If you need to completely format the hard drive and return the computer settings to their original values, then you need to perform a number of actions. Usually, you need to reset BIOS settings and perform several operations on the hard drive.
You will need
- - Partition Manager.
Instructions
You will need
- Operating system installation disc.
Instructions
After formatting, you can install the operating system. How to format your computer - printable version
User question
Hello.
I want to completely delete all content on the disk, and then reinstall the system. I have two drives ("C:" and "D:") - I was able to format one, but the problem with the "C:" drive. Can you tell me how you can format the system hard drive (on which Windows 8 is installed)?
Good day to all!
In general, on today's modern system, starting disk formatting is not a difficult operation, I would even say simple (not what it was 20 years ago). Perhaps, questions arise only in cases when Windows does not see the disk, errors appear during formatting, or when you try to format the system disk (as in your case).
In the article below I will analyze several formatting methods - depending on your tasks and specific problem, select the one you need. So...
Important: After formatting the drive, all information on it will be deleted! Make a copy of the necessary files from the disk to third-party media in advance.
From under Windows
Via My Computer
Probably the classic and easiest way to format a disk is to go to "My Computer" (or "This Computer", depending on the version of your OS), find the desired disk partition in it. Then select this section, right-click on it - and in the context menu select the required (i.e. formatting, see screenshot below).
Note: if the "My Computer" icon is not on the desktop, and you do not know how to open it, press the button combination WIN + E- the explorer will open: on the left in the menu, select the link to "My computer / This computer".
Format disk // This computer // Windows 10
- file system: FAT 32, NTFS, exFAT, etc. In most cases, the best option for a hard disk is to use NTFS;
- allocation unit size: 4096 bytes (the best option);
- volume label: the name of the disk, you can enter any (I recommend using the Latin alphabet, because some programs do not read the Russian font correctly).
In general, the default settings are usually suitable for most users - you can immediately click the "Start" button. In a few minutes you will get a "blank" disk ...
Through disk management
In those cases when you went to "My Computer" - and it simply does not show your connected drive (this often happens with new drives that have not been formatted) - then you need to use either special utilities or use the "Disk Management" tool built into Windows.
To open Disk Management, you need:
- press a combination of buttons WIN + R to open the Run window;
- enter command diskmgmt.msc and press Enter. The Disk Management application should open.
Next, you will see not only all connected disks, flash drives, memory cards, etc., but also which partitions were created on them - i.e. the whole structure. Select the desired section, and right-click on it - in the context menu, click on the item "Format..." (see red arrows in the screenshot below).
Through the command line
In cases where the explorer freezes (for example), also in the case of various kinds of errors, you can try to format the disk through the command line.
First you need to open it as an administrator. For this:
format G: / FS: NTFS / q
G: - the letter of the formatted disk (specify carefully!);
/ FS: NTFS - select a file system;
/ q - fast formatting.
Basically, the disk needs to be formatted.
In Windows 10, by the way, a small "error" may appear - the system will ask you to specify the volume label for the disk, and then write that "An invalid disk label is specified" (although you seem to have indicated everything correctly, the example below).
In this case, do the following ...
First, open the drive you want to format in a command line, for example, a drive G: (see screenshot below).
Team VOL- look at the volume label
Next, enter the formatting command again, and in the disk label field - the label that we recognized in the previous step (in my case - Windows 8). Next, you will be warned that all data will be destroyed during formatting (agree by entering y and pressing Enter ).
In the next step, you will be prompted to enter a volume label - now you can specify any name (32 characters). You can just leave the field blank by pressing Enter. Actually, that's it - the disk will be formatted (screen below).
With the help of specials. utilities
The best programs and utilities to work with your hard drive:
Now there are hundreds of different programs and utilities for working with hard drives. Operations such as formatting, splitting, defragmentation, and so on can be done in more convenient programs than those built into Windows. The link to the article with the best of them is given above.
In my opinion, one of those that deserves attention is AOMEI Partition Assistant.
AOMEI Partition Assistant
It allows you to quickly, safely, and easily carry out the most necessary operations with disk drives:
- resize their partitions (including formatting);
- move partitions;
- merge sections;
- format drives;
- change labels and more!
What else is captivating, the program has many different step-by-step wizards - they will help to solve the problem even for those users who have only recently got acquainted with a PC. Well, for example, you can convert the FAT 32 file system to NTFS without losing data, transfer Windows from your hard drive to a newfangled SSD, etc.
Via BIOS
(for formatting system partitions, for example, on which Windows is installed)
If you want to format the partition on which Windows is installed, then you simply cannot do it. The bottom line is that you need to boot from another media - for example, from another hard disk (on which Windows is installed) or from a bootable USB flash drive, and then format your disk.
Naturally, you need to prepare such a medium in advance (for example, an installation USB flash drive with Windows) - since after formatting the system partition of the drive, Windows will no longer boot from it (do not install it again yet. Cluttered explained, but in general terms, I think it's clear ☻).
Using a Windows installation flash drive
The easiest way to format a system disk partition is to use a Windows installation flash drive. You can find out how to create and prepare it (if you do not have it) from my previous articles (I give the links below).
Utilities for creating bootable USB drives with Windows -
Create a bootable Windows 10 USB stick -
Creating a bootable USB drive for installing Windows XP, 7, 8, 10 (UEFI and Legacy) -
The easiest way to boot from a USB flash drive is to use a special boot menu - BOOT MENU, which can be called immediately after turning on the computer / laptop (or by changing the boot priority in the BIOS). In order not to repeat myself here, I will give a couple of links to detailed articles about this.
Hotkeys for entering the BIOS menu, Boot Menu, recovery from a hidden partition -
How to configure BIOS to boot from USB stick or disk (CD / DVD / USB) -
Further, having booted from the installation flash drive, you need to go to the choice of the partition for installing Windows. In this step, you can format both the entire disk as a whole (delete all partitions and recreate them as well), or individual partitions.
If there are difficulties, and you do not know how to get to this step when installing Windows, I recommend that you read this article:
With the help of specials. programs
Take the same AOMEI Partition Assistant that I recommended using when working from under Windows, just above in the article. She has in her arsenal an excellent tool for creating a special emergency flash drive, from which you can boot when your system has flown (or it is not installed on the disk at all).
On programs for working with hard drives, I have an article on my blog:(including about AOMEI Partition Assistant).
To create such a USB flash drive, you need to run on your working PC in the program "Master / Make Bootable CD Master".
To boot from such a flash drive - use too Boot Menu, links to instructions are given above in the article, in the previous step. When you boot from the emergency flash drive, the menu and the program will be similar to the one that works from under Windows. Also, click on the desired disk and perform the required operation (screenshot below).
AOMEI Partition Assistant - partition formatting
That's all, for the additions a separate merci.
"How can you format an HDD without deleting Windows" or "how to format an HDD from under Windows" are very popular queries in search engines that remain unanswered. In the article, we will figure out why there is practically no information on this topic on the network, and we will take a closer look at the problem.
What is formatting
Formatting a hard disk means creating a new file system on it, which means clearing the main file allocation table MFT. MFT is a database of files stored on disk, made in the form of a table, in which rows are represented by file names, and columns are their attributes. Attributes are metadata describing the file. These include the date and time when the file was created / modified, its storage directory, and access rights.
Considering the above, we can come to the conclusion that it is impossible to format a computer on which one HDD is installed. At least without resorting to tricks.
Who still does not understand, when a special program or Windows begins to format the hard drive, they delete the main file table. In view of this, access to all files by the standard method becomes impossible, and the space occupied by them is marked as free. If you try to format your computer under Windows, the operating system will display the informational message below, because the files it uses are located on the first partition of this disk.
Show ingenuity
Above, I mentioned a certain trick, thanks to which you can format your computer, while keeping Windows working. Formatting a PC means wiping a single hard drive.
If your computer has only one magnetic storage device, for whatever reason, you want to format it, but keep Windows with programs and settings, we will need a few things:
- bootable USB drive with Acronis True Image;
- external hard drive or the ability to upload images to the cloud.
If user data is also located on the HDD, it will have to be uploaded to the cloud or copied to another medium.
Let's get started
- Restart your computer and boot from a USB flash drive, whether it's bootable media with True Image or WinPE with this program included.
- In the main window, click on the icons of the buttons as shown in the screenshot to open the window for creating a new disk copy.
- We select the type of source.
- We indicate the target disk that we will format, making sure to select the space reserved by the system.
If all the information has been transferred to another medium, uploaded to the cloud, or it is not valuable, we select only the system volume.
- We decide on the storage location for the image. What is noteworthy, the program allows you to save it in the cloud or transfer it over the local network, which is what we need.
- Click "Create Now".
- We are waiting for the finish line.
Keep in mind that when transferring an image that can take up a couple of dozen GB, it will take a lot of time for the cloud service, as opposed to saving it to a computer in the same local network or on a portable HDD.
- Boot from a USB flash drive and run a program that allows you to format your computer.
DOS, WinPE, Acronis DiskDirector, Partition Manager or other specialized utility can act as a tool that can format hard drives.
- Boot again from a USB flash drive with Acronis or WinPE and launch True Image.
- We select "Backup" and our copy of the hard disk or its system partition. Click "Recover disks" that you were able to format in step 8.
Formatting - There are many reasons why you need to completely erase all data from your computer. Perhaps the computer was donated and you want to get rid of the data of the previous owner. Perhaps the entered virus sits so deeply that it is easier to erase all files than to try to cure them. Sometimes you just want to erase everything and install the operating system and the necessary programs from scratch. And the inexperienced user is faced with the question "How to format the computer completely." The most widespread in Russia are PC computers and Windows operating systems. Therefore, we will consider formatting on this platform.
Before you format your computer, you should save all important files on a USB flash drive or other media. Otherwise, most likely the necessary documents will not be returned. If you need to format not the entire computer, but a specific local disk, then just go to My Computer, right-click on the desired disk and select the Formatting section. In the window that opens, check the Quick format checkbox and click Start. The process will take up to several minutes depending on the size of the local disk. If you need to format the entire computer, then this will be a little more difficult. There are several different ways to do this. Below is one of the simplest and most convenient.
If there is a need to format the hard disk, then as a rule, the operating system is immediately reinstalled after formatting. Therefore, a bootable operating system disk is required. You need to run it and wait for the installation menu to start loading. Next, you need to follow the instructions of the installer until you reach the menu where you need to choose where to install the OS. You will be prompted to select a partition on which to install the operating system. But at this stage, you need to choose not to install, but to format. Choose quick format to save time. The file system is NTFS. And repeat this operation with each local disk.
Next, choose where, the system will be installed, and continue with the installation. If there is a need to resize local disks, you can do it here. However, it should be remembered that even if you completely format the hard drive, you can still recover some of the data later. An experienced system administrator will be able to do this using special software. There are also many other ways to format the hard drive. For example using the command line. However, the above described method is the most simple and accessible for the mass user.
If you need to completely format a rough disk and return the computer settings to their original values, then you need to perform a number of actions. Usually, you need to reset the BIOS settings and perform several operations on the hard disk.
You will need
- - Partition Manager.
Instructions
1. Turn on your computer and hold down the Delete key. After opening the BIOS menu, highlight Use Default Settings and press Enter. Now select Save & Exit. This is necessary to save changes and exit the BIOS menu.
2. There are several methods to format a rough disk. If you have a chance to connect the hard drive to another computer, then perform this action. Turn on this PC and wait for the operating system to load. Open the "My Computer" menu by simultaneously pressing the Win and E keys. Right-click on the partition of the hard drive that needs to be formatted.
3. Select "Format" and click the "Start" button. Repeat this procedure for all other partitions on your hard drive. If you do not have a chance to connect the hard drive to another computer, then install the Partition Manager program. You will need it to format the system partition of your hard drive. this procedure cannot be performed using Windows tools.
4. Restart your computer and start Partition Manager. Open the "Wizards" menu and select "Format Partition". Click the "Next" button in the menu that opens. Select the partition of your hard drive that you want to clean up. Click the Next button. Specify the file system type for the upcoming partition. Give it a letter and label if required. Click the Next and Finish buttons.
5. Open the "Metamorphoses" tab located above the toolbar. Select "Apply Metamorphosis". After a while, a window will appear asking you to restart the computer and continue the operation in DOS mode. Click the Restart Now button. After a while, the computer's rough disk will be completely formatted.
Many PC users often have to repair their computer or install software. Occasionally you need a radical solution to problems - and then there is a need to format a rough disk in order to reinstall the operating system and other programs.
You will need
- Operating system installation disc.
Instructions
1. You will need an operating system installation disc. Insert the disc into the drive. Reboot your computer. Set the BIOS to boot from CD-ROM. Later, after the Windows Installer loads its files into the computer's RAM, you will see a dialog box labeled “Install Windows”. Where you will be asked to prefer one of the points.
2. Select the item "in order to restore Windows with the help of the repair console, press". The correction console will open in front of you. If you have one operating system installed on your PC, and it is located on the C: drive, then the message will load in front of you: "1: C: \ WINDOWS Which copy of Windows should I log in to?" Enter the number "1". Press the "Enter" key on the keyboard.
3. The system prompt will appear: "C: \ WINDOWS>". Write in this line "format with:" or "format with: / Q / FS: NTFS", where "Q" stands for fast formatting, and "FS" stands for the file system. Press "Enter" and enter the English letter "y" from the keyboard. The formatting process starts.
4. Please be aware that the formatting process will destroy the data on the disk. And before carrying out this operation, it is recommended to save the files you need on other storage media. After formatting, it is allowed to install the operating system.
Related Videos
Various environments may appear when using a computer. One of them is the formatting of the hard drive, which is carried out through the BIOS. Many people think that this process is unthinkable, but it is not. In order to format a rough disk through the BIOS system, certain operations must be performed.
You will need
- Personal Computer
Instructions
1. BIOS formatting is performed with a floppy disk. Take it and insert it into the drive. Open the "Control Panel" through "Start", and select the option "Add or Remove Programs and Windows Components". A window will open in front of you. Click on the "Boot Disk" tab and click the "Make" button. Next, an on-screen instruction will appear. It is not difficult to create a disc, easily follow each step. After that, completely disconnect the computer. Insert a bootable floppy disk into your floppy drive and turn on your computer. If the BIOS itself has a boot from a hard disk, or from a CD, and not from an elastic disk, then first set the boot from an elastic disk.
2. To do this, press the "Del" button at the start of the boot, when you turn it on. After entering the Bios, find the item in the "Advanced BIOS Features" menu and enter it. In the "First Boot Device" item with the help of the "PgDn" key, set the value "Floppy". Close the menu with the "Esc" key. Press "F10" to exit BIOS. Confirm the exit together with saving the changed parameters by pressing "Enter". Now, when you turn on the computer, if there is a bootable floppy disk in the drive, the computer will start to boot not from the hard disk, but from the floppy disk.
3. A menu will appear on the screen. Use the cursor keys to select item "No. 2. Start computer with CD-Rom Support". Press Enter to confirm the download. Wait a couple of seconds. When the download is complete, the command line “A: \ ^” will flash at the bottom of the screen. Type on the keyboard: the command "Format C:", and press again on "Enter". Later, after a warning appears about the valid deletion of all files during formatting, press "Enter" again.
4. There may be another option. If the disk is completely new, then later the boot message will appear: "No hard disks found on the computer." Then type on the keyboard the command "Fdisk" and press "Enter". The process of partitioning the disk into sectors will begin. Make an MS DOS boot partition. After rebooting, do the formatting. Later this HDD is ready to work, namely to install the operating system. If there is a bootable CD instead of a floppy disk, then re-enter the BIOS, the one described above. In the line "First Boot Device" insert the value "CD-Rom". Later download, follow each message that appears on the screen. Choose either NTFS or Fat32. NTFS is more of a new file system.
Related Videos
To formatting hard disk you need to be approached with every responsibility. It is extremely important to be very careful when it comes to formatting the system partition of the hard disk .
You will need
- - Windows installation disc.
Instructions
1. To format hard disk there are several tried and tested methods in MS-DOS mode. First, it is allowed to do this during the installation of the operating system. To get started, learn how to format your local drive during Windows XP setup.
2. Run the installer for the operating system. When the program menu displays a list of available hard drives and their partitions, select the partition that you want to format.
3. Specify the file system format for the upcoming partition. Press the Enter key. In the next window, press the F key to confirm the selected action. Finish the OS installation process.
4. If you have a Windows Vista or Seven installation disk at your disposal, then formatting the disk or its partition will be even easier. When the installation process comes to the choice disk or its section, click the "Settings disk ».
5. If you need to keep the current file system of the partition, select it and click the "Format" button. If you need to customize the parameters of the upcoming volume in more detail, select it and click the "Delete" button. Now click the "Make" button. Set the file system size and format for the upcoming volume.
6. Now learn to format the section using the command line. To access it, you can use a boot floppy disk or disk. In order to make a similar disc, use the further algorithm. Open the System and Security menu located in Control Panel. Go to the Archive and Correction menu.
7. In the left column, select "Make System Repair Disk". Insert a blank DVD into your drive and click the Make Disc button.
8. Reboot your computer. Press the F8 key and select DVD drive. When the window for additional correction parameters appears on the screen, select the "Command line" item.
9. Enter the Format C: / NTFS command in the window that appears to format disk From to the NTFS file system.
