Format hard drive at a low level
Quite often, users have a problem with formatting. Especially if it needs to be done with the system hard drive ( usually but not always C). In this case, the usual methods will not work.
If the hard disk ( or its section) without system files, then use the format method in the system itself.
In my instructions, I will show how to format a hard drive with a system (there, where Windows is installed) and without. I'll start with the simplest.
Formatting a non-system hard drive or partition
These methods practically do not differ from. It can only be performed on those hard drives that do not have system files ( usually D or E).
You don't have to worry about formatting the system drive. There is no way to do it this way. You will see a warning that the action is not possible.
Open my computer conductor). In it, select a disk, open the context menu and select formatting.
In the window that appears, leave everything as it is ( you can remove the fast method, but then you have to wait a very long time).
The process will take a long time depends on volume). You may think that nothing is happening and the computer just freezes. But in most cases this is not the case.
The same can be done in the disk management window. Use this method if for some reason the first one did not work.
Go to Start Menu >> All Programs >> Administrative Tools >> Computer Management.
In the window that appears, select the hard drive and in the context menu "Format" as in the image below.
There is another way on the command line. Administrator rights are required.
Go to Start Menu >> Run ( or Win+R) to open the progress bar. Then go to command.
In it, enter the command:
Explanation: E is the letter of the hard drive. NTFS- file system. Q- quick formatting.
Formatting the system drive
When you try to format the hard disk with the system in the ways above, you will see the error that is shown below.
Why is this happening? Everything is simple. Windows cannot format itself. This will render the system unusable and the bug provides protection against this.
In addition, even if Windows was installed on a different hard drive, the system files needed to run the OS can be stored locally. In this case, the check in the BIOS will start with it ( C).
It turns out that this is only necessary for the future installation of a new system. Otherwise, you will simply make the computer idle. Before that, you need to prepare a little.
You will also need another media containing the operating system you are planning to install. This method works on any version. I will demonstrate it on Windows 8.
Set in advance. First you need to find out its letter. It may differ from "C:" and therefore check this beforehand. Now I will show you how to do it right during the installation.
Press the key combination Shift+F10. On other versions of operating systems, this keyboard shortcut also works.
A command prompt window should appear. In it, enter the command notepad, which will open the notepad. From there you can see the information you need.
Notepad will open. In it go to File >> Open or press CTRL+O.
The explorer will open. Go to the "This PC" tab and look at the letter of the drive you want to format. In my case, D. It is designated as local.
Now return to the command line and enter the command:
Where /FS:NTFS- file system. D:- drive letter. /q- quick formatting.
You can also use the utility directly during the installation process and not use the command line.
Select the language, click on the install button and in the window where you need to select the partition to install, you need to select formatting. See how it looks in the image.
It can also be done with any ( nearly) LiveCD. This is the media from which the system boots instead of booting from the hard drive. You can format directly in Explorer in the same way as with non-system hard drives. This is possible due to the fact that most of the data is in RAM and this does not prevent the computer from starting.
There are also many programs, but they are paid and their use will be redundant for such tasks. This information should be sufficient.
If something was not clear to you, then watch this video. It clearly depicts all the actions with detailed comments and you will not have any questions.
Were you able to format your hard drive?
In many of our articles that mention working with , we indirectly address the issue of its formatting. In this article, we want to touch on this topic in detail and tell you how to format a hard drive in different situations. So let's get started.
There are many ways to format a hard drive, and this procedure is required in many cases: to completely clean up a partition or the entire hard drive, for, when reinstalling the system, and also after buying a new HDD. First, let's look at the easiest way to format a disk - through Windows.
How to Format a Hard Drive Partition in Windows
Formatting a hard disk partition in Windows is done if you want to quickly and efficiently delete existing unnecessary files on one of the hard disk partitions. Also, partition formatting in this way is performed in case of viruses appearing on this partition.Before formatting the hard drive, save all the necessary data that is on it to another partition or to your cloud service. If you want to format the HDD partition due to the presence of viruses on it, then in this case it is better not to copy data from it, as they may contain viruses. However, if there are files on a virus-infected hard drive that you really need, then copy them to an empty USB flash drive and check it. If no viruses are found, then these files can be transferred to a formatted partition.
To format a partition, right-click on it in Explorer to bring up the context menu.
In the context menu that appears, select the "Format ..." item.
- Capacity. This parameter indicates the size of the hard disk partition, so it does not change.
- File system. In this parameter, we set the default value, that is, we format the partition in the NTFS file system, since it is the best for today for the Windows operating system.
- Cluster size. The value of this parameter is also left unchanged.
- volume label. Here you can enter the name of the partition, which will be assigned to it after formatting.
- Formatting methods. Choose "Quick (cleaning the table of contents)" formatting by checking the box next to this value.
How to format a hard drive during system installation
Now let's look at how to properly format a hard drive with and.How to format a hard drive when installing Windows
The menus for formatting hard drives in Windows 7 and in Windows 8 are absolutely identical. To do this, when during the installation process you reach the selection of the Windows installation partition, click on the inscription "Disk Setup".
If you need to format a new hard drive, then to do this, click on this drive and then click on the "Format" inscription.
There are two ways to format a hard drive. The first way (described above): select a hard disk partition and format it. The second way: delete all partitions of the hard disk and create one, thus the hard disk will be formatted completely. You can read more about that in one of our next articles.
How to Format a Hard Drive When Installing Linux
The Linux Ubuntu installer also includes a hard drive setup process. In the case when the new hard drive will be the only one in your computer, then in the installation menu you can choose to automatically configure the drive, where it will be formatted as it should. To do this, during the installation process, select "Erase disk and install Ubuntu".
To format an existing partition on a hard disk in Linux, you need to select this partition, click on the "Change ..." button below and check the box next to the item: "Format partition", and click on the "OK" button, leaving its type (Ext4 or swap) without change. But an external hard drive in Linux is best formatted, as in Windows, in the NTFS file system.
How to format a hard drive using special programs
In principle, in order to format a hard disk or its partition, the above methods will be quite enough, but if you want to format and resize a hard disk partition in Windows without reinstalling the system, we recommend using the Acronis Disk Director or Partition Magic.
Formatting a disk or partition in these programs is very simple: select the desired disk or partition and right-click on it, after which a context menu will appear, where you will need to select the "Format" or "Format" item, depending on the program and its localization.
On electronic media, whether flash drives, floppy disks or hard drives, data is stored in cells, like on a chessboard. They are created programmatically, that is, they cannot be physically viewed on the disk. The process of labeling media for such cells is called formatting. As a result of this operation, the old data is erased.
Formatting can required if the media is new. The newly purchased hard drive is not labeled, so it is not suitable for data storage. Formatting will also help when the file system damaged.
Usually format the hard drive before installation new operating system on it. This is done so that the OS functions correctly or to get rid of system garbage. You can also clean the media in this way. from malicious programs that the antivirus missed.
Why use bios for formatting
In general, the expression “format via BIOS” is incorrect, because there are no necessary options in the BIOS itself. Formatting is done using third-party applications, and bios is needed to change download priorities. It is impossible to carry out such operations with a working disk. To clear it, you need to boot from another media.
How to install boot from disk or flash drive
Important! Depending on the motherboard model and , the procedure may differ.
After these steps, the system will always boot from the selected media, but if you want to change the priority only once, you can do the following:
How to format a hard drive using a distribution kit
To format the hard drive in this way, you will need a flash drive or cd \ dvd, on which the Windows 7 installer or any other is recorded.
Formatting hdd using third-party programs
There are other ways to format.
The non-system HDD can be formatted using standard Windows operations. For this you need:
This method will allow you to change the file system.
You can also use the program Acronis Disc Director. In this way, you can even clean up the system disk. To format hdd using this application, you should:
Important! If the system partition has been cleared, Windows will not boot.
It is usually recommended to format the hard drive before the direct operation of any computer equipment. This procedure must be performed by every PC owner. Due to the special quality and volume inherent in today's hard drives, they can be freely used throughout the entire period of use without resorting to additional reformatting.
Why formatting is required
In some cases and over a certain period of time, it is necessary to format the hard drive (hard disk), as this makes it easy to update it. Due to the fact that the Windows operating system sometimes becomes clogged, that is, it contains irrelevant, old and not used by current programs files on the disk, formatting will be very useful. It will help you get rid of such files that take up some amount of memory space and can have a negative effect on the productivity of the system.
For their convenience, PC owners periodically install and remove the applications they need from the computer. As a result, a file dump arises and grows intensively, provoking serious problems: each application, becoming part of the OS, affects the configuration of the entire environment. To effectively solve this problem in the most optimal way, the decision to format the HDD (hard disk) after certain time periods and reinstall the operating system will help.
Despite the radical nature of this method, it is the most effective, because not only useless files are destroyed, but also malware and viruses. For this reason, it is recommended that before formatting the hard disk, overwrite the main data on some other media so as not to lose it.
It should be noted that when formatting, service marks are created on the hard disk sectors, which are necessary for data search and correct work with them (reading, writing, deleting). In addition to this procedure, formatting creates service information intended for the file system. Since unpartitioned disks are useless for use, formatting is the first step in preparing a new "unbroken" disk for successful operation.
Thus, to reduce the risk of losing important data in the indefinite future, formatting will help achieve:
- guaranteed quick cleaning of the hard drive;
- effective detection of the presence of bad blocks (damaged disk sectors);
- high-quality monitoring of various defective zones.
Quick or Regular Formatting: Process Analysis
The user has two types of formatting according to the capabilities of Windows OS - quick (Quick Format) or normal (Format). An uninitiated user will see a difference in them only in the time spent on each of these processes. But besides the visible factor, there is a more significant difference.
Quick formatting is a special method of cleaning a disk that allows you to create a table of files without overwriting it, as well as deleting information on a hard drive. In terms of time, quick formatting is faster than regular formatting. As such, a quick format simply resets the file table: important data can be recovered - it is not destroyed. This method is appropriate when the user is sure that there are no damaged segments and the hard drive has not been formatted before.
Resorting to conventional formatting, the PC owner always completely empties the disk from files and checks it for the possibility of incorrect, damaged segments. That's just the check time and stretches, affecting the total duration of the entire process.
High-level formatting was discussed above, but practice shows that understanding the term low-level formatting is no less popular. When performing such an operation, a special marking is applied to the disk plane, which is necessary for the standard operation of the drive. Also, this allows not only to save data and have open access to them, but also to ensure the correct operation of the internal circuits of the drive, in addition to hiding the existing mechanical surface flaws.
Can data be recovered after formatting is completed?
Low-level formatting does not provide for the possibility of restoring the previous information.
High-level formatting, in turn, gives significant chances to partially restore the erased data. This is explained by the fact that at the time of formatting, new logical structures arise with selective overwriting of data.
Formatting Options: A Practical Guide
It will be better to format a hard drive yourself if you move from theory to practice. Let's look at a few methods, moving from the simplest and most understandable to the more complex.
Formatting options:
- The simplest formatting technique: opening "My Computer", right-clicking on the desired type of formatting, in the menu that appears, select "Format" and the "Start" button.
- Special path in Windows: Open "Start" and follow the "Control Panel" to the file "Administrative Tools", select "Computer Management", and then "Disk Management". We find the required disk and for formatting we perform the operations presented in a simple trick.
Important: there may be slight differences in the path depending on the version of Windows.
- Command line: by pressing "WIN + R" and in the pop-up window, writing CMD followed by pressing ENTER, open the command line.
- We write there: format d: or format c: to start the process relative to the D:\ or C:\ drive. After entering, by pressing ENTER you will see on the display: “ATTENTION, ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK C: WILL BE ERASED! Start formatting?
When ready to delete the data, select Y and press ENTER. - When there is a removable media with an operating system installation file. Those who have an installation disc and are familiar with installing Windows will probably know when is the best time to format drives. Perhaps this approach is rarely used only for formatting. However, it is very convenient if the user is going to reinstall Windows after the procedure.
To completely clear a partition or a connected external drive from files, a procedure such as formatting is very often used. Novice users sometimes confuse it with deletion, but they are not the same thing. Formatting involves bringing the logical structure of the disk to a certain order, without which it is impossible to record, store and delete data. During the formatting process, the file structure of the media is recreated, the MFT table containing information about the files is reset, while nothing like this happens during a normal deletion or even a shredder using the multiple overwrite method.
What is low-level formatting and how is it different from regular formatting?
Formatting can be fast or slow, there are also high-level and low-level formatting. This last one will be discussed today. In fairness, it should be noted that the concept of low-level formatting is somewhat distorted today. Previously, it meant dividing a disk into tracks and sectors, as well as applying special electronic labels, called servo labels, to the magnetic surface. All this is done exclusively on special factory equipment (servowriter).
The first HDDs were not perfect, they expanded under the influence of temperatures, which caused the sectors to shift relative to the read heads. For this reason, they needed to repeat the servo marking procedure. In new disks, thermal expansion is compensated by recalibrating the disk head parameters at the software level, and the servo marks themselves are applied once. Only such hardware formatting is most correctly called low-level, however, over time, the concept has also spread to software formatting.
Today, low-level formatting is understood as the irretrievable destruction of all data on the storage medium, including part of the service information, by sequentially overwriting all sectors with zeros. The usual one is now called quick formatting, in which only the MFT table is cleared, while the data itself remains physically on the disk. Low-level, or rather pseudo-low-level formatting of a hard disk solves the following tasks:
- Remove all user data before selling a computer or media.
- Removal of some types of boot viruses (bootkits).
- High-quality disk cleaning before reinstalling the operating system.
- Correction of logical errors, treatment of bad sectors, provided that their appearance is not caused by wear and tear of the media or its breakdown.
- Disk prevention, bringing its logical structure into proper condition.
Features of formatting a hard drive and flash drive
From a technical point of view, there is a slight difference between HDD formatting and flash based media, but it does not matter much to the user. Regular or low-level formatting of a flash drive is performed by the same software tools that are used to format regular hard drives. Exceptions are cases when the flash drive cannot be formatted using standard tools or even third-party programs, which will be briefly discussed below.
If the flash drive is defined as a device with zero capacity or as an unknown device, gives read / write errors that cannot be corrected in other ways, it is recommended to use special proprietary utilities to format it, which can usually be downloaded directly from the official website of the flash device manufacturer. All of the above is also true for low-level formatting of SD cards.
The best programs for low-level formatting
In principle, such formatting can be done using Windows itself by running the utility on the command line diskpart and running the command for the selected drive clean all, but still it is better to use special programs for these purposes.
Perhaps the most famous program for low-level formatting of HDD / SSD hard drives, flash drives and memory cards. The utility is free, lightweight, simple interface, supports SATA, IDE, SCSI, USB and Firewire. Additionally, the program supports Ultra-DMA mode, viewing disk information and S.M.A.R.T data. During the HDD formatting process, the Low Level Format Tool completely destroys all data on the disk, including the MBR and the contents of the partition table, filling each sector or memory cell with zeros.
Using the utility is easy. After connecting the problematic media to the computer, select it in the program window and click the "Continue" button. In the next window, you need to switch to the "Low-Level Format" tab and click "Format This Device".
The low-level formatting process will start. Along the way, you will be able to monitor the progress: how many sectors have been processed, what percentage is left before the completion of the operation, and also at what speed it is being performed. After formatting, the disks become uninitialized.
SeaTools for DOS and SeaTools for Windows
You can completely clean a disk or flash drive using the SeaTools diagnostic tool. The program is tailored for Seagate drives, but can also work with drives from other manufacturers. The application supports working with SATA, USB, 1394, PATA, IDE and SCSI interfaces, performing a structural check of the media, testing the controller and system memory. Formatting acts as an additional function.
To clean a disk or flash drive, in the SeaTools menu, select Advanced-Full Erase, after which low-level formatting will begin, during which all sectors will be overwritten with zeros.
SeaTools is distributed in two editions: For DOS and For Windows. Unlike the second edition, which is a desktop application, the first edition is a bootable ISO image. Both versions support Russian, but the default program interface is English.
Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics
Another proprietary diagnostic tool that allows you to qualitatively format digital media.
The program supports reading S.M.A.R.T. readings, viewing detailed information about connected media. Using it as a shredder is very easy. Double-click on the media selected in the utility window, click "Erase", and then "Start".
As a result, all sectors of the disk will be filled with zeros, that is, it will be low-level formatted.
