Then you can choose to reset the PC, or “reinstall macOS” for Mac computers. Just press the right keys repeatedly when the logo splash screen comes on after you restart the computer. For Macs, you’ll need to press both Command and R. There’s different keys for different brands of computers. That’s F8 for Dell, Esc for HP, and so on. For Windows laptops and desktop computers, you’ll need to enter the boot menu. Another way is by going to Settings > Recovery, then resetting your computer from there.Īfter you’ve backed up the necessary data, restart your computer to enter recovery mode. Both Windows and Mac computers have recovery modes accessible from boot up, and you can proceed with the disk formatting there. The easiest way to format and reinstall the OS on a hard drive is through the computer’s built-in recovery mode. Alternatively, you may also use File History (Windows) or Time Machine (Apple macOS) to create full backups onto a hard drive. If you only have a few files that you need, just drag and drop onto an external hard drive or cloud storage. As we’ve learnt, disk formatting wipes all the data off the drive, so you might want to get important data off the drive first. With that said, remember to backup your data before you format the drive. If your computer is running a bit slower that you’re used to, reinstalling the OS could also help as well. You could try doing this to solve problems like BSOD (blue screen of death) or boot errors. Disk formatting could possibly solve a number of software issues. You may also try reinstalling your OS when you come across problems on your computer. Disk formatting also installs a new OS onto the drive, so the next user can start out with a clean slate. You’ll be able to wipe out all your data, so it stays out of the hands of others. If you’re looking to recycle or trade in your computer, you’d probably need to perform a disk format beforehand. The three main things that you can do with a disk format is full data removal, file system change, and possibly refresh your computer for better performance. It prepares the available space for OS installation and use. This process wipes all the data on the drive and sets up a new file system, which allows the operating system (OS) to read and write new data on the drive.ĭisk formatting is usually done to prepare a new drive for its first use.

When you want to wipe a hard drive clean, you can do so by formatting the drive.

How to format my hard drive on windows