Formatting hard drives is usually done when it is necessary to completely clear all the information stored on them. Formatting all drives is a great way to get rid of viruses and files that clog your computer.
Instructions
Step 1
Before starting formatting, it is advisable to back up important files and folders. To do this, they must be copied to any portable storage medium (flash card, CD, portable hard drive, etc.).
Step 2
Then you need to go to the "My Computer" directory and select the disk that you want to format.
Step 3
By right-clicking on the disc name, call up a list of actions. In it you need to select the line "Format …".
Step 4
The Format dialog box appears. The top line displays information about the capacity of the disk. The original file system of the disk is shown below. You can set a different file system for which the disk will be formatted. Then comes the line "Cluster size". A cluster is the minimum size on disk for storing one file. The cluster size is set automatically by the system, but it is also possible to change it at your discretion. Below the "Cluster size" is the line "Volume label" - this is the name of the disk, which can also be changed to your own (usually the name is set by the manufacturer).
Step 5
Before formatting, you can select the formatting method. In the "Format" window on laptops, there are usually 2 active formatting methods to choose from:
- Fast (clearing the table of contents). With this method of formatting, only the file system tables are cleared, while the physical data remains;
- Use compression. Allows you to compress files on your hard drive during the formatting process.
Step 6
When all the necessary parameters are set, you need to click on the "Start" button. A window will appear warning that formatting will destroy all files on the selected drive. To start the formatting process, click the "OK" button, to cancel - the "Cancel" button.
