Formatting - Define for me

FATALiiTYz

FATALiiTYz

New Member
This term confuses me.

What does formatting actually do? I understand that you're s'pose to format certain hardware when you get it, but why? Someone care to explain it to me?

Thanks :)
 
From Google - define:formatting

To format media is to prepare the media for use with a particular file system. When you format media, you overwrite any existing information on the media.
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and
Strictly, formatting is organising and marking the surface of a disk into tracks, sectors , and cylinders. It is also sometimes (incorrectly) a term used to signify the action of writing a filesystem to a disk (especially in the MS Windows/MS DOS world).
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among many other definitions. Hope that helps!
 
Strictly, formatting is organising and marking the surface of a disk into tracks, sectors , and cylinders. It is also sometimes (incorrectly) a term used to signify the action of writing a filesystem to a disk (especially in the MS Windows/MS DOS world).
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I disagree with the second... The term Reformatting is used to re-install your OS and wiping everything else off the hard drive. By this formatting would be originally installing the OS on to the hard drive.
 
Though many people use "formatting" for a synonym to installing an OS, it's incorrect. Formatting occurs before the installation of an OS - or before any other data is written to the drive, for that matter.

;)

[edit]
You could call a desktop computer tower a CPU, too - many people do - but it doesn't make it right... :D
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Ah - but an ice box is a synonym for a refrigerator, while formatting isn't a synonym for installing/reinstalling an OS. You can format a drive and not put any OS on it. Formatting is one thing, installing an OS is another. But many people misuse the term. Just like when people refer to their monitor as their computer or their modem as their router. Formatting and installing an OS are two completely different things, though they are related. :D
 
deanj20 said:
Ah - but an ice box is a synonym for a refrigerator, while formatting isn't a synonym for installing/reinstalling an OS. You can format a drive and not put any OS on it. Formatting is one thing, installing an OS is another. But many people misuse the term. Just like when people refer to their monitor as their computer or their modem as their router. Formatting and installing an OS are two completely different things, though they are related. :D
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i agree with this. if you use an old msdos boot disk and type format c:, it will erase (format) the drive. and when it is done it will ask for a volume label and wait for the next command. it will not start the install until you put in an install disk and type setup or install. windows xp/2000 and up just happens to put this function in during the install process and is a little easier than msdos.
 
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