XP Installation Full Format & Quick Format

[DasFox]

What are the differences, pros and cons, if there are any between a full format and a quick format when installing XP?

THANKS

 

[jlbenedict]

Here are the differences as quoted from MS Technet:

Quick format
Quick format creates the file system structure on the disk without verifying the integrity of every sector. Choose this method for any disk that has no bad sectors and no history of file-corruption problems that might be related to bad sectors.
Full format
A full format identifies and tracks bad sectors so that they are not used for storing data. Choose this method for any disk that has bad sectors or has a history of file-corruption problems that might be related to bad sectors.

 

[FreedomGUNDAM]

thanks for the info

 

[DasFox]

Cool thanks 🙂

Good= Quick
Bad=Full

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: DasFox
Cool thanks 🙂

Good= Quick
Bad=Full

umm no. Quick is Quick. But Full actually checks the drive and trys to fix it. if your drive has a problem, you should do a full format. on a brand new drive, you should do a full to check it. if you are reinstalling windows and the drive is fine, then quick is fine.

 

[DasFox]

Got it 🙂

 

[cleverhandle]

I've heard (though I don't know) that full formats add a small amount of wear and tear to the drive. I don't think it's supposed to be the kind of thing that you would encounter in typical use, but I guess if you were the type to be reinstalling an OS every week (say, in a testing situation) that you wouldn't want to do full formats, even if time were not an issue.

 

[imported_Ned Flanders]

Full format on new drives to check for bad sectors, after you know it is good when you next reformat you can get away with quick.