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reformatting question 2
- Thread starter decurion
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- #2
depends on the OS, applications, and the probability of your system to corrupt stuff.
None of my old builds have been reformatted for years, one going back to at least 1996. Just happens to be DOS/Xenix dual boot, both of which are stable.
Older drives with mechanical head positioning were prone to losing tracking, so they needed a low level format to lay down new tracks where the heads were riding. This is no longer a factor.
High level formatting checks the integrity of the media but you can do the same thing with scandisk. In fact, that is probably the better way.
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
None of my old builds have been reformatted for years, one going back to at least 1996. Just happens to be DOS/Xenix dual boot, both of which are stable.
Older drives with mechanical head positioning were prone to losing tracking, so they needed a low level format to lay down new tracks where the heads were riding. This is no longer a factor.
High level formatting checks the integrity of the media but you can do the same thing with scandisk. In fact, that is probably the better way.
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks for the info efair.
I a 40 GB hard drive and there is only 10 GB of free space left. It's been acting up a lot lately and I think it would just be best to get a fresh start. As I understand, the hard drive gets all cluttered up and that tends to cause errors. Is reformatting my best option?
thanks agian for helping.
I a 40 GB hard drive and there is only 10 GB of free space left. It's been acting up a lot lately and I think it would just be best to get a fresh start. As I understand, the hard drive gets all cluttered up and that tends to cause errors. Is reformatting my best option?
thanks agian for helping.
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Go to drive manufacturer's site and download their diagnostic utility (to check status of drive).
If running 2k/XP - run chkdsk on drive. If 9x/ME, run scandisk.
75% full shouldn't cause problems - 'acting up' is a bit vague - any symptoms you'd care to share? (eg, it may not be the hard drive)
If running 2k/XP - run chkdsk on drive. If 9x/ME, run scandisk.
75% full shouldn't cause problems - 'acting up' is a bit vague - any symptoms you'd care to share? (eg, it may not be the hard drive)
Yeah, they get cluttered up. It is called fragmented. And the scandisk that wolluf mentioned should be followed by a defrag program.
You don't want to run a defrag on a suspect drive if you need any data.
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
You don't want to run a defrag on a suspect drive if you need any data.
Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.
I can't understand why users shy away from formatting and reinstalling, as long as they can safely backup anything they want to save the benefits of a clean install are many.
For the average user I would recommend a clean install at least once a year.
I can understand edfair and wolluf's concern's about the possibility of other problems but to be honest it doesn't sound like you have any specific problems just that things are a bit messed up.
Clean installing definately turbochargers things up a bit, even if only for a few weeks, in my opinion it is something that should be done routinely and not as a last ditch repair.
Computer professinals do tend to look upon reformatting as
"the last resort" I guess thats because generally PC's used in a professional enviroment have far more important data to save and often take a great deal more setting up in a network/server situation.
This doesn't necessarily apply to a stand alone desktop, where a backup and clean install can be undertaken in a matter of a few hours and not several days as may otherwise be the case.
PS: just make sure you still have all the software and drivers to complete the task, before you start.
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
For the average user I would recommend a clean install at least once a year.
I can understand edfair and wolluf's concern's about the possibility of other problems but to be honest it doesn't sound like you have any specific problems just that things are a bit messed up.
Clean installing definately turbochargers things up a bit, even if only for a few weeks, in my opinion it is something that should be done routinely and not as a last ditch repair.
Computer professinals do tend to look upon reformatting as
"the last resort" I guess thats because generally PC's used in a professional enviroment have far more important data to save and often take a great deal more setting up in a network/server situation.
This doesn't necessarily apply to a stand alone desktop, where a backup and clean install can be undertaken in a matter of a few hours and not several days as may otherwise be the case.
PS: just make sure you still have all the software and drivers to complete the task, before you start.
Martin
Replying helps further our knowledge, without comment leaves us wondering.
: Paparazi
I fully agree with you in respect to reformating. I usually do it every 6 weeks or so. To be safe I ghost my arreas to another clean array which just has been reformated, reasign the drives and boot up. If it boots up I format the old aray. I use Maxblast, it only takes a few minutes. Even Ghost can transfer 38 Gbytes of data in about 18 to 22 minutes. So within about half an hour the business is done. Regards
Jurgen
I fully agree with you in respect to reformating. I usually do it every 6 weeks or so. To be safe I ghost my arreas to another clean array which just has been reformated, reasign the drives and boot up. If it boots up I format the old aray. I use Maxblast, it only takes a few minutes. Even Ghost can transfer 38 Gbytes of data in about 18 to 22 minutes. So within about half an hour the business is done. Regards
Jurgen
Exactly what I want to do is reformat my hard drive. My Problem? I have a Compaq Presario 5600i, and I have no Windows disk. My windows backup is on D:. I have no idea how to go about reformating this...can you help? I have everything - all my personal files backed up on cds. It's what to do about wiping out my C Drive? Won't formating the harddrive wipe out my windows backup...Compaq got cheap I guess. I do have Windows 98 disks from my other machines, but they won't work because of the id numbers....doesn't match whatever compa put in here.
Thanks to all in advance!
Marcia
Thanks to all in advance!
Marcia
TekTippy4U
Technical User
thread751-772840
TT4U
Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.
TT4U
Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.
TekTippy4U
Technical User
And;
thread602-777385
TT4U
Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.
thread602-777385
TT4U
Notification:
These are just "my" thoughts....and should be carefully measured against other opinions.
Backup All Important Data/Docs..All involved shall be spared the grief.
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