pcrobot Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Hello,I have already formatted one of my hard disk. After first format, it show used space at 108 MB.Then, after second format, it still show 80 KB.I really dont want any data in that hard disk.Im not a computer expert and Please explain me how can I format all the data.Thanks and Regards,Linn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Hello and welcome to WF.Remember that the format itself consumes disk space and I think 80KB is quite a reasonable amount of space to lose.How large is the disk you have formatted? I expect the 80KB to be only a tiny fraction of the total. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcrobot Posted April 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 HelloThanks... my disk space is 20 GB.And I would like to know that when I format the disk, which file system should I choose (NTFS or FAT32)?I see it's file system is FAT32 in it's properties.But When I right click on that disk and then click format, I need to choose NTFS or FAT32. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 For Windows XP then NTFS is by far the preferable system. Much more stable than FAT and will accept large disk sizes (doesn't apply in your case). It does depend, though on the file system of your other drives. Although FAT is compatible with an NTFS "C" drive (the drive with the operating system on it), I'm not sure that a NTFS subsidiary drive will work with a FAT "C" drive.Hope it works out OK :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcrobot Posted April 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 Thanks for ur explanation.Now Im confusin' again coz after restartin' my PC that hard disk (formatted one) shows file system is NTSF and used space is 65MB :( .One of my friends said NTFS system can share files, So some files may contain in that hard disk.I have to borrow it to my friend and I really don't want any file in that hard disk.So how can I delete all the data from NTSF system ?Please help me again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 If you have formatted the disk there will be no data on it, certainly none that is accessible without very special software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Man Posted April 18, 2006 Report Share Posted April 18, 2006 I believe the space being taken is from the boot loader and MFT (master file table) which are basically just sectors which explain how your drive is partitioned, and which is the boot sector. Without these sectors your hard disk is a paper weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcrobot Posted April 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 Thanks ...I see a software called "Active@ Kill Disk Hard Drive Eraser". and...It says "Destroy data on your hard drive, excluding any possibility of future recovery". So do I need to use that software for all the data cleaning ? if not, im worryin' abt recovery software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Man Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 You can use Maxblast if it is a Maxtor drive. I am not sure if it works on other drives, but it is designed to destroy all data.Maxblast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 Thanks ...I see a software called "Active@ Kill Disk Hard Drive Eraser". and...It says "Destroy data on your hard drive, excluding any possibility of future recovery". So do I need to use that software for all the data cleaning ? if not, im worryin' abt recovery software.This is really just for the paranoid people who have something to hide. If you just want to format a new hard drive, formatting is really enough. You won't gain any additional diskspace by running an eraser program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukus Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 Agreed, and the type of space your talking about really isn't worth losing sleep over!To be honest, a Data Recovery Professional will be able to recover the data no matter what Eraser software you use (although they make it more difficult!) As someone said above, this is really for people who don't want ANY information being recovered from there hard disks'.If you are a home user, I really wouldn't worry about the FBI knocking on your door and demanding your hard drives or your friend being able to recover what files you had on the drive. Formatting will be more than sufficient :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcrobot Posted April 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 many thanks for all of your helpful info: and advice :)Now, I have already formatted it and also erase with "Eraser 5.7".So, I believe it has no data at all But my HD is NTSF system and I have other HD (Master) in my PC.So Im worrying about data transfering from Master HD to my formatted HD.coz one of my friends said NTSF can share data HD to HD.Ok, this is my last worrying about my HD and please explain me NTFS can share data or not.Sorry for my dumb questions again :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted April 19, 2006 Report Share Posted April 19, 2006 Data will not move from one disk to another without being instructed to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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