Laptop shutdowns unexpectedly

[MK27]

There should be no real difference between quick format and full format unless you work for secret services.

Sorry -- perhaps you do not understand what I mean by zeroing the drive and checking each block for read errors. Writing + reading a few hundred gigs is not instantaneous. Quick reformatting can be done in minutes or less.

[maxorator]

Sorry -- perhaps you do not understand what I mean by zeroing the drive and checking each block for read errors. Writing + reading a few hundred gigs is not instantaneous. Quick reformatting can be done in minutes or less.

We were talking about formatting, not scanning a drive for errors, right?

If we're still talking about formatting, then my point was that there's no point doing a low level format unless you're worried some malicious person is trying to recover your super-secret data from the drive.

[MK27]

If we're still talking about formatting, then my point was that there's no point doing a low level format unless you're worried some malicious person is trying to recover your super-secret data from the drive.

Which is why I said there was no point in doing any format at all first unless you are resizing or changing the filesystem type.

[maxorator]

Which is why I said there was no point in doing any format at all first unless you are resizing or changing the filesystem type.

I've only formatted once and the reason was to clean up my system from useless stuff (applications create all kind of junk, especially trials) and to reorganize my system. I store the things I need on another drive, format, install Windows, copy the necessary stuff from the other drive back. Saves me from hunting down all the useless files that are scattered around everywhere.

I've got to admit though that it was like 4-5 years ago. Last four years I didn't bother formatting and just lately I switched to Windows 7 on a new hard drive.

[Mario F.]

Which is why I said there was no point in doing any format at all first unless you are resizing or changing the filesystem type.

Format seems to me like a very fast way to clean up my hard drive and ensure an error-free MFT. Being that I already done my backups and want to ensure a trouble free installation, spending 10 seconds formatting my HD seems the smart thing to do.

If, on the other hand, I haven't done my backups and need files preserved, then the issue of formatting or not formating the drive doesn't even present itself.

So there is a point in doing a format. And you bet is one of THE requirements of anyone on the IT field.