How to Format Your Computer Information on a Disk
When you format a computer hard drive, it erases all information stored on the drive. You can also format other types of disk drives, such as an external hard drive. When you format the disk, you can then put new information on it, if you prefer. This process is simple to do and only takes a few minutes.
- Insert the disk into the computer’s disk drive. If this is an external hard drive, connect the hard drive to the computer via a USB cable. Insert one end of the cable into the hard drive, and the other end into a free USB port on the front or back of your computer. You may also connect the external drive via a Firewire or SATA cable, depending upon how your computer is set up.
- Right-click the “Start” button in the lower left corner of the screen, and then click “Explore” to open Windows Explorer.
- Right-click the drive letter that contains the disk you want to format on the left side of the window, and then click “Format” from the side menu. For example, your main disk drive is letter C, and will be listed towards the top. Your external drive may be letter E or F, and will be listed closer to the bottom.
- Select the file system you prefer from the drop-down menu, and then press “OK.” The format process will begin. This can take some time to complete, depending upon how much information is on the disk. When it is finished formatting, the drive will be available to use.