If the drive contains files or folders, Windows asks whether you really want to reformat the disk because existing files will be lost. Type a drive label in the Volume Label box (if the box is blank or if you want to change the existing label) and click the Start button in the Format dialog box. Almost none of the fields in the window, except for the volume label, apply to hard disks-leave them with their default settings. You see the Format dialog box shown in Figure 32-7. Right-click the icon for the drive and choose Format in the menu that pops up. Open My Computer and locate the drive you want to format. To format a hard disk, follow these steps: Generally, you need to format disks only when you want to clean off a floppy disk or other removable disk (like a Zip or Jaz disk) for reuse, if you repartition your hard disk and create a new partition, or if you have a disaster with Windows and want to reinstall it from scratch.įormatting a disk-hard disk or removable-deletes all the information from the disk, so proceed with care!īefore formatting your hard disk (or one partition on a hard disk), be sure you make a backup copy of any files you want to keep. When you buy a new computer, the hard disk is typically formatted at the factory. Formatting a disk writes the file system, the low-level structure information needed to track where files and folders will be located on the disk. Chapter 32: Formatting and Partitioning DisksĮvery disk, including hard disks and floppies, must be formatted before you can use it.
0 kommentar(er)
