How to Format a
Computer
Want to know how to
format a computer hard
drive? Need to learn how
to format your computer
and start with a clean
slate? Formatting a disk
prepares the surface of the
drive to accept and store
data. Computers are often
formatted before they are
sold, donated, or returned
to an employer. Likewise,
computers with viruses or
errors can be formatted
and returned to their "out
of the box" settings.
How to Format
Computer Quick Links:
How to Format a
Computer with Windows 7
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
Vista
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
XP
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
95, 98, & ME
Wipe All Data Before
Formatting
Reinstall Windows XP
Reinstall Windows 95, 98,
& ME
Create a Startup Disk
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
7
Warning - Formatting
hard drive information
does not permanently
erase the data. Even after
a computer has been
formatted, deleted files
can be easily recovered. If
you want to permanently
wipe your hard drive by
completely overwritting
hard drive data, check out
WipeDrive.
To format your hard disk
during Windows 7
installation, you'll need to
start, or boot, your
computer using the
Windows 7 installation
disc or USB flash drive.
1. Turn on your computer
so that Windows starts
normally, insert the
Windows 7 installation
disc or USB flash drive, and
then shut down your
computer.
2. Restart your computer.
3. Press any key when
prompted, and then
follow the instructions
that appear.
4. On the Install
Windows page, enter
your language and other
preferences, and then click
Next.
1. If the Install Windows
page doesn't appear, and
you're not asked to press
any key, you might need
to change some system
settings. To learn how to
do this, see Start your
computer from a Windows
7 installation disc or USB
flash drive .
5. On the Please read the
license terms page, if you
accept the license terms,
click I accept the license
terms, and then click Next.
6. On the Which type of
installation do you
want? page, click Custom.
7. On the Where do you
want to install
Windows? page, click
Drive options
(advanced) .
8. Click the partition that
you want to format and
click Format.
1. If you have more than
one partition on this hard
drive and want to get rid
them to make one big
drive again, then select a
partition and click on the
Delete option for each
partition. Once you have
deleted all of the
partitions, select the
Unallocated Space
partition and click Format.
9. Pick the formatting
option that you want.
10. When you've finished
formatting, click Next.
11. Follow the instructions
to finish installing
Windows 7, which include
naming your computer
and setting up an initial
user account.
1. If you do not want to
reinstall Windows 7, you
can cancel the installation
at this point and keep
your newly formatted
drives.
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
Vista
Warning - Formatting
hard drive information
does not permanently
erase the data. Even after
a computer has been
formatted, deleted files
can be easily recovered. If
you want to permanently
wipe your hard drive by
completely overwritting
hard drive data, check out
WipeDrive.
To format your hard disk
during Windows Vista
installation, you'll need to
start, or boot, your
computer using the
Windows Vista installation
disc or USB flash drive.
1. Turn on your computer
so that Windows starts
normally, insert the
Windows Vista installation
disc, and then shut down
your computer.
2. Restart your computer.
3. Press any key when
prompted, and then
follow the instructions
that appear.
4. On the Install
Windows page, follow
any instructions that are
displayed, and then click
Install now.
1. If the Install Windows
page doesn't appear, and
you're not asked to press
any key, you might need
to change some system
settings. To learn how to
do this, see Start Windows
from a CD or DVD.
5. On the Get important
updates for installation
page, we recommend
getting the latest updates
to help ensure a successful
installation and to help
protect your computer
against security threats.
You will need an Internet
connection to get
installation updates.
6. On the Type your
product key for
activation page, do one of
the following:
1. If you are reinstalling
Windows Vista, you should
enter your product key
now.
2. If you are not
reinstalling Windows
Vista, you can skip this
step.
7. On the Please read the
license terms page, if you
accept the license terms,
click I accept the license
terms.
8. On the Which type of
installation do you
want? page, click Custom.
9. On the Where do you
want to install
Windows ? page, click
Drive options
(advanced) .
10. Click the partition that
you want to format and
click Format
1. If you have more than
one partition on this hard
drive and want to get rid
them to make one big
drive again, then select a
partition and click on the
Delete option for each
partition. Once you have
deleted all of the
partitions, select the
Unallocated Space
partition and click Format
11. When you've finished
formatting, click Next.
12. Follow the instructions
to finish installing
Windows Vista, which
include naming your
computer and setting up
an initial user account.
1. If you do not want to
reinstall Windows Vista,
you can cancel the
installation at this point
and keep your newly
formatted drives.
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
XP
Warning - Formatting
hard drive information
does not permanently
erase the data. Even after
a computer has been
formatted, deleted files
can be easily recovered. If
you want to permanently
wipe your hard drive by
completely overwritting
hard drive data, check out
WipeDrive.
1. The first step in
learning how to format a
computer with Windows
XP or 2000, is to insert
Windows CD and restart
your computer.
2. Your computer should
automatically boot from
the CD to the Windows
Setup Main Menu.
3. At the Welcome to
Setup page, press ENTER.
4. Press F8 to accept the
Windows XP Licensing
Agreement.
5. If an existing Windows
XP installation is detected,
you are prompted to
repair it. To bypass the
repair, press ESC.
6. Use the ARROW keys to
select the partition or the
unpartitioned space where
you want to create a new
partition. Press D to delete
an existing partition, or
press C to create a new
partition.
7. Type the size in
megabytes (MB) that you
want to use for the new
partition, and then press
ENTER, or just press ENTER
to create the partition
with the maximum size.
8. Select the format
option that you want to
use for the partition
(Recommended: NTFS),
and then press ENTER.
9. After the Windows
Setup program formats
the partition, follow the
instructions that appear
on the screen to continue
installing Windows.
How to Format a
Computer with Windows
95, 98, or ME
Warning - Formatting
hard drive information
does not permanently
erase the data. Even after
a computer has been
formatted, deleted files
can be easily recovered. If
you want to permanently
wipe your hard drive by
completely overwritting
hard drive data, check out
WipeDrive.
To reinstall Windows, you
will need a Startup
Diskette and a Windows
Installation CD.
Download the Startup
Diskette Creator
