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

Capodecina
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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?
 
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).
 
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.
 
OK, quick it is, thanks.

I take it the Vista disc has options to perform this on C before installation like the XP disc.
 
Lysander said:
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?)
 
=walls= said:
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
 
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