Difference between revisions of "Format a Hard Disk"
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Formatting a hard drive allows you to use it on your computer to store files and install programs on. The format you choose for the drive determines the drive's compatibility. Formatting a drive will erase all of the data currently on the drive, so ensure you have everything you need backed up. Learn how to format a second (or third, or fourth...) drive from within Windows and OS X, as well has how to format your boot drive for both operating systems. You'll also learn how to securely erase all of the data on any of your hard drives. | Formatting a hard drive allows you to use it on your computer to store files and install programs on. The format you choose for the drive determines the drive's compatibility. Formatting a drive will erase all of the data currently on the drive, so ensure you have everything you need backed up. Learn how to format a second (or third, or fourth...) drive from within Windows and OS X, as well has how to format your boot drive for both operating systems. You'll also learn how to securely erase all of the data on any of your hard drives. | ||
| − | [[Category:System Maintenance and Repair]] | + | [[Category: System Maintenance and Repair]] |
== Steps == | == Steps == | ||
===Formatting a Secondary Hard Drive (Windows)=== | ===Formatting a Secondary Hard Drive (Windows)=== | ||
#Back up any data on the drive you want to save. Formatting a drive will erase all of the data on a drive, so make sure that everything you need to save is backed up to a safe location. You can then restore this data to your new drive. | #Back up any data on the drive you want to save. Formatting a drive will erase all of the data on a drive, so make sure that everything you need to save is backed up to a safe location. You can then restore this data to your new drive. | ||
#*You cannot back up installed programs. These will need to be reinstalled on your new drive. You can, however, usually back up settings and preference files. | #*You cannot back up installed programs. These will need to be reinstalled on your new drive. You can, however, usually back up settings and preference files. | ||
| − | #*See [[Back | + | #*See [[Back Up Data|this guide]] for details on backing up your data. |
| − | #Install the hard drive. If you are formatting a new drive, it will need to be installed in your system. See [[Install | + | #Install the hard drive. If you are formatting a new drive, it will need to be installed in your system. See [[Install a Hard Drive|this guide]] for instructions on installing an internal hard drive. If the drive is external, plug it into the computer via USB. |
#Open the Computer/My Computer/This PC window. This can be accessed from the Start menu, or by pressing <span style="white-space: nowrap;">{{keypress|Win|E}}</span>. This window displays all of the drives connected to your computer. | #Open the Computer/My Computer/This PC window. This can be accessed from the Start menu, or by pressing <span style="white-space: nowrap;">{{keypress|Win|E}}</span>. This window displays all of the drives connected to your computer. | ||
#Right-click on the drive you want to format. Select ''Format...'' This will open the Windows disk formatting tool. | #Right-click on the drive you want to format. Select ''Format...'' This will open the Windows disk formatting tool. | ||
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#*In OS X your programs will be safe backed up when you use the built-in Time Machine (TM), so they don't need to be reinstalled manually – saving a lot of time. If your back up is a simple copy, your programs will – in many cases – actually still work, since a Mac program mostly is one big file and not a lot of small files everywhere in the system. | #*In OS X your programs will be safe backed up when you use the built-in Time Machine (TM), so they don't need to be reinstalled manually – saving a lot of time. If your back up is a simple copy, your programs will – in many cases – actually still work, since a Mac program mostly is one big file and not a lot of small files everywhere in the system. | ||
#*Your settings and preference files can also be backed up, and using TM will replace them correctly without you having to think about placing. | #*Your settings and preference files can also be backed up, and using TM will replace them correctly without you having to think about placing. | ||
| − | #*See [[Back | + | #*See [[Back Up Data|this guide]] for details on backing up your data with TM |
| − | #Install the hard drive. If you are formatting a new drive, it will need to be installed in your system. See [[Install | + | #Install the hard drive. If you are formatting a new drive, it will need to be installed in your system. See [[Install a Hard Drive|this guide]] for instructions on installing an internal hard drive. If the drive is external, plug it into the computer via USB, FireWire, or Thunderbolt. |
#Open Disk Utility. Click '''Go''' and select ''Utilities''. If you don't have a ''Utilities'' option, select ''Applications'' and then double-click the "Utilities" folder. Open the Disk Utility program. | #Open Disk Utility. Click '''Go''' and select ''Utilities''. If you don't have a ''Utilities'' option, select ''Applications'' and then double-click the "Utilities" folder. Open the Disk Utility program. | ||
#Select your drive from the list on the left. All of your connected drives will be listed in the left pane of the Disk Utility window. Make sure you select the correct drive. | #Select your drive from the list on the left. All of your connected drives will be listed in the left pane of the Disk Utility window. Make sure you select the correct drive. | ||
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===Formatting Your Boot Drive (Windows)=== | ===Formatting Your Boot Drive (Windows)=== | ||
#Back up any data on the drive you want to save. Formatting your boot drive will erase your operating system and all the files stored on it, so be prepared to reinstall the operating system on the drive. Having a back up of your important files will make transitioning much easier. | #Back up any data on the drive you want to save. Formatting your boot drive will erase your operating system and all the files stored on it, so be prepared to reinstall the operating system on the drive. Having a back up of your important files will make transitioning much easier. | ||
| − | #*See [[Back | + | #*See [[Back Up Data|this guide]] for details on backing up your data. |
#Insert your Windows installation disc. You can also use a boot disk or LiveCD. This will allow you to boot to this disk instead of the hard drive, which will allow you to format it. | #Insert your Windows installation disc. You can also use a boot disk or LiveCD. This will allow you to boot to this disk instead of the hard drive, which will allow you to format it. | ||
| − | #Set your computer to boot from the disc. You will need to set your boot order in the BIOS in order to boot from the disc. See [[Boot | + | #Set your computer to boot from the disc. You will need to set your boot order in the BIOS in order to boot from the disc. See [[Boot a Computer from a CD|this guide]] for details on setting your boot order. |
#*To open your BIOS, reboot your computer and press the setup key. this is usually {{keypress|F2}}, {{keypress|F10}}, or <span style="white-space: nowrap;">{{keypress|Del}}</span>. | #*To open your BIOS, reboot your computer and press the setup key. this is usually {{keypress|F2}}, {{keypress|F10}}, or <span style="white-space: nowrap;">{{keypress|Del}}</span>. | ||
#Navigate through the installation screens. You will need to start the installer and navigate past the first few pages until you reach the screen with a list of your installed drives. You will be initiating a Custom Installation of Windows. | #Navigate through the installation screens. You will need to start the installer and navigate past the first few pages until you reach the screen with a list of your installed drives. You will be initiating a Custom Installation of Windows. | ||
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#*You can only format your boot drive as NTFS. | #*You can only format your boot drive as NTFS. | ||
#Reinstall Windows. Now that the drive has been formatted, you can reinstall Windows, or install Linux on it. You will need an operating system on your computer in order to use it. | #Reinstall Windows. Now that the drive has been formatted, you can reinstall Windows, or install Linux on it. You will need an operating system on your computer in order to use it. | ||
| − | #*[[Install | + | #*[[Install Windows 7|Reinstall Windows 7]] |
| − | #*[[Install | + | #*[[Install Windows 8|Reinstall Windows 8]] |
| − | #*[[Install | + | #*[[Install Linux|Install Linux]] |
===Formatting Your Boot Drive (OS X)=== | ===Formatting Your Boot Drive (OS X)=== | ||
#Back up any data on the drive you want to save. Formatting your boot drive will erase your operating system, so be prepared to reinstall the operating system on the drive. Having a back up of your important files will make transitioning much easier. | #Back up any data on the drive you want to save. Formatting your boot drive will erase your operating system, so be prepared to reinstall the operating system on the drive. Having a back up of your important files will make transitioning much easier. | ||
#*In OS X your programs will be safe backed up when you use the built-in Time Machine (TM), so they don't need to be reinstalled manually – saving a lot of time. If your back up is a simple copy, your programs will – in many cases – actually still work, since a Mac program mostly is one big file and not a lot of small files everywhere in the system. | #*In OS X your programs will be safe backed up when you use the built-in Time Machine (TM), so they don't need to be reinstalled manually – saving a lot of time. If your back up is a simple copy, your programs will – in many cases – actually still work, since a Mac program mostly is one big file and not a lot of small files everywhere in the system. | ||
#*Your settings and preference files can also be backed up, and using TM will replace them correctly without you having to think about placing. | #*Your settings and preference files can also be backed up, and using TM will replace them correctly without you having to think about placing. | ||
| − | #*See [[Back | + | #*See [[Back Up Data|this guide]] for details on backing up your data. |
| − | #Ensure you are connected to the internet. You will need an internet connection to reinstall your operating system at the end of the process. Check [[Connect | + | #Ensure you are connected to the internet. You will need an internet connection to reinstall your operating system at the end of the process. Check [[Connect to a Wireless Internet Connection#Mac_OS_X_sub|this guide]] for details on how to connect your Mac to the internet. |
#Restart your computer. Click the Apple menu and select ''Restart''. Hold {{keypress|Command|R}} while the computer reboots. This will open the boot menu. | #Restart your computer. Click the Apple menu and select ''Restart''. Hold {{keypress|Command|R}} while the computer reboots. This will open the boot menu. | ||
#Select "Disk Utility" from the boot menu. This will open the boot version of the Disk Utility program. | #Select "Disk Utility" from the boot menu. This will open the boot version of the Disk Utility program. | ||
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===Securely Wiping Your Hard Drive=== | ===Securely Wiping Your Hard Drive=== | ||
#Back up any data on the drive you want to save. When securely wiping your hard drive, there is absolutely no way that you can recover it. A properly wiped hard drive would take a government supercomputer days to potential recover a fragment of a file. Because of this, ensure that you have everything saved that you need. | #Back up any data on the drive you want to save. When securely wiping your hard drive, there is absolutely no way that you can recover it. A properly wiped hard drive would take a government supercomputer days to potential recover a fragment of a file. Because of this, ensure that you have everything saved that you need. | ||
| − | #*See [[Back | + | #*See [[Back Up Data|this guide]] for details on backing up your data. |
#Download DBAN. DBAN is a hard drive formatting program that is designed to securely wipe the data from the drive by overwriting it multiple times. This will prevent the data from being restored using a data recovery program. | #Download DBAN. DBAN is a hard drive formatting program that is designed to securely wipe the data from the drive by overwriting it multiple times. This will prevent the data from being restored using a data recovery program. | ||
#*DBAN does not work for solid state drives (SSD). You will need to use a different program, such as Blancco. | #*DBAN does not work for solid state drives (SSD). You will need to use a different program, such as Blancco. | ||
#Burn DBAN to a disc. DBAN is downloaded as an ISO file, which is a disc image. Burning the ISO to a disc will allow you to boot directly into the DBAN interface. | #Burn DBAN to a disc. DBAN is downloaded as an ISO file, which is a disc image. Burning the ISO to a disc will allow you to boot directly into the DBAN interface. | ||
| − | #*See [[Burn | + | #*See [[Burn ISO Files to DVD|this guide]] for details on burning ISOs to DVD. |
#Boot from the DBAN disc. Insert the DBAN disc into your computer and reboot. Select the disc drive as your primary boot device. | #Boot from the DBAN disc. Insert the DBAN disc into your computer and reboot. Select the disc drive as your primary boot device. | ||
| − | #*Windows - You will need to set your optical drive as the boot drive from the BIOS menu. See [[Boot | + | #*Windows - You will need to set your optical drive as the boot drive from the BIOS menu. See [[Boot a Computer from a CD|this guide]] for details on setting your boot order. |
#*OS X - Press and hold {{keypress|C}} while your computer is rebooting. After a little while DBAN will boot. | #*OS X - Press and hold {{keypress|C}} while your computer is rebooting. After a little while DBAN will boot. | ||
#Select your hard drive. Press {{keypress|Enter}} on the DBAN main screen, and then select your drive with the arrow keys. Be sure to pick the correct drive if you have multiple available. | #Select your hard drive. Press {{keypress|Enter}} on the DBAN main screen, and then select your drive with the arrow keys. Be sure to pick the correct drive if you have multiple available. | ||
