Format *: /q Vs. Format *:

**FacQ** · June 14th, 2001, 02:01 PM

What are the advantages/disadvantages of a Quick format Vs. a Standard format?? Just a little debate we have here at the office..... Thanks Peeps!!

**geeksRus** · June 14th, 2001, 02:23 PM

Quick format is just that...quick...a full standard format will reveal any bad spots on the disk where quick format does not.

**ephmynus** · June 14th, 2001, 02:31 PM

If I have the time I always do a full format. Sometimes, when in a rush, I'll do a quick format as long as I know the hard drive is good. Makes it so much quicker if anyone has ever had to format an 80gig drive. Talk about a looooong wait time.

**Dr Jam** · June 14th, 2001, 07:37 PM

Just My 2cents worth

format /q is good if you have already format the drive fully before and know the HDD is in good nik and want to quickly dump it.

I actually dont like quick formats if I dont know what state the HDD is in also I hate disk managers - Yuk

**Geek #1** · June 15th, 2001, 02:41 AM

A quick format will only create a new directory structure on the disk. A full format will check for errors and bad sectors.

The advantage would be speed over error checking. As APLUSTECH mentioned the time factor with todays huge drives is the main reason for quick formatting.

**Fubarian** · June 15th, 2001, 05:48 AM

Originally posted by Geek #1:
<STRONG>A quick format will only create a new directory structure on the disk. A full format will check for errors and bad sectors.

The advantage would be speed over error checking. As APLUSTECH mentioned the time factor with todays huge drives is the main reason for quick formatting.</STRONG>

bingo - quick format is similar to wiping the TOC on a cd-rw, the data is still there but the computer "don't know it"

**AlienDyne** · June 16th, 2001, 01:38 AM

When finished with fdisk you have to format the drive using the standard option:
Format c:
You can't quick format a drive which has never been formatted after fdisk.

**Joker1** · June 16th, 2001, 02:22 PM

what about things like virus's does quick format differ from regular when you want to eliminate a virus?

**AlienDyne** · June 19th, 2001, 04:09 AM

If it's not a virus that stays on the MBR, you can format using the following options:

format c: /q /u

Unconditionally quick-formats the drive. You can't recover after that and the virus gets deleted too.

fhctech · June 20th, 2001, 01:00 PM

Also keep in mind - if you redo the partition, you can't do a quick format. As for formatting a drive due to a virus :: Why? Even free virii scanners like F-Prot 3.09c will disinfect drives even if the O/S is inoperatable.

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