Which format is better?

Status
Not open for further replies.

AND_YOU_ARE

Fully Optimized
Messages
2,003
Location
Potsdam NY, USA
When formating a drive most likely yo uhave mote than one option of what kind of format to perform. Either a high level, low level, or the one inside of windows. Which one is the best to ensure the life of the drive?
 
High-Level Formatting

After low-level formatting is complete, we have a disk with tracks and sectors--but nothing written on them. High-level formatting is the process of writing the file system structures on the disk that let the disk be used for storing programs and data. If you are using DOS, for example, the DOS FORMAT command performs this work, writing such structures as the master boot record and file allocation tables to the disk. High-level formatting is done after the hard disk has been partitioned, even if only one partition is to be used. See here for a full description of DOS structures, also used for Windows 3.x and Windows 9x systems.

The distinction between high-level formatting and low-level formatting is important. It is not necessary to low-level format a disk to erase it: a high-level format will suffice for most purposes; by wiping out the control structures and writing new ones, the old information is lost and the disk appears as new. (Much of the old data is still on the disk, but the access paths to it have been wiped out.) Under some circumstances a high-level format won't fix problems with the hard disk and a zero-fill utility may be necessary.

Different operating systems use different high-level format programs, because they use different file systems. However, the low-level format, which is the real place where tracks and sectors are recorded, is the same.

Low-level format

Initial formatting of a hard drive that initializes the physical tracks on the surface or the internal disks. The drive manufacturer usually performs a low-level format on the hard drive before it is released.
 
Alright thanks for that information. So if I have a hard drive that Is on its last days, would a low level format, followed by a high level format possilbly help i regain some life?
 
Why do you think it's on it's last days? Is it the hdd itself thats bad like internally or what?
 
I think its in it last days because of a few things, in speed fan it has no fitness, it takes twice as long to boot into windows, and it makes a hard spinning noise when booting up.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom