# Pretty simple computer question - How do I format a hard drive??

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pretty-simple-computer-question-how-do-i-format-a-hard-drive/101326>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 2, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pretty-simple-computer-question-how-do-i-format-a-hard-drive/101326 "2002-04-02T03:19:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pretty-simple-computer-question-how-do-i-format-a-hard-drive/101326/1 "2002-04-02T03:19:00Z")

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My darling husband is working on a computer right now, but is having a brain fart on how to format a hard drive, please, someone help him before he goes insane…

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**Author:** ![Mike\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mike\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_B)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pretty-simple-computer-question-how-do-i-format-a-hard-drive/101326/2 "2002-04-02T03:23:49Z")

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If you’re running Windows…

Get a windows boot disk…I’m actually not sure how you make one, but you should’ve made one when you installed Windows…

Turn off the computer, stick the disk in, start the computer.

Select the option Start Windows \<Version\> **without** CD-ROM support. When you get to the thing that says a:&gt;, type:

c:  
format c:

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**Author:** ![ACK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@ACK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ACK)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pretty-simple-computer-question-how-do-i-format-a-hard-drive/101326/3 "2002-04-02T03:25:29Z")

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First of all, there are several things to consider. What operating system is one important factor (windows 98, 2000, etc.) You can download utilities at places like [www.download.com](http://www.download.com). I have xp, and it can format the hard drives as a system utility, meaning no downloads necessary. Make sure that when you do actually format the drive that you keep the files you need on a floppy, or if need be, on a CD. The formatting will completely erase your hard drive, and make you start from scratch, assuming you have one hard drive. It becomes more complicated when dealing with partitons, but under most circumstances, only one is necessary. For most systems, FAT32 is the format used, although on XP, the desired format would be NTFS. This should get you started, although you can email me if you need further assistance.

😛

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pretty-simple-computer-question-how-do-i-format-a-hard-drive/101326/4 "2002-04-02T04:13:06Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mike B \*  
> \*\*
> 
> Select the option Start Windows \<Version\> **without** CD-ROM support. When you get to the thing that says a:&gt;, type:
> 
> c:  
> format c: \*\*

format c: is correct.

but i’d just like to clarify that selecting “with” or “without” cd rom support would not affect the format process. so Mike B’s emphasis on “without” is misleading. It’ll work as well either ways. and if “with” cd rom support is selected, you can even continue to install the Windows OS from CD after the format is complete.