2006-10-04 02:46:35 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
Formatting a harddisk drive or HDD, is about using software to prepare the drive for a clean install of an operating system (system files), data storage, or disposal. The FDISK command is the native format tool used with the Windows OS. It is worth noting that there are better third party utitlites for wiping the HDD clean if it contained personal, and sensitive information. These programs will overwrite any remaining entries left behind on the disk with meaningless characters, often zeroes, called "squeezing".
The software is supposed to do a few things during the format. First, it should erase all previous data contained on the physical disk(s) including the previous file system used by an OS such as Windows, ie., a FAT or NTFS. Second, it prepares the hard drive with new "shelves" (by using a file system as noted above) that organize the data that will occupy the disk space. Third, a partition command will allow the user to create at least one partition for the OS, usually labelled C:\ The first partition should have the OS installed on it and it should be the boot or startup partition followed by extended and logical partitions (D:\, E:\, etc. on the HDD) as per the user's choice.
When you format a HDD, you are wiping the disk "clean", hence the term, "clean install" in regards to installing a new OS on a blank disk versus a "fresh" install, which is reinstalling the OS but allowing the user to keep their settings.
2006-10-04 03:26:03 · answer #1 · answered by Bruce Almighty 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
format clean up all the data store in ur HDD so that u can unstall fresh copy of data on it
2006-10-04 02:50:14 · answer #2 · answered by paradise 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wipe it clean, reinstall the operating system, and erace everything on your hard drive.
2006-10-04 02:49:04 · answer #3 · answered by a_poor_misguided_soul 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
to clean it basicaly it removes all your data
2006-10-04 03:02:11 · answer #4 · answered by rohitgabaa1990 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
erase everything on it.
2006-10-04 02:55:06 · answer #5 · answered by lomatar1186 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋