Does formating a hard drive slow more superior than fast?

[Kaieye]

I have always wondered about this. Discuss...

 

[Boyo]

Some people reformat on an ongoing basis to keep their OS lean and mean. I personally don't think it's necessary, but it's a personal preference.

 

[Bowsky]

I don't think the different methods really affect performance, but the slow method is better for security. My understanding is that the fast option simply deletes the file table and creates a new one, while the slow option does the same thing as the fast option but writes 0's to the entire platter.

The only time I would use slow is if i was selling a computer or the hard drive. Since slow writes 0's across the platter, old data becomes much more difficult (although still not impossible) to recover information off the disc. This keeps your old information away from the buyer.

 

[SuperNaruto]

If you do a lot of "test" apps.. yes formatting will make it faster..

I end up running VM on my desktop to run these test apps and do not do much formatting lately..

 

[bobsmith1492]

I think his question is: "Is the quick-format option inferior to the full format?" not "Should I regularly format my hard drive?"

Right?

 

[jfall]

doesn't a slow format verify all the sectors?

 

[Kaieye]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
I think his question is: "Is the quick-format option inferior to the full format?" not "Should I regularly format my hard drive?"

Right?

Correct!

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Superior? If you are reformatting, not really. If you are giving the drive to someone else, or something to that effect, then definitely, as you want to try to reduce the chances of the data being recovered. But there are programs available that do a better job of scrubbing the data off than just formatting...

 

[willtriv]

what hes compairng is the speed between quick reformat and the slow one during xp install?

am i correct here?
because ultimately it has no difference, on is just more deleting your old data, but it is still not a great job, zero fill or bio/controller bios low lever formats are often still more effective.

 

[corkyg]

IMHO, constant reformatting and reinstalling is for those who don't know how to properly maintain their installed systems.

 

[F1shF4t]

Only difference between quick and full format is that full format will pick up and mark damaged ares of the disk so that it wont be used, much lower chance of getting data off it and takes a hell of a lot longer.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: corkyg
IMHO, constant reformatting and reinstalling is for those who don't know how to properly maintain their installed systems.

Ding ding ding! If you are habitually "spring cleaning" and reinstalling your computer every 6 months to a year you are completely wasting your time on what is a placebo at best. Install all your programs, defrag, make sure you don't have spyware, clean out your precache if you reallly feel like it, let windows manage the fvcking swap, and you should be completely fine.

Of course if you install 20 programs, and 10 of them have some kind of "quick launch" or installs some kind of daemon at start up you will get "slow down" because it is loading MORE.

I really don't see the purpose of "wiping clean" when a person will install the same bloody 15 programs that "slowed" the pc down in the first place...

I guess its for people who have no life and are that bored