Formatting is necessary to operate a hard drive that doesn’t have a file system. There is also no getting around the formatting of a hard drive if you are planning to change file systems. If you plan on switching from the file system FAT32 to NTFS, you will be able to save large files over 4GB on a hard drive and benefit from increased data security, amongst other things.
You may consider switching from NFTS to FAT32 if you want greater mobility and the best possible cross-platform compatibility during data exchange. FAT32 hard drives can be read by most hardware in the home, such as media receivers or smart TVs. A smooth cross-platform data exchange is guaranteed as Apple’s Mac computers can handle the FAT32 formatting of external hard drives without any additional tools.
A freshly formatted hard drive is also a good basis for a new installation of an operating system that is guaranteed to be virus-free and run smoothly. You can also opt for a completely new installation, including the formatting of the system hard drive, during an upgrade, e. g., from Windows 7 to Windows 10.
Formatting process in Windows Explorer
After opening Windows Explorer with the key combination [Windows] + [E], you must complete the following steps:
- In the navigation area on the left in Explorer: click on “This PC”.
- A list of the available hard drives will appear: right-click on the icon of the data medium that you want to format.
- After the context menu opens: right-click on “Format”.
- Select the file system and then click on “Start” to start the formatting.
As standard, Windows activates “Quick Format” which creates the new file system. If you uncheck the box, more complex formatting will be carried out. The hard drive will also be searched for faulty sectors.
This is particularly recommended for old hardware or hardware that hasn’t been used for a long time. In addition, with the Normal Format, the partitions will be overwritten with zeroes which make restoring data even more.
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