Formatting drive - low-level or quick for clean install?

[Lysander]

Installing Vista tonight - is it better to do a clean install over a low-level format or a quick format? Or does it not make any different to how Vista will perform afterwards?

 

[bledd]

makes no performance difference

quick format is fine mate

 

[TC1]

Quick is ok but i would do a full format.

 

[fumbles]

Do a quick one, full just takes too loing. IIRC all a full one does it just check the hard disk for bad sectors and what not (as well as what a quick does).

 

[.walls]

Quick will be fine. Full will do a similar job, but don't low level format your drive.

A low level format should never be performed on modern hard drives unless absolutely necessary - you can actually damage the disk.

 

[Lysander]

OK, quick it is, thanks.

I take it the Vista disc has options to perform this on C before installation like the XP disc.

 

[RobP]

OK, quick it is, thanks.

I take it the Vista disc has options to perform this on C before installation like the XP disc.

Yes, if you choose custom install you can delete and create partitions and format them. Only a quick format though, no option to do a full format (unless I missed it?)

 

[Burnsy2023]

Quick will be fine. Full will do a similar job, but don't low level format your drive.

A low level format should never be performed on modern hard drives unless absolutely necessary - you can actually damage the disk.

It won't damage the disc, but performace may suffer, and like has been said, modern HDDs should only be LLF at the factory.

Burnsy

 

[squiffy]

Quick format, 320GB+ will take ages, and I guess 700GB will take about 2-3 hours?