formatting a USB drive

I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB drives
primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard drive using
Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to NTFS. Someone here
kindly directed me to the right place to do this, but I have a few questions
first:

Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?
Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?
Should I enable file and folder compression?

Thank you!

Jo-Anne

GreenieLeBrun
Tue Jun 24 21:11:27 PDT 2008



Jo-Anne wrote:
> I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB
> drives primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard
> drive using Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to
> NTFS. Someone here kindly directed me to the right place to do this,
> but I have a few questions first:
>
> Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?

I do.

> Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?

I don't.

> Should I enable file and folder compression?

I don't.

>
> Thank you!
>
> Jo-Anne

Jo-Anne
Tue Jun 24 21:16:26 PDT 2008

Thank you! Do you mean that you do a quick format rather than the regular
one?

Jo-Anne

"GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeBrun@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OnY%23Nmn1IHA.4704@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>
> Jo-Anne wrote:
>> I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB
>> drives primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard
>> drive using Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to
>> NTFS. Someone here kindly directed me to the right place to do this,
>> but I have a few questions first:
>>
>> Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?
>
> I do.
>
>> Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?
>
> I don't.
>
>> Should I enable file and folder compression?
>
> I don't.
>
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>
>

Bjarke
Tue Jun 24 22:07:39 PDT 2008

"Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> crashed Echelon writing
news:ewhe5on1IHA.4704@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

> Thank you! Do you mean that you do a quick format rather than the
> regular one?

Depends if you are in a hurry. Quick Format will take about 5 seconds,
while a full format can take an hour or more, depending on the size of
partition.

--
Bjarke Andersen

Jo-Anne
Tue Jun 24 22:27:37 PDT 2008

Thank you, Bjarke! Is a quick format actually a conversion from one system
(FAT32) to another (NTFS) rather than an actual formatting? What I want to
do is format the drive in a way that will lock out bad sectors (if that's
the right terminology; I'm thinking back to formatting floppies in the old
days)...

Jo-Anne

"Bjarke Andersen" <bjarke.andersen@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9AC848811F26Cbjoegdk@207.46.248.16...
> "Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> crashed Echelon writing
> news:ewhe5on1IHA.4704@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:
>
>> Thank you! Do you mean that you do a quick format rather than the
>> regular one?
>
> Depends if you are in a hurry. Quick Format will take about 5 seconds,
> while a full format can take an hour or more, depending on the size of
> partition.
>
> --
> Bjarke Andersen

GreenieLeBrun
Tue Jun 24 22:27:59 PDT 2008



Jo-Anne wrote:
> Thank you! Do you mean that you do a quick format rather than the
> regular one?
>
> Jo-Anne
>
> "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeBrun@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:OnY%23Nmn1IHA.4704@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>
>>
>> Jo-Anne wrote:
>>> I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB
>>> drives primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard
>>> drive using Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to
>>> NTFS. Someone here kindly directed me to the right place to do this,
>>> but I have a few questions first:
>>>
>>> Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?
>>
>> I do.
>>
>>> Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?
>>
>> I don't.
>>
>>> Should I enable file and folder compression?
>>
>> I don't.
>>
>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>> Jo-Anne

I usually do a full format unless I am pressed for time.

Bjarke
Tue Jun 24 22:41:38 PDT 2008

"Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> crashed Echelon writing
news:#dSHrQo1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

> Thank you, Bjarke! Is a quick format actually a conversion from one
> system (FAT32) to another (NTFS) rather than an actual formatting?
> What I want to do is format the drive in a way that will lock out bad
> sectors (if that's the right terminology; I'm thinking back to
> formatting floppies in the old days)...

No, quick format simply rewrites the first part of the partition table, so
the old stored data would seem to be corrupt. In other words data is still
there, but the drive looks empty.

With a full format every data is being overwritten.

You can use format to change filesystem (NTFS, FAT32) but with the expense
of loosing the stored data.

Regarding locking out bad sectors, if you have a bad sector on a harddrive
then look for another drive. Today, bad sectors are often dirt, scratches
or mechanical error and only a matter of time when the whole drive will
fail.

--
Bjarke Andersen

Jo-Anne
Tue Jun 24 22:42:50 PDT 2008

Thank you!

Jo-Anne

"GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeBrun@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eyot%23Qo1IHA.2384@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
>
> Jo-Anne wrote:
>> Thank you! Do you mean that you do a quick format rather than the
>> regular one?
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>
>> "GreenieLeBrun" <GreenieLeBrun@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:OnY%23Nmn1IHA.4704@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>
>>>
>>> Jo-Anne wrote:
>>>> I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB
>>>> drives primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard
>>>> drive using Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to
>>>> NTFS. Someone here kindly directed me to the right place to do this,
>>>> but I have a few questions first:
>>>>
>>>> Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?
>>>
>>> I do.
>>>
>>>> Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?
>>>
>>> I don't.
>>>
>>>> Should I enable file and folder compression?
>>>
>>> I don't.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> Jo-Anne
>
> I usually do a full format unless I am pressed for time.
>

Jo-Anne
Tue Jun 24 23:39:04 PDT 2008

Thank you again! That is very helpful.

Jo-Anne

"Bjarke Andersen" <bjarke.andersen@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9AC84E446F378bjoegdk@207.46.248.16...
> "Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> crashed Echelon writing
> news:#dSHrQo1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:
>
>> Thank you, Bjarke! Is a quick format actually a conversion from one
>> system (FAT32) to another (NTFS) rather than an actual formatting?
>> What I want to do is format the drive in a way that will lock out bad
>> sectors (if that's the right terminology; I'm thinking back to
>> formatting floppies in the old days)...
>
> No, quick format simply rewrites the first part of the partition table, so
> the old stored data would seem to be corrupt. In other words data is still
> there, but the drive looks empty.
>
> With a full format every data is being overwritten.
>
> You can use format to change filesystem (NTFS, FAT32) but with the expense
> of loosing the stored data.
>
> Regarding locking out bad sectors, if you have a bad sector on a harddrive
> then look for another drive. Today, bad sectors are often dirt, scratches
> or mechanical error and only a matter of time when the whole drive will
> fail.
>
> --
> Bjarke Andersen

Lil'
Wed Jun 25 06:19:35 PDT 2008

"Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> wrote in message
news:uexZ3Nn1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB drives
> primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard drive using
> Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to NTFS. Someone here
> kindly directed me to the right place to do this, but I have a few
> questions first:
>
> Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?

Yes.

> Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?

No, a quick format does not check the physical hard disk for read/write
capability, it assumes all is good for the partition file data area. Don't
assume.

> Should I enable file and folder compression?

No.

--
Dave

Jo-Anne
Wed Jun 25 09:20:52 PDT 2008

Thank you, Dave! I'll start the formatting shortly.

Jo-Anne

"Lil' Dave" <spamyourself@virus.net> wrote in message
news:estoeYs1IHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> "Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> wrote in message
> news:uexZ3Nn1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> I'm using Windows SP SP3. I recently bought two 160GB external USB drives
>> primarily to image everything that's on my 60GB internal hard drive using
>> Acronis True Image. I'd like to reformat the drives to NTFS. Someone here
>> kindly directed me to the right place to do this, but I have a few
>> questions first:
>>
>> Should I accept the "default" allocation unit size?
>
> Yes.
>
>> Should I leave unchecked "perform a quick format"?
>
> No, a quick format does not check the physical hard disk for read/write
> capability, it assumes all is good for the partition file data area.
> Don't assume.
>
>> Should I enable file and folder compression?
>
> No.
>
> --
> Dave
>

Ian
Wed Jun 25 17:17:55 PDT 2008


"Bjarke Andersen" <bjarke.andersen@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9AC84E446F378bjoegdk@207.46.248.16...
> "Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> crashed Echelon writing
> news:#dSHrQo1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:
>
>> Thank you, Bjarke! Is a quick format actually a conversion from one
>> system (FAT32) to another (NTFS) rather than an actual formatting?
>> What I want to do is format the drive in a way that will lock out bad
>> sectors (if that's the right terminology; I'm thinking back to
>> formatting floppies in the old days)...
>
> No, quick format simply rewrites the first part of the partition table, so
> the old stored data would seem to be corrupt. In other words data is still
> there, but the drive looks empty.
>
> With a full format every data is being overwritten.
>
> You can use format to change filesystem (NTFS, FAT32) but with the expense
> of loosing the stored data.
>
> Regarding locking out bad sectors, if you have a bad sector on a harddrive
> then look for another drive. Today, bad sectors are often dirt, scratches
> or mechanical error and only a matter of time when the whole drive will
> fail.
>
> --
> Bjarke Andersen

Full formatting a drive does not overwrite any data. It just reads the
entire contents of the drive to find any faulty sectors. That's why
a drive that's been formatted can be unformatted by an unformatting
utility, providing nothing has been written to the drive in the interim.

Jo-Anne
Wed Jun 25 18:31:21 PDT 2008

Thank you, Ian! I had no idea one could unformat as well as formatting.

Jo-Anne

"Ian D" <taurus@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:%237MDWIy1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> "Bjarke Andersen" <bjarke.andersen@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns9AC84E446F378bjoegdk@207.46.248.16...
>> "Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> crashed Echelon writing
>> news:#dSHrQo1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:
>>
>>> Thank you, Bjarke! Is a quick format actually a conversion from one
>>> system (FAT32) to another (NTFS) rather than an actual formatting?
>>> What I want to do is format the drive in a way that will lock out bad
>>> sectors (if that's the right terminology; I'm thinking back to
>>> formatting floppies in the old days)...
>>
>> No, quick format simply rewrites the first part of the partition table,
>> so
>> the old stored data would seem to be corrupt. In other words data is
>> still
>> there, but the drive looks empty.
>>
>> With a full format every data is being overwritten.
>>
>> You can use format to change filesystem (NTFS, FAT32) but with the
>> expense
>> of loosing the stored data.
>>
>> Regarding locking out bad sectors, if you have a bad sector on a
>> harddrive
>> then look for another drive. Today, bad sectors are often dirt, scratches
>> or mechanical error and only a matter of time when the whole drive will
>> fail.
>>
>> --
>> Bjarke Andersen
>
> Full formatting a drive does not overwrite any data. It just reads the
> entire contents of the drive to find any faulty sectors. That's why
> a drive that's been formatted can be unformatted by an unformatting
> utility, providing nothing has been written to the drive in the interim.
>

Ian
Wed Jun 25 18:50:54 PDT 2008


"Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> wrote in message
news:ehd7Xxy1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Thank you, Ian! I had no idea one could unformat as well as formatting.
>
> Jo-Anne
>
It's done to recover from an accidental formatting, provided
nothing has been written to the drive after the format. There
are third party utilities that do this. It's not available in
Windows.

Jo-Anne
Wed Jun 25 19:02:32 PDT 2008

Thanks again, Ian! I'll remember that!

Jo-Anne

"Ian D" <taurus@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:%23%23L6S8y1IHA.4164@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> "Jo-Anne" <naples@tbcnet.com> wrote in message
> news:ehd7Xxy1IHA.1236@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> Thank you, Ian! I had no idea one could unformat as well as formatting.
>>
>> Jo-Anne
>>
> It's done to recover from an accidental formatting, provided
> nothing has been written to the drive after the format. There
> are third party utilities that do this. It's not available in
> Windows.
>