When somebody reformats your computer...?

Question

When somebody reformats your computer, can they have access to all your files and to the webpages that you visit? What happens when somebody reformats? Please explain it as easy as possible for me because I don't know a lot about computers. Thank you.

A blue screen comes on when I turn on my laptop and it says that the log in is srewed up... is there ANY possible way I can get onto my Windows account before I get it formatted?

Answer 1

Anyone who has the access needed to reformat your hard drive can also access all your files and Web pages you have visited.

Answer 2

No. Reformatting actually erases *everything* on the drive. Things can still be recovered using specialized computer tools (basically until the data is overwritten a few times parts of it can be recovered).

Reformatting should be the absolute last resort to fixing a pc problem. You can end up with a pile of rubbish that used to be a pc because you lack critical drivers to run important onboard devices.

If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it.

Answer 3

It depends on how he reformats your computer and what operating systems you have.

Say you have windows, then it is very likely he can access to all your files. Regarding the webpages history and web browsing history, it may not be as simple. But there are some files that he can make copies of and then decode it later.

Anything is possible.

Answer 4

If it's a complete hardive reformat it erases everything. Dor example, Microsoft Windows has a reinstall Operating System function which also has the option to reformat your hard drive and if you choose that function it erases all your files. They won't have access anymore to any of your file. Just make sure of it.

Answer 5

Do the following you can get into your account and the disk will not need to be reformatted
Use xp disk as you would to do a normal install at the instalation screen pick repair windows leave file system as it is this will re install windows but leave your files as they are on the computer
all that will not be available are any updates that you installed due to your windows being back to its original install DONOT pick the change file system or your drive will be auto formatted that is a clean install that destoys all on the hard drive you will still need your serial number to reinstall

Answer 6

If you give someone access to your computer - to reformat the hard drive or just to use it for a while, they can access everything...your files, your web page visits, your e-mails, everything.

Answer 7

No they can not access your files,any of them. When a harddrive is reformated,everything is removed,all the memory is deleted. And when you boot up after formating,it is like starting a new computer.You will have to load every thing back to what it was before. I hope this helps you.

Answer 8

Reformat = erase. Without reinstalling the operating system and applications, you have an expensive paper weight.

Answer 9

a format wipes clean any data on there. If you delte an item from windows it can be easily recovered a format actually removes the capability of storing data until it is "re-partitioned" (google it)

data can be retrieved with clever disaster recovery techniques though.

Answer 10

Fomatting a hard-drive erases all data from the drive, however someone like the police or other diligent people can recover the data, because when data is erased it is only designated to be written over, it's still there untill it is written over again.