as in will it clear all files including system files and important files that your computer needs to run, and i recently upgraded my pc to vista and i want to know if it will delete vista and take me back to xp. thank you in advance
2007-07-17 06:09:50 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Other - Hardware
Format removes everything from the hard drive. To reinstall then use the original XP restore disk.
2007-07-17 06:14:39 · answer #1 · answered by Barkley Hound 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Formatting a hard drive literally means deleting everything from the hard drive, including the settings and also the problems in the hard drive. So if you are formatting the partition (hard drive) which contains any OS (Vista, XP etc.), the OS too will be deleted BUT you must not do it while the OS is active. You should do it the computer's main menu (the black screen which immediately appears when you switch on the computer.
2007-07-17 06:29:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Formatting will leave you a fresh empty drive.. No file will be there if you are able to format successfully..
If the drive contains some system files which are needed by Vista to run, then you cannot format that drive from within Vista. But you can format such drives from other Operating Systems..
You cannot 'restore' your previous XP... You have to reinstall if you want..
2007-07-17 06:20:09 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
formatting doesnt completely remove the files. when you format it clears the partition table which is a list of where all the files are located on the hard drive. if you formated the hard drive, you will have no partition table so it apears to be blank. look it up at google.... search "formatting hard drives and partition tables".
!~Tim~!
2007-07-17 06:17:33 · answer #4 · answered by Tim C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Formatting will remove the files and give you a blank drive with no operating system.I recomend you if you want to format your pc , you should talk with a engineer first.It is not as easy as it seems
2007-07-17 06:39:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Formatting will remove the files and give you a blank drive with no operating system.
(that isn't completely technically accurate, but it is a sufficiently correct answer for now)
2007-07-17 06:13:47 · answer #6 · answered by Mathsorcerer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it wont, it will clear everything and youll be left with a blank hard drive - you can install xp onto that blank hard drive or you could partition it now and install xp in a seperate partition and choose which to use @ boot
2007-07-17 06:13:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it will erase all on your hard drive
2007-07-17 06:17:28 · answer #8 · answered by draco3838 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋