How do I format a hard drive? A computer hard drive stores your files, allowing you to access them at any time. The majority of the time, you want these files to remain stored properly and safely. … ...

A quick format is much faster than a normal format, which fully erases any existing data on the hard disk. Click "Start" to start formatting the removable hard disk.

To format a hard drive before you start using it in Windows, use the Disk Management utility; on a Mac, use Disk Utility.

Microsoft claims that businesses planning to use Vista together with its Bitlocker hard drive encryption technology will have an easy and safe way to dispose of their hard disks. The software ...