How to format hard drives. How to format a hard drive before installing windows in four different ways - step by step instructions

About how to format HDD, every computer user should know. This procedure is the same as for installation operating system, and to clean the drive from information that is no longer relevant to the user. Permanently delete user and system data - that's what it means to format a computer drive. Therefore, always save important information for you before starting such a procedure.

Not only stationary PCs, but also some laptops (usually 17-inch ones) have the ability to connect another drive inside the case. That is, the owner of such a device will be interested in the question of how to format the second hard drive correctly, without losing data and device performance. The main thing is to be careful during the procedure and reformat the hard disk 2, that is, the secondary storage device. To do this, remember its name and volume, so as not to get confused. Before formatting a hard drive, just in case, do backup storage the most important on cloud resources.

For magnetic hard drives, hard drive formatting is a standard procedure that has almost no effect on the resource of the device, but it can instantly identify its malfunction. If your computer cannot complete HDD formatting, hangs and “bugs” during this operation, this means a breakdown now or in the future. No “wonder programs” will be able to restore the “magnetic properties” of disks and will not “launch problem clusters” - all this is nonsense. Test programs can only show exactly where on the disk problems with the surface. A half-way solution of a temporary nature can be formatting only in certain areas, that is, with the creation of partitions file system where there are no problems. Winchester will lose some of its volume, but will be able to serve for some time. However, this is advice for old HDD, new, defective devices usually have problems across the entire surface and last for several weeks.

Formatting for OS installation

Generally, when you buy a new drive, you should format it with a storage media that is supported by your operating system (OS). So, formatting a hard drive in FAT32 will only be needed on an old, low-performance PC with Windows 95.98 or even 2000 installed. For new OS, Microsoft recommends using NTFS or at least exFAT.

According to the corporation itself, formatting hard drives in FAT32 on new devices with large storage capacities is not practical due to a decrease in system performance. By default, all new operating systems, from Windows XP to 10, cannot “format” a hard drive using regular means. magnetic storage by creating partitions larger than 32 GB. That is, Windows itself will not let you do this, although there is special programs who can do it.

Format HDD under Windows

Remember that before installing Windows 7 or more new masters for diagnostics and repair personal computers disks are not necessarily formatted. If updating and moving to more new system is not expected, you can leave the disks unchanged. However, when a computer is infected with viruses and cannot be revived, it is better to do a full format. hard drive to avoid re-infection of the system. Of course, you will have to restore user data, but this is more reliable.

Typically, Windows 7 offers formatting in two ways: during installation of the operating system and in Explorer. You can simply go to "Computer" or "This Computer" (for Win 8-10) and, by right-clicking on the disk of interest, select the "Format" item from the drop-down menu. Next, in the "Formatting" window, you will be prompted to select the file system (NTFS is best), the cluster size (leave the value on the machine) and the volume label (leave it blank), you can not put a good checkmark in front of the "Quick Format" item, since reformatting is better first completely, thoroughly cleaning the drive. Don't use fast mode.

Windows engineering menu

On operating systems of the Windows family, it is possible to use advanced system configuration tools. If you are wondering how to format hard drives, Windows 7 may suggest using the Administrative Tools section. To launch it, follow the path: "Start", "Control Panel", "System and Security", "Administrative Tools". Here, select the "Computer Management" section, then "Storage Devices" and "Disk Management". If you were looking for how to properly format a hard drive, then this the best way, which does not require the installation of third-party utilities.

Will open before you complete list available physical drives and placed on them file partitions. Even hidden system partitions and those formatted for unsupported file systems (for example, EXT4 from Linux) are visible. In this menu, you can delete, expand and compress sections, move them. System Utility will format any partition, be able to create a volume label, assign an active volume.

Preparing a disk for Linux OS

It is important to remember that before using a disk, it must be formatted with a specific file system. For Unix-like systems, which are called Linux-like, the best solution is EXT4. It's relative new standard, providing high system performance even with weak hardware stuffing. This Linux file layout has almost no fragmentation when writing / reading files, as it happens on FAT32 or NTFS. As a result, Linux hard drives do not lose performance over time (to eliminate an unpleasant phenomenon, Microsoft introduced automatic timer defragmentation on all operating systems newer than XP).

On newer Linux distributions, starting with Ubuntu 16.04, disk formatting is possible directly from the Nautilus window with the standard Disks utility. You only need to select the device and right-click on it, a pop-up list will appear in which you need to select the "Format" item. Next, in the Linux window, the file system will be offered, and you will also need to specify the volume label and cluster size. You can also use the terminal and enter commands or the GParted program - it will allow you not only to format, but also to move partitions.

Erase a hard drive on a Mac

Preparing a disk on a Mac is no more difficult than on other operating systems. Here's the formatting partitions of the hard disk is made using the "Disk Utility", which can be found in the "Programs" folder, then you need to go to "Utilities" (Utilities). You can just use Spotlight. Since formatting a disk on OS X 10.11 El Capitan has become easier thanks to a change in the interface, do not use the old manuals - you will only get confused.

Depending on how the drive will be used, your Mac may offer to use only the OS X Extended file system (Mac partition scheme - GUID) or to work with a Windows PC - ExFAT (Master Boot Record partition scheme).

Connect the HDD, launch the "Disk Utility" and select the ways to format the hard disk from the suggested items. Select the disk in the "Erase" section, the type of file system and confirm the action with the "Erase" button. If desired, a hard drive can generally be formatted with several partitions for different systems. Remember that a properly formatted drive will last longer and perform better.

Every user should know how to format a new hard drive. It is not only necessary to use outdated literary sources. The days of 2GB disk space and FAT16 systems are gone forever. What formatting is will be described to you, but they will suggest using outdated file systems. Therefore, use the latest sources related to at least Windows Vista. Remember the unspoken rule: before formatting system disk, you need to save information from it (provided that you need it). It is generally recommended that you perform a full "slow" erase the first time you use or reinstall your system. In other cases, it is better to use "Quick Format". Remember that during active HDD usage consumes its resource and loses durability. When we format it, it "stresses" a lot, so it is not recommended to carry out this operation too often. Even before formatting the hard drive correctly, consider whether this procedure is really necessary. May be enough easy removal data from section D, for example.

List of popular free programs for various types of formatting hard drives (HDD, SSD, RAID) and removable media(USB, Firewire, SD). In this article, you will learn how to properly format a hard drive, learn about various types HDD formatting - including low-level. We will also choose good program for breakdown hard disk.

HDD formatting methods - from simple to complex

Formatting is a simple operation that can be performed by inexperienced users. Next, I will tell you how to format the HDD yourself - from simple to complex, depending on your skills and PC proficiency.

Using standard Windows tools for formatting

The Windows XP-10 operating system has built-in tools to perform this operation. Formatting a hard drive is done like this:

1. Open File Explorer (or another file manager),
2. Go to the "My Computer" section
3. Click on desired disk
4. Select "Format"
5. Next, click on the “Start” button

This is the easiest way to format your computer without additional tools. For all its simplicity, however, all steps must be performed consciously, clearly understanding why you are doing this. Before giving your consent to formatting, carefully check whether the correct disk is selected.

Perhaps the video tutorial shows more clearly how to format the disk.

Alternative formatting method in Windows 7 / 8 / 10

1. Different systems have different paths to Disk Management - the easiest way is to open the search for programs and enter "management". When the system gives you a search result, find "Computer Management" and open it
2. In the menu on the left, go to "Disk Management"
3. Click right click click on the desired partition and select "Format". Since the process takes place inside a running OS, the "Format" menu item will be inactive on the system partition
4. Next, select a label for the new partition, the type of the future file system and the required cluster size (if you don’t know what size you need, leave “default”)
5. For formatting high level You can leave the "Quick Format" checkbox active. If deep cleaning of the contents of the section is required, then uncheck this box.
6. After pressing the "OK" button, the system will ask for confirmation - click "OK" again

Formatting a hard drive through the Windows command line

To start formatting, open on your computer command line(console). To do this, use the keyboard shortcut WIN + R, in the "Run" window that appears, enter the CMD command, press ENTER.

Note. To format a drive through the command line, you will need administrator rights. start - cmd - open context menu by clicking on the application icon "Command Prompt" - Run as administrator. If you try to format the drive without administrator rights, you will fail: access will be denied. In general, watch the video where I show how to format as an administrator.

For formatting through the console, use the following commands:

Format drive letter

Press Enter. We carefully read what is written in the console, perform further actions with the hard disk according to the situation.

Full HDD Format via HDD Low Level Format Tool

Low-level formatting will optimize the HDD structure. This is useful in preparation for reinstalling the operating system. At the same time, you can solve problems with faulty hard disk.

HDD Low Level Format Tool is suitable for low-level formatting. The utility will help you format your computer's hard drive, external HDD, tablet SD card and other storage devices.

In addition to the basic functions, HDD Low Level Format Tool can be used to read SMART scores, check for read errors, disk usage time, and more.

How fully format hard drive:

1. After installation, run HDD program Low Level Format
2. In the Drive selection window, select the hard drive (if several HDDs are connected to the PC). The easiest way to distinguish one hard drive from another is by volume. Click Continue
3. Go to the LOW-LEVEL Format tab
4. For quick formatting (deleting partitions and MBR records), select the Perform quick wipe option.
5. To completely format the hard drive, the above option must be ignored.
6. Before completely formatting a hard drive, check that the correct drive is selected. Only after that press the Format this device button.

AOMEI Partition Assistant

The program offers a number useful features, including low-level formatting of hard drives and most types of removable media. The interface resembles standard Windows tools, so it will be easy to figure it out:

1. The main window automatically displays the disk with the installed OS. If you need to format another device, select it by clicking the "Disk" item in the top menu
2. In the lower block of the left menu, select "Erase Hard Drive"
3. When you click this button, you will be prompted for the number of passes of the operation. If in the future it is planned to restore destroyed data, then select a value from 1 to 7. If you specify a parameter of 8 or more, it will be almost impossible to restore information from the device
4. Confirm your choice by clicking "Yes"
5. It will require a system reboot to start formatting - there is no turning back after clicking the Restart Now button, so make sure you select the correct drive and desired settings operations

After restarting the computer, the program will perform all the specified actions and you will have a clean hard drive at your disposal.

DiskWipe

DiskWipe is a great solution for situations where the data on the media needs to be destroyed beyond recovery. The program uses several proven algorithms (Dod 5220-22.M, US Army, Peter Guttman), and advanced settings allow you to choose the depth of formatting. According to the developers, the program does not contain hidden viruses, etc., and does not transfer user data.

DiskWipe

Formatting the desired device using DiskWipe is extremely simple:

1. Run the program. In the block on the left you will see all devices available for formatting
2. Select the desired device and click "Wipe Disk" in the top menu
3. Advanced settings will open with predefined standard values. For full and irreversible formatting, you can check all available fields with checkmarks, and in the right block, specify "Highest"
4. After selecting the settings and clicking "OK", the formatting of the selected device will start

Paragon Partition Manager

A test period of 30 days allows you to evaluate the capabilities of the program and format the necessary devices in various modes. Because in Paragon Partition Manager has several options for working with partitions (partitioning, restoring, and others), it is distributed shareware.

Paragon Partition Manager

The formatting process is intuitive:

1. In the main window, click "Partition Manager" in the menu on the left, then select "Launch Partition Manager"
2. From the proposed list of devices, select the one you need, open the context menu with the right mouse button, and click "Format Partition"
3. Specify the type of future file system and volume name, then click "Format"
4. The procedure will be queued - to apply the changes, you must click on the green checkmark in the top menu
5. After confirming the operation (the “Yes” button), it will no longer be possible to stop its execution

Separately, it is worth noting the fact that Paragon Partition Manager not only formats the device, but also creates new section with the specified file system, so after the system boots, the disk can be used without additional steps.

reference Information

What is formatting?

Formatting a disk is the process of marking a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD), memory card, CD/DVD, or other storage medium. The formatting operation is equally useful for new and worn-out HDDs.

A disk that has no partitioning is absolutely useless. In addition to the fact that you apply markup to the disk, formatting almost permanently deletes all data (although there are many programs for recovering after formatting). Therefore, you need to be careful and prepare in advance for formatting the hard drive.

Over the years of operation of the operating system (Windows, Mac OS, Linux), the hard drive turns into a "garbage dump", since many programs leave their files on the disk, and after uninstallation, their "roots" still remain on the HDD. As a result, the system is slow and unstable. There are various freezes, slowdowns, the disk clicks, makes noise - it behaves inappropriately. After reformatting, the hard drive is optimized and starts working better. Many devices last a long time without this procedure. I advise you to insure and format your hard drive at least once a year.

Sooner or later formatting the drive is inevitable. However, before doing this, it is very important to update or reinstall the operating system on the computer. Along with the removal junk files you get a completely clean environment without defects, harmful viruses, unused programs, data that lead to conflicts. Thus, before reformatting the hard drive, we reinstall the OS.

Before formatting, do backup all important data on another drive. As already mentioned, during the execution of this procedure, various service information, tags that allow further information to be written to the HDD without hindrance.

Steps to Format a Hard Drive

low level– at this stage, the base markup is applied to the disk at a low level. Typically, this is done by the hardware developer. In this case, special tracks, service data, are applied to the disk. This information remains on the hard drive almost forever - it can only be overwritten using proprietary utilities. These programs can only replace service data. By the way, if you produce a low-level hard formatting disk, then you will not be able to recover data later, unfortunately or fortunately. Therefore, if you aim to destroy information, then you can use this format. Read about low-level formatting

Section breakdown. It is clear that storing data on a disk without partitions is quite inconvenient. For some logical organization, the HDD is divided into special zones, disks - drive C:, drive D: and so on. For these purposes, both utility utilities built into the OS and external programs for formatting a hard drive, which I have already written about more than once.

high level. In the process of this type of reformatting, boot sectors, file tables are created.

Types of disk formatting

You may know that the standard system tools provide 2 methods by which you can format a hard drive - external or internal:

quick format: takes less time, allows you to carry out the procedure as is. The bottom line is that with this type of computer formatting, the files in the file table are overwritten with zeros, while the data is stored as if nothing had happened, you can later restore it. Also at this method you do not optimize the file structure, and if there were defects on the hard drive, you will not fix them with the quick method

regular formatting : Longer and deeper hard disk formatting. Data on the internal or external drive are completely destroyed, the file system is checked for possible mistakes, damage. bad sectors, bad blocks. Thus, at the usual way reformatting, you kill two birds with one stone, although you lose a little more time.

Sometimes the user needs to format the disk partition on which the system is installed. In the vast majority of cases, he wears the letter C. This need can be related both to the desire to install a new OS, and to the need to fix errors that have arisen in this volume. Let's figure out how to format a drive C on the computer under Windows control 7.

It must be said right away that it will not work to format the system partition by starting the PC from the operating system located, in fact, on the volume being formatted. In order to perform this procedure, you need to boot using one of the following methods:

• Through a different operating system (if the PC has several operating systems);
• Using LiveCD or LiveUSB;
• Using the installation media (flash drive or disk);
• By connecting the formatted disk to another computer.

It should be remembered that after performing the formatting procedure, all information on the partition will be erased, including elements of the operating system and user files. Therefore, just in case, pre-partition, so that if necessary, you can then restore the data.

Method 1: "Explorer"

Partition format option C via "Explorer" suitable in all the cases described above, except for booting via an installation disk or USB flash drive. Also, of course, it will not be possible to perform the specified procedure if you are in this moment you work from a system that is physically located on the formatted partition.

Method 2: "Command line"

There is also a way to format a disk C by entering a command into "Command line". This option is suitable for all four situations that were described above. Start procedure only "Command line" will be different depending on the option you have chosen to log in.

1. If you booted your computer from a different OS, connected a formatted HDD to another PC, or use a LiveCD/USB, then you need to run "Command line" in a standard way on behalf of the administrator. To do this, click "Start" and go to section "All programs".



2. Next, open the folder "Standard".



3. Find an element "Command line" and right click on it ( PKM). From the options that open, select the activation option with administrative privileges.



4. In the displayed window "Command line" type in the command:

   

   You can also add the following attributes to this command:

   • /q– activates quick formatting;
   • fs:[filesystem]– performs formatting under the specified file system (FAT32, NTFS, FAT).

   For instance:

   format C: fs:FAT32 /q

   

   After entering the command, press Enter.

   Attention! If you connected the hard drive to another computer, then the partition names in it will probably change. Therefore, before entering the command, go to "Conductor" and see the actual name of the volume you want to format. When entering a command instead of a character "C" use exactly the letter that refers to the desired object.

5. After that, the formatting procedure will be performed.

If you are using an installation disk or a Windows 7 flash drive, then the procedure will be slightly different.

Method 3: "Disk Management"

Format Partition C You can use the standard Windows tool "Disk Management". It is only necessary to take into account that this option not available if you use boot disk or flash drive to perform the procedure.

1. click "Start" and go to "Control Panel".



2. Move on the inscription "System and safety".



3. Click on an item "Administration".



4. From the list that opens, choose "Computer Management".



5. On the left side of the shell that opens, click on the item "Disk Management".



6. The Disk Management tool interface will open. Find the section you want and click on it. PKM. From the options that open, select "Format…".



7. The same window will open as described in Method 1. In it you need to perform similar actions and click OK.



8. After that, the selected partition will be formatted according to the parameters entered earlier.

Method 4: Formatting during installation

Above, we talked about methods that work in almost any situation, but are not always applicable when starting the system from installation media (disk or flash drive). Now we will talk about a method that, on the contrary, can only be applied by starting the PC from the specified media. In particular, this option is suitable when installing a new operating system.

1. Start your computer from the installation media. In the window that opens, select your language, time format, and keyboard layout, and then click "Further".



2. An installation window will open where you need to click on the big button "Install".



3. The section with license agreement. Here you should check the box next to the item "I accept the terms..." and press "Further".



4. The installation type selection window will open. Click on an option "Full installation...".



5. Then the disk selection window will open. Select the system partition you want to format and click on the inscription "Disk Setup".



6. A shell opens, where among the list various options manipulations required to choose "Format".



7. A dialog box that opens will display a warning that if you continue the operation, all data located on the partition will be erased. Confirm your actions by clicking OK.



8. The formatting procedure will start. After its completion, you can continue installing the OS or cancel it, depending on your needs. But the goal will be achieved - the disk is formatted.

There are several options for formatting the system partition C depending on what tools you have at hand to start your computer. But to format the volume on which it is located active system from under the same OS will not work, no matter what methods you use.

To format (format) a disk with Windows 7, you can use four different action algorithms. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which we will display in the article.

Standard method

Method 1. Using standard operating system tools for formatting Windows systems. This method is the most convenient in terms of implementation, but the formatting process occurs in most cases according to fairly simple algorithms. This results in a superficial cleaning of your computer's hard drive and simplifies the task of data recovery.

To implement the method, we proceed as follows.

Command line

Method 2: Use the Windows console window to format. The advantage of this method will be the simplification of the action to achieve the final result. Of the minuses, you can list all the same disadvantages as the first method, since the formatting method is the same.

The Windows format command, like most service commands of the Windows operating system, has a number of additional parameters and attributes. For a call complete list you can type "format /?" in the console window.

Of the most significant options, you can list the "format / FS: filesystem" command for explicitly setting the disk file system after formatting the computer and the "format / X" command for forcibly disabling all connected descriptors. This is necessary to get full access to disk and execute all algorithms of the format command.

Using the installation disc

Method 3: Format the computer disk using installation disk windows. This method has the same standard disadvantages in the small depth of information formatting as format command, but allows you to process any disk and partition, including the system one.

To start the procedure, you must start a computer with installed Windows disk and set in the BIOSf settings to start the system from CD-Rom. When starting the installation process, you will be prompted to format the disk before installing the system. By selecting this item, it is enough to simply perform a quick format of the desired partition.

But you should be careful. When using the first three methods, when you try to format a disk with the Windows operating system installed on it, a warning will appear with a prohibition of actions. In this case, this prohibition will not occur and it is enough to simply remove important information and disrupt the entire operating system.

When you run format, you will be prompted to choose one of two ways to format your computer: quick and full. Quick format deletes information but does not correct system errors and checking the physical space, which can be critical for installing Windows.

Third party software

Method 4: Use a helper software for Windows OS. There are a huge number of specially designed applications with which you can carry out this operation on your computer. Their advantages include the highest possible level of disk cleaning and the use of complex formatting algorithms. Of the minuses, this is the fact that the almost universal requirement to pay a certain amount in order to obtain the full functionality of the program. We will not describe these applications because of their diversity.

Often, before installing the operating system, users are wondering how to format a hard drive through BIOS. You have to resort to such a procedure to clear partitions that are inaccessible after Windows startup. However, it is worth remembering that it will not work to completely delete information from the hard drive itself in this way.

Description of the procedure

To execute it, you will need a boot device with a recorded OS (it is desirable to create it in advance). The sequence of steps to format a disk through the BIOS is as follows:

1. Reboot the computer with the media connected and, immediately after the start, enter the I / O system using the appropriate key. This is usually F12, F8, or Escape, but if the version is very outdated, other combinations may apply.
2. In the window that appears, open the Boot tab, then Boot Option Priorities. This section allows you to choose where the OS will be loaded from (from a USB flash drive or other device), which is what you want to do. Depending on the removable media, mark the USB port or CD-ROM.
3. Exit, saving the changes, after which the computer will restart. Before you start formatting the disk, you will need to launch the OS from the selected device by pressing any key on the laptop.
4. Call command line. If the procedure is carried out using media with Windows 7, you should press the combination Shift + F10. For version 8, this method does not work, it is replaced by the user interface.
5. Make sure the drive letter is correct before formatting the drive. After starting from a boot device, it may change, so in order not to remove important files, you need to enter "wmic logicaldisk get deviceid, volumename, size, description".
6. Go directly to the cleaning procedure. To do this, you need to drive in the “format / FS: NTFS X: / q” window, instead of X, enter the desired designation, for example, C (the drive that most often needs to delete data from the system partition).

Then it remains only to wait for the end of the process, confirming the command by pressing Enter.

Other Methods

The Windows installer allows you to do without CMD, which some people are afraid to use for some reason. Only the familiar interface will be involved here, however, before proceeding with formatting the hard drive through the BIOS, you will have to complete the first 3 points of the previous section.

After the language selection stage, you should click on "Full installation", call up a list of available disks and configure the installation. In the parameters that open, you need to mark the “Formatting” item with the cursor and follow the further instructions. However, this method will not work if the installation of the Windows operating system is not required.

In addition, you can use the ERD Commander program by creating a bootable CD based on it. In BIOS, you will also need to select a priority device to start (in this case, a drive). When the program opens, enter the MicroSoft Diagnostic and Recovery Toolset section and click "Next" until the working window opens. In it, you need to click on the “Cleanup” item, after which the formatting of the hard disk will begin (through BIOS without software). third party tools it's impossible).

There is another program that allows you to do the same and burn an emergency flash drive - AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard edition. It is a free analogue of utilities for working with various drives and has a friendly interface, so the user will be able to understand how to format a hard drive without third-party prompts.

In general, the algorithm of actions is almost the same for most operating systems, but the names of the items can differ significantly from each other. The same applies to the I/O system: the names of the sections may not match those given above due to the difference in versions. However, although it is easier to clean a Windows hard drive, it is important to remember that the use of third-party tools is mandatory. Formatting via BIOS is not possible due to the lack of proper functionality, so you will have to stock up on a boot device.