Difference between revisions of "Format a Hard Disk"

#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.

#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.

#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.

#*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.

#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.

#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.

===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.

#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-a-Computer-from-a-CD|this guide]] for details on setting your boot order.

#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.

#*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.

#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.

#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.

===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.

#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.