Windows XP: Format hard disk

You do not have to be a PC professional to format a hard drive under Windows XP. We'll show you how to do it in no time here.

Back up data before formatting a hard drive

Very important: Before formatting your hard drive, make a backup of your files. All data on the hard disk is deleted when formatting.

Select the hard drive to be formatted

• Open the "Workplace". All drives - including the hard drives - are displayed here.
• Right-click the hard drive you want to format.
• In the context menu that opens, select the "Format" entry (see figure).
• In the window that opens, you can delete the hard disk and set it up again. In the next paragraph you will read how it works.

Formatting settings in Windows XP

Before you start formatting, you can or must make a few settings in the open window:

• Select the file system: NTFS is suitable for hard disks and USB sticks up to 4 GB FAT32.
• The volume label is optional. It is best to give the hard drive a name that reveals something about the content - for example "Music", "Movies" or "Backup". This makes it easier to identify them later.
• Normal formatting or quick formatting: With normal formatting, the hard disk is first examined for bad sectors and then formatted. With quick formatting, there is no need to check for bad sectors. This is much faster and is sufficient in most cases.
• After you have set everything up, all you have to do is click on Start to start the process. if the formatting is complete, you will receive a corresponding message.

Note: You cannot format the hard disk on which the operating system is located (in most cases with the drive letter C). To reload XP, you need an installation CD. You don't want to format your hard drive right away, but prefer to defragment it first? Then this practical tip will help you.