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Operating System Specific Discussions => Other Operating Systems => Topic started by: ChaosLord on March 03, 2011, 07:53:37 PM

Title: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: ChaosLord on March 03, 2011, 07:53:37 PM
I need to format this 2TB Samsung drive.
Using Windows XP, I have selected NTFS with 64K blocks.

It has a box for "Quick Format" that I can check.  Should I or not?

It has been 2 years since I formatted an NTFS drive.  I have forgotten what to do. :(
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: kd7ota on March 03, 2011, 08:03:10 PM
My thing about a full format and a quick format was...

If you are using a drive for the very FIRST time, I would do a full format just to be safe to be sure there isn't any errors down the drive. After you do it once, quick formats are fine after that.

But... I noticed in Windows 7, when you prepare the drive, you do not have the choice to do a full format, it just prepares (quick formats) the drive.

Mainly up to you. Honestly, just do a quick format and use it.  If magically there are any drive errors, it will show up. :P

Figured if you dont even have the full format options when installing windows 7, then you may as well quick format in windows xp.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: ChaosLord on March 03, 2011, 08:07:29 PM
Your reasoning sounds reasonable. :)
But then why doesn't Quick Format default to "Yes" on Windows XP?

This really confuses me.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: actung_bab on March 03, 2011, 08:19:25 PM
Quote from: ChaosLord;619357
Your reasoning sounds reasonable. :)
But then why doesn't Quick Format default to "Yes" on Windows XP?

This really confuses me.
not sure but l usually use quick format on portable 160 gb drive l use on pc ps3
etc but use fat32 on this drive because have to to be read by the ps3
and used this for years with no probs a few times its said need to check for errors
but u just click quick scan and fixed in seconds never had to reformat
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: mongo on March 03, 2011, 08:21:06 PM
Quote from: kd7ota;619356
My thing about a full format and a quick format was...

If you are using a drive for the very FIRST time, I would do a full format just to be safe to be sure there isn't any errors down the drive. After you do it once, quick formats are fine after that.


On an IDE drive any bad blocks are automatically re-mapped. You'll never see any errors unless the number of bad blocks is more than the number of blocks reserved for re-mapping, in which case you have a very bad drive.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: Nostalgiac on March 03, 2011, 08:36:11 PM
Quote from: mongo;619361
On an IDE drive any bad blocks are automatically re-mapped. You'll never see any errors unless the number of bad blocks is more than the number of blocks reserved for re-mapping, in which case you have a very bad drive.


correct - the only difference between full and fast is that a full one nulls out all blocks, while the fast only sets up a new/empty dir structure.

Tom UK
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: mongo on March 03, 2011, 08:41:22 PM
Quote from: Nostalgiac;619368
correct - the only difference between full and fast is that a full one nulls out all blocks, while the fast only sets up a new/empty dir structure.

Tom UK


Full just reads the blocks and checks for errors, it doesn't write to them.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: Piru on March 03, 2011, 09:00:46 PM
I wouldn't bother with the full format, IMHO it's just waste of time.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: Karlos on March 03, 2011, 09:14:43 PM
Reformat as ext4...

Oh wait. Windows. Right :)

Seriously though, unless you have stuff on there you are epic paranoid about (in which case a data "shredder" should be used), quick formatting should be fine.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: Piru on March 03, 2011, 09:18:55 PM
Quote from: Karlos;619376
Seriously though, unless you have stuff on there you are epic paranoid about (in which case a data "shredder" should be used), quick formatting should be fine.

Interestingly NTFS full format indeed only is quick format + block verify, that is it doesn't actually erase the data.

You need to use zero-fill tool for that effect.

In fact I never even considered this would be the case until mongo brought it up couple of messages ago.
Title: Re: NTFS Quick Format?
Post by: Karlos on March 03, 2011, 09:23:51 PM
Probably another reason why computer forensics teams love criminals that use windows :lol: