase viruses & what will happen after I format it? I know it erases everything but I mean will i like still have my IE icon and things like that?

Answer 1

Formatting your system drive is extreme and a last resort. Yes, you will then have a clean slate (a tabula rasa). You will need to reinstall your operating system, and all will be brand new. The moment you connect to the Internet, though, the garbage will come back to roost on your hard drive. Plus, Microsoft will want to "update" you with all their fixes because apparently they couldn't get it right the first time. Be careful of what you download. Do a control+alt+delete to see the TSRs that are running (under "Processes"). The more TSRs that are listed (Terminate and Stay Resident programs), the slower the performance of your computer. If you get antivirus software like Symantec or Nortorn Antivirus, you will have a lot of TSRs. If you don't, you will get a lot of spyware and viruses. You just can't win. Maybe you could buy some software to clean your registry instead of formatting your hard drive. Installing a new operating system (like the MS Windows platform) takes a long time and you will have to re-configure all your peripheral devices. Plan on spending a day at your computer installing the operating system and all your software. It's a lot of work, and that's if nothing goes wrong. A lot of times during the installation process, you get this stupid fatal error message and you have to start over. Internet Explorer does come with MS Windows, so it will install too. Depending on the version of Windows you install, you may have to upgrade your version of IE. That's another half hour if you have highspeed DSL. Not to mention reinstalling your email, your Internet Service provider software, ahhhh . . . think real hard before you type FORMAT C: at the command prompt.

Answer 2

When you're formatting your hard-drive, you'll be completely erasing everything you have: such as your data, documents, photos, etc and also the things you want to get rid off: Viruses.

Sadly, you'll be erasing your Operating System as well ( I would assume you're using Windows XP ) which means, your hard disk will be completely empty, and you cannot do anything with your computer as well.

So, before thinking of reformatting your hard-drive, do look out for the Recovery CD that should come with your computer or laptop when you first purchased it. If you or someone else have assembled the computer for you, you should have a Windows XP CD. Or else, borrow it from a friend or your office.

You'll have to reinstall your Operating System once you've reformatted your computer, and then, reset your Internet Settings before you can use your IE again (and yes, your IE icon will be there when you've reformatted your computer).

Do ask someone to help you when you're reformatting your computer, or you can simply ask another question in Yahoo! Answers for someone to give you the steps on how to go about doing it.


Else, erasing your harddrive is a last resort, so do use a spyware killer, such as my favourite Pervx1 - http://front.prevx.com/

Answer 3

Like you said, formatting your hard drive erases EVERYTHING. You will have nothing left you it and you will have to reinstall all programs, including Windows, so make sure you have the disk. You also need to make sure you have a start up (boot disk) as well.

While formatting your hard drive may get rid of the virus, there are some viruses that reside in your Rom Bios. There is only one way to get rid of the virus if that's where it's at. You will need to discharge the capacitor on your mother board by desoldering it from the board and allowing it to discharge...then resolder it to the board.

If this all sounds like a foreign language, best to take your computer to a professional.

Answer 4

"Formatting" means that everything will be erased. If you format you will lose your operating system (windows), all your files, and even your IE icon. Anyway, if you don't want to lose absolutely everything don't do it. Do not format to get rid of viruses instead use antivirus software. Also after you format you will have to reinstall windows by means of a recovery disc or windows xp cd.

Answer 5

If you format your harddrive you will lose everything on the harddrive, including windows, so youll have to reinstall windows if you format the hard drive, aswell as making backups of your important files before hand

Answer 6

If you format your hard drive, you will lose EVERYTHING. This includes the virus, your IE icon, ALL of your programs, AND Windows. So you need to make sure that you have your windows disc and all of your drivers so that you can reinstall. Also, you will want to backup any documents or other files that you don't want to lose.

Answer 7

its a Good idea to format your hard drive once in a while.

but before you format please make sure you have the Following.

Windows XP/2000 CD
Drivers CD (Which Shipped with your Computer)

if you computer is DELL then you can easily download Drivers from Dell Website.

by saying Drivers i mean, Sound, Network, Modem and monitor Software Drivers.

once you have above material, pop in the Windows CD and follow the wizard it will format and reinstall windows for you automatically.

make sure you back up your important files before you format.

And again, dont worry, formatting will make sure computer faster and better then before.

Answer 8

Yes youre computer will go back to original factory settings.. its good to reformat every now and then to clean out your system..If you have your recovery discs you will not lose your windows,, I dont know where these people get theri information... I have done many reformats with a lot of success.

Answer 9

some virus's can still remain after formatting, very bad one's.
Use fdisk to delete the drive and to create a new one

Answer 10

nope you will not eeven have your windos anynire! you will have ti plug in a windos xp or whatever u use into the cd drive so it can install it again. stillyou wont have anything as before especially yahoo msngr, icq asnd chats... you will have internet explorer though!it comes with the windows itself!