Question on formatting a computer

[Bomber Will]

I right clicked on my C drive by mistake and noticed that it can be formatted. Does that delete everything from the computer or just stuff installed thats not windows related?

[NeoMagus]

If its the format Im thinking of, it should wipe the drive clean, leaving nothing remaining.

[AceJay]

Will, how much space did your HD have originally?

[Bomber Will]

My new laptop: it was supposed to be 250GB, only came with 220GB and its at 180GB now

I want to do it on my old laptop though since its near garbage anyways atm.

[AceJay]

Backup data, save stuff, reformat, reinstall suff, TURN OFF UAC AND AUTOMATIC BACKUP.

[Bomber Will]

I don't need anything in my old laptop so no need to save but how do you "TURN OFF UAC AND AUTOMATIC BACKUP"?

[AceJay]

On Vista. Look in the Users section for UAC, and for Auto Backups, I forgot, but just type it into the StartSeach box.

[Bomber Will]

Thanks, I just turned off making restore points and I'm turning off the UAC now.

[Mirandu]

Well, if you format your system drive while running Windows.. uh.. Windows will stop you, because it can't delete itself. If you mean another drive or partition, yeah. Formatting wipes everything clean.

If you want to format the system drive, it depends:
If you're using Win 98, go to the full MS-DOS mode and type in "format c:"
If you're using 2000 or XP, insert the installation disk, and while choosing a partition to install the system, choose "format partition with NTFS...".

[Bomber Will]

D: Damn, I really dont want to do it that way. Nothing really gets deleted completed that way.

[Mirandu]

D: Damn, I really dont want to do it that way. Nothing really gets deleted completed that way.

How do you mean? Format c: -> instant death for every bit on your HD.


I mean, if you re-install an operating system, the setup formats your HD at first, and after everything is clean and new, the OS is installed. So really EVERYTHING gets deleted that way.

[Bomber Will]

If you're using 2000 or XP, insert the installation disk, and while choosing a partition to install the system, choose "format partition with NTFS...".

I tried that like 6 times over the years on various computers/laptops and I always find stuff that shouldn't be coming back in the c drive.

[AceJay]

Then you didn't delete the original partition >_>

[Mirandu]

Take a magnet, and put it onto your HD. I hope you don't do it, since it was a joke.. kinda..

But really, I think Windows asks you, if you want to overwrite your old installation, or if you want to format everything. Never had any problems with that.

[Bomber Will]

I get a message saying something like warning this will override the current windows info loss blah blah blah and some stuff still doesnt delete completely.