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Vista FULL Clean Install - Full Format or is it quick?

post #1 of 19
2/9/07 at 7:08pm
Thread Starter 
I noticed that when I do a Vista Clean install, delete all my partitions and create one, when I choose Format, it formats my 100GB hard drive in under a minute. Windows XP took about 10-15 for a 100GB. I called Microsoft to verify that the format is a full format and they said it is. How can Vista possibly format a huge drive this fast??
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post #2 of 19
2/9/07 at 7:33pm
I noticed the same yet when you run disk cleaner it shows windows old files which can be deleted if you don't need to retrieve any. I suspect that it is not a true format.
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post #3 of 19
2/10/07 at 2:03am
If it takes under a minute it's doing a quick format...basically it's writing over the master file table without touching any data on the disk. The disk looks empty because the file table has been destroyed but data retrieval utilities could resurrect any files left on the disk that weren't written over.

If a format takes a while the computer is literally writing zeroes to every sector of the disk which not only destroys the file table but the files themselves.

Either format is perfectly fine, however, any bad sectors on the disk will be detected and made inaccessible during the latter.
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post #4 of 19
2/10/07 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 
Well Microsoft doesnt seem to think its a quick format. He is like Vista is smart... it takes it shorter with Vista for a FULL format.... I was like riiiiiggghhhttt. Anyone know how to force Vista to do a FULL format in the clean install?

When you choose Clean install, then click the advanced button (it reveals the format command and others) delete your partitions, and choose a partition and click format it does something for 30 seconds to a minute. I don't see any option for FULL format nor quick format. Any ideas?
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post #5 of 19
2/10/07 at 3:33pm
Is there any reason you want to do a full format? The quick format is perfectly fine.

If you can't figure it out with Vista, however, just start the Windows XP setup and run the full format from that.
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post #6 of 19
2/10/07 at 6:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze
Is there any reason you want to do a full format? The quick format is perfectly fine. If you can't figure it out with Vista, however, just start the Windows XP setup and run the full format from that.
The full format make him feel like his computer is clean and people cant uncover his old files I would prefer to do it also if I could, but since I didnt see it im not sweating it
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post #7 of 19
2/10/07 at 7:40pm
Even with a full format files are still recoverable...files are recoverable after they've been written over a couple times. You'd need to write over a file at least 8 times to make sure that it can't be recovered through forensic analysis.
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post #8 of 19
2/10/07 at 7:49pm
Good to know, I did not know that
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post #9 of 19
2/11/07 at 11:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze
Is there any reason you want to do a full format? The quick format is perfectly fine.

If you can't figure it out with Vista, however, just start the Windows XP setup and run the full format from that.

Yea, I thought about running XPs FULL Format, then running Vista's setup. But that just sux that we would have to use XPs then switch over.

Maybe another call to Microsoft is in order. Ugggg!
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post #10 of 19
2/11/07 at 3:32pm
Again I ask: why is it so important to do a full format?

The only benefit it offers is the finding and marking of bad sectors. A chkdsk will do the same thing once the computer is up and running.
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post #11 of 19
2/11/07 at 4:06pm
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post #12 of 19
2/11/07 at 5:57pm
The fact that people have their own opinions is beside the point. I'd like to know why the OP thinks it's necessary to do a full format as opposed to a quick format when there is no benefit.
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post #13 of 19
2/11/07 at 6:08pm
He has every right to, especially since Microsoft even recommends it. They say to do it so why did they do away with it? It seems like you are just getting upset and angry that we have opinions and would rather do the full format. Maybe we want to check for bad sectors at the install and not after. Condisering Microsoft tells you to I dont get what so bad about still wanting to? Chill out
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post #14 of 19
2/11/07 at 6:17pm
Thread Starter 
Why do I want to do a FULL format?

Because I want to

This option always existed before, and theres no reason they should take it away from us. Plus doesn't it just make you wonder, just how do you do a FULL format in Vista's install?? Anyone know....??? Well they do, and their the one's doing the FULL format!

It makes me feel all warm and bubbly inside to know I did a FULL format.
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post #15 of 19
2/11/07 at 9:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cstradling24
He has every right to, especially since Microsoft even recommends it. They say to do it so why did they do away with it? It seems like you are just getting upset and angry that we have opinions and would rather do the full format. Maybe we want to check for bad sectors at the install and not after. Condisering Microsoft tells you to I dont get what so bad about still wanting to? Chill out


Excuse you. Now you're arguing.

You are not the OP nor do you speak for the OP so kindly be quiet.

----

Coastal, thank you. That's all I wanted to know.

I've done a little research...there's not much of a call to be able to do this apparently. However, I've seen that if you go to Custom Install>Advanced that you should have the option. Assuming, of course, that you're not doing this to begin with.
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post #16 of 19
2/11/07 at 9:21pm
Sorry if you feel I was argueing. Im done...

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post #17 of 19
2/11/07 at 10:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze

Coastal, thank you. That's all I wanted to know.

I've done a little research...there's not much of a call to be able to do this apparently. However, I've seen that if you go to Custom Install>Advanced that you should have the option. Assuming, of course, that you're not doing this to begin with.

Checked into Kakaze, just today in fact. I tried to get Vista working on my wifeys computer, and there is absolutely no command there for a full format (at least none that are obvious or apparant) I really don't see the reason for leaving the option out, aside from making the install process that much quicker. Also, just to clear things up... a quick format simply wipes out the FAT and restructures it exactly as is was with the original (or last full) formatting. When you do a full format, it also scans the disc for errors and imperfections and tells the drive to avoid any potentially bad sectors. Even with a full format, data is not erased or overwritten - its simply bypassed to be overwritten later.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Webopedia
When you format a disk, the operating system erases all bookkeeping information on the disk, tests the disk to make sure all sectors are reliable, marks bad sectors (that is, those that are scratched or otherwise damaged), and creates internal address tables that it later uses to locate information.

http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/...ive_format.asp
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post #18 of 19
2/12/07 at 1:03am
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post #19 of 19
2/12/07 at 10:07pm
Found this on another forum:
Quote:
Use system recovery on the vista DVD. Just select no operating system to repair, and load up the command prompt:

format c: /fs:NTFS

Before you do that however, you can use the diskpart command to re-partition any drives, or to confirm what drives are assigned to the appropiate letter!

WARNING: Make sure you format the right drive!

I haven't tested it, but it should perform a full format. Seems to me that it should be an obvious option to do a full format considering that viruses could still hide on the drive with just a quick format.
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