Can any1 Give some tips how to format/reformat?

[Strato]

can any1 give me how to write full format and a quick format on MsDos mode??

Fdisk is for partition.. but what is the main use of fdisk for the harddisk?

and how to know some basic tools and advance tools for formatting?


hope I can explore more bout this...

thanks

[Steve]

Strato,

HERE (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q255867) is a link to an extensive explanation of the fdisk and format programs.

That link has just about all the info you would ever want about the two programs. ;)

[mjc]

General discussion of news, events and happenings in the PC industry and the world of technology. No help questions please.

[Sylvander]

I believe you are using Windows 98.

The short instructions if you just want to re-format the C: drive is:

1. Boot from a Windows 98 Startup disk and select "Without CD-ROM support".

2. At the DOS prompt [a:\>] type charaters so you see:
a:\>format c:
[there should be a space between "format" and "c:"]
and press enter.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen.

There is no "Full Format" and "Quick Format" of the C: drive.
That is something on offer when formatting floppy disks within Windows.

Your HDD manufacturers [free] utility programmes [probably available for download from their website] will [not format alone but will] partition more easily than "fdisk" [and also automatically format after partitioning so it does partitioning or both (partitioning + format)].

[Strato]

but how can I get the command.com if I will used at A:\format c:\ ?

I used to try that format but.... I always have the system disk failure.. is full and quick format still usable in formatting?

or I just put the format what you have given?

[Sylvander]

I re-format my C: drive quite regularly [then I restore a backup made by “Simple Backup” to CD-RW disks] and it’s quite a routine matter.

The Windows 98 Startup Disk [do you have one made on your PC?] includes a copy of “Command.com” and also “Format.com”.
When you boot from the Startup Disk you will [eventually] be shown “a:\>”.
You type the command “format”, then a space, then a “c” and then a “:” [a colon].
There should be no backslash after the colon.
You MUST be VERY CAREFUL to type exactly the correct command.
It should look like this:
a:\>format c:
This only formats the c: drive [it does not put the system files on the c: drive].

If you want to install the system files [which includes “Command.com”] to the c: drive at the same time then at the end of the command as shown add a space, a forward slash and an “s”.
The command should now look like this:
a:\>format c: /s

I have never been aware of being offered the option of full & quick format when doing this.
I’ve only been aware of this being offered when formatting a floppy.

[Strato]

so you mean... Its better to use start-up disk??

how bout if I have partition on my hard disk c: d: and e: will the d: and e: will be formatted also when I format my drive c:?

sorry I'm still newbie and want to learn more bout technical problems..

[Budfred]

As long as you tell it to format C:, it should only format C:.

[Sylvander]

Hello Strato.
You said "so you mean... Its better to use start-up disk??"

Better than what?
For doing what?

You're touching a sore point here.

When you say something is better,
it has to be BETTER THAN something else
and to judge whether it is better than the other thing you need to know what is the other thing.
Then you need to know in what respect it is considered better than the other thing.

So you need to specify these things before I can know what you mean.

For example:
The startup disk is not better than a knife at cutting up vegetables.
But it is better than wishful thinking at reformatting a HDD.

[malcore]

Ang mga taong iyon ay tamad at malupit.;)

[iisbob]

There is no "Full Format" and "Quick Format" of the C: drive.

excuse me?!

Yes, you can Quick format a harddrive; the only requirement is that ther be a previous FAT system on the disk; when you " quick" format { Format c:/q ) you simply remove the previous FAT indexes-when you debug or FDISK a drive it's considered " blank" so you have to Full format it-you can't do a quick then becuase as far as the system is concerned there is no previous file system ( tho unless you zero wipe the drive there is still remenenets of a previous install-that's why it's best to zero wipe for a true clean install )


If you simply want to format ( with a previous version of FAT installed ) best way to do this is use Format c:/q/autotest ) this will remove the file header indexes & not prompt you for volume name-it will assume none.

You can also use the /autotest switch on a " full " format after wiping the drive ( debuggin/fdisking/zeroing ).

Mind you, this switch doesn't work with earlier versions of Format ( like from <5.0 ~ but all 95> it'll work just fine.



how bout if I have partition on my hard disk c: d: and e: will the d: and e: will be formatted also when I format my drive c:?


Um, no-think of it like this, when you partition a drive you are creating new drawers in your file cabinet ( the hard drive being the file cabinet ), so once you put files folders into drawer C ( formatting~laying out file system ), you still have to " open " D & E to put the folders for your files in them-capiche?! ;)

Persoanlly i still use an old custom bootdisk ( heavily modified over the years ) on CD now-you can create a wonderful handy bootdisk on the 210 MB mini-cd's that willcontain various progs that will lighten your load when doing even mundane tasks such as prepping a harddrive for an OS installation.

[Sylvander]

Well corrected iisbob!

I wonder if you'd find an "Emergency Boot CD" usefull?

Instructions here http://tinyurl.com/an5b