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low level format
I gateway PC which is quite functional but afflicted with many small problems.
I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if I can do a low level format of my HD, and then re-install my OS from the "installation discs" that came with the PC. Richard -- Message posted via WindowsKB.com http://www.windowskb.com/Uwe/Forums....setup/200703/1 |
#2
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low level format
Personally I'd simply format and install, a "low level" format is very
rarely required and is manufacturer specific however if this is really what you feel you should do then you need to visit the website of the manufacturer of your hard disk to see if they have the necessary utility available. Low level formats aren't a method of fixing small problems with an operating system but rather used to try and deal with deep seated problems with a hard disk. I suspect that what you want to do is to format your hard disk which is done by booting to DOS with a Win Me boot floppy and running the Format command. For more information see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 255867 - "How to Use the Fdisk Tool and the Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a Hard Disk" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=255867) as well as the file CLEANHD.TXT which is in the Win 9x folder on the Win Me CD and also as KB271673 - "Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents" (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=271673).. This should help you get started. -- Mike Maltby atlantis43 via WindowsKB.com u24690@uwe wrote: I gateway PC which is quite functional but afflicted with many small problems. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if I can do a low level format of my HD, and then re-install my OS from the "installation discs" that came with the PC. |
#3
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low level format
On Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:25:22 GMT, "atlantis43 via WindowsKB.com"
I gateway PC which is quite functional but afflicted with many small problems. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if I can do a low level format of my HD, and then re-install my OS from the "installation discs" that came with the PC. See http://cquirke.mvps.org/reinst.htm Rather figure out those "many small problems", in case you end up with one large problem instead ;-) Seriously; many types of problems can corrupt the process of "just" rebuilding the system software, so you'd wish you could Undo. -------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - - Hmmm... what was the *other* idea? -------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - - |
#4
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low level format
CQuirke;
Your links are very interesting, but the specific troublesome problem seems to elude 'figuring out'. Generally, the year-old PC with lots of ram & free memory & cache seems to work extremely slowly, predominantly in MSAccess2003. I've already had my shop evaluate (and simply reinstall WinXP and MSOffice), and it improved only slightly. (I don't reeally use many other apps where I can evaluate processing speed, so I can't tell if the whole system is slow.) The shop failed to write zeros to my WD hard drive before they re-installed, even though WD recommends that this should be done before any OS re-install, so I think that this is a good place to start (in spite of your link). It might be some incompatible software that I previously installed that is slowing things down (I did load some old apps that are not XP compatible), or it might be some malware (though norton & zonelabs don't find anything), or maybe my system just needs replaceing. Thanks again Richard cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user) wrote: On Wed, 04 Apr 2007 16:25:22 GMT, "atlantis43 via WindowsKB.com" I gateway PC which is quite functional but afflicted with many small problems. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if I can do a low level format of my HD, and then re-install my OS from the "installation discs" that came with the PC. See http://cquirke.mvps.org/reinst.htm Rather figure out those "many small problems", in case you end up with one large problem instead ;-) Seriously; many types of problems can corrupt the process of "just" rebuilding the system software, so you'd wish you could Undo. -------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - - Hmmm... what was the *other* idea? -------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - - -- Message posted via WindowsKB.com http://www.windowskb.com/Uwe/Forums....setup/200704/1 |
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low level format
Source for above statement (for RE-INSTALLING an OS) can be seen on WD KB msg
#1211, virtually verbatim! Also, a top level IT acquaintance tells me (as I, with my limited PC knowledge understand it) that there can frequently be 'duplicate' files that are corrupted (perhaps due to malware, improper uninstall procedures, etc.) that can be causing system malfunctions, and the only way to solve the problem is to truly 'eliminate' all such files. Richard. Mike M wrote: Out of curiosity can you give a reference please to where WD say to write zeroes before installing an OS. I would be interested to read this since I have never done this in many years of working with PCs and would be interested to learn their reasoning for this suggestion. Not that it is relevant to the question of "writing zeroes" but I hope you appreciate that you are posting to a newsgroup supporting those wishing to setup the old Win Me operating system rather than XP, hence the "windowsme" in the title of the newsgroup. CQuirke; Your links are very interesting, but the specific troublesome problem [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] don't find anything), or maybe my system just needs replaceing. Thanks again -- Message posted via http://www.windowskb.com |
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low level format
Oh, I forgot that I'm currently planning on trying such a procedure on a
system running ME, and on another system running XP. My string actually started with a question about my ME system. Richard Mike M wrote: Out of curiosity can you give a reference please to where WD say to write zeroes before installing an OS. I would be interested to read this since I have never done this in many years of working with PCs and would be interested to learn their reasoning for this suggestion. Not that it is relevant to the question of "writing zeroes" but I hope you appreciate that you are posting to a newsgroup supporting those wishing to setup the old Win Me operating system rather than XP, hence the "windowsme" in the title of the newsgroup. CQuirke; Your links are very interesting, but the specific troublesome problem [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] don't find anything), or maybe my system just needs replaceing. Thanks again -- Message posted via WindowsKB.com http://www.windowskb.com/Uwe/Forums....setup/200704/1 |
#8
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low level format
atlantis43 via WindowsKB.com u24690@uwe wrote:
Source for above statement (for RE-INSTALLING an OS) can be seen on WD KB msg #1211, virtually verbatim! "Western Digital provides software utilities that can erase all the data on a hard drive. Writing zeros to a drive is recommended any time an operating system is to be reinstalled on a boot drive or whenever a blank drive is desired. " Recommended maybe but by no means required. I have never had to write zeroes to a hard drive before either first use or installing an operating system and I've been working with PCs now for the best part of twenty five years. Since I have never experienced problems that might require a low level format I don't intend doing so now. g Seagate in contrast say "Perform this "low-level-format" only if all other POWERMAX tests have passed (or by direction of Seagate Technical Support) and the hard drive is still not performing correctly." Also, a top level IT acquaintance tells me (as I, with my limited PC knowledge understand it) that there can frequently be 'duplicate' files that are corrupted (perhaps due to malware, improper uninstall procedures, etc.) that can be causing system malfunctions, and the only way to solve the problem is to truly 'eliminate' all such files. I'm sorry but for the greater part your friend is incorrect. Formatting a hard disk is all that is required to remove a previous operating system. It is very rarely necessary to write zeroes, this is normally only required, and multiple times, when disposing of hard drives that previously contained sensitive material so as to prevent its recovery using specialist tools. The only other time that I would contemplate performing a low level format is if I was experiencing major read or write problems on a hard drive and I had run the manufacturer's test utility such as Maxtor's PowerMax or Seagate's SeaTools and the utility had made this recommendation. -- Mike Maltby MS-MVP Windows |
#9
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low level format
Mike;
Your comments sound convincing, but I remain confused. My particular problem arose on my PC (the one running XP) with very slow functioning of Access2003 Db, which started running queries slowly, opening forms slowly, and opening my modules OH SO SLOWLY! My OS and MSOFFICE were re-installed, but this barely improved the problem. However, if I take the same Db and install it on a PC with much lower capabilities, it functions just fine! Clearly, something is corrupting my system, and persisting after re- installation. Perhaps this is 'one of those things'. Perhaps the re-install is not equivalent to a reformat, and I should first try the Maxtor utility (for my XP system) for a low level format, and not worry about a full disc cleaning. Richard Mike M wrote: Source for above statement (for RE-INSTALLING an OS) can be seen on WD KB msg #1211, virtually verbatim! "Western Digital provides software utilities that can erase all the data on a hard drive. Writing zeros to a drive is recommended any time an operating system is to be reinstalled on a boot drive or whenever a blank drive is desired. " Recommended maybe but by no means required. I have never had to write zeroes to a hard drive before either first use or installing an operating system and I've been working with PCs now for the best part of twenty five years. Since I have never experienced problems that might require a low level format I don't intend doing so now. g Seagate in contrast say "Perform this "low-level-format" only if all other POWERMAX tests have passed (or by direction of Seagate Technical Support) and the hard drive is still not performing correctly." Also, a top level IT acquaintance tells me (as I, with my limited PC knowledge understand it) that there can frequently be 'duplicate' files that are corrupted (perhaps due to malware, improper uninstall procedures, etc.) that can be causing system malfunctions, and the only way to solve the problem is to truly 'eliminate' all such files. I'm sorry but for the greater part your friend is incorrect. Formatting a hard disk is all that is required to remove a previous operating system. It is very rarely necessary to write zeroes, this is normally only required, and multiple times, when disposing of hard drives that previously contained sensitive material so as to prevent its recovery using specialist tools. The only other time that I would contemplate performing a low level format is if I was experiencing major read or write problems on a hard drive and I had run the manufacturer's test utility such as Maxtor's PowerMax or Seagate's SeaTools and the utility had made this recommendation. -- Message posted via WindowsKB.com http://www.windowskb.com/Uwe/Forums....setup/200704/1 |
#10
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low level format
You haven't yet really made a case for suspecting the HDD. You have only
mentioned that it is a particular Access 2003 .mdb file which is slow - and other (unspecified) small problems. Is the PC running slow with ALL programs? Is it slow to boot? How about scandisk (or 'Error checking' if you are running XP)? Does that tell you anything? What happens if you just open Access alone (no data) - is that slow too? Why not try Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) and see if you can identify any 'extra' overheads when opening or rather executing queries in Access. However, if I ... install it (the database?) on a PC with much lower capabilities, it functions just fine! 'Install'? - I assume you mean 'open' the same .mdb file on another PC running Access 2003 Have you tried running the Northwind Sample Database? - Is that slow too? Perhaps the re-install is not equivalent to a reformat, and I should first try the Maxtor utility (for my XP system) for a low level format, and not worry about a full disc cleaning. I think you'll find that a Low Level Format is effectively 'a full disk clean'. It's not exactly 'selective' - it'll wipe the lot, requiring a full install etc. Mart "atlantis43 via WindowsKB.com" u24690@uwe wrote in message news:70cd53b662c76@uwe... Mike; Your comments sound convincing, but I remain confused. My particular problem arose on my PC (the one running XP) with very slow functioning of Access2003 Db, which started running queries slowly, opening forms slowly, and opening my modules OH SO SLOWLY! My OS and MSOFFICE were re-installed, but this barely improved the problem. However, if I take the same Db and install it on a PC with much lower capabilities, it functions just fine! Clearly, something is corrupting my system, and persisting after re- installation. Perhaps this is 'one of those things'. Perhaps the re-install is not equivalent to a reformat, and I should first try the Maxtor utility (for my XP system) for a low level format, and not worry about a full disc cleaning. Richard Mike M wrote: Source for above statement (for RE-INSTALLING an OS) can be seen on WD KB msg #1211, virtually verbatim! "Western Digital provides software utilities that can erase all the data on a hard drive. Writing zeros to a drive is recommended any time an operating system is to be reinstalled on a boot drive or whenever a blank drive is desired. " Recommended maybe but by no means required. I have never had to write zeroes to a hard drive before either first use or installing an operating system and I've been working with PCs now for the best part of twenty five years. Since I have never experienced problems that might require a low level format I don't intend doing so now. g Seagate in contrast say "Perform this "low-level-format" only if all other POWERMAX tests have passed (or by direction of Seagate Technical Support) and the hard drive is still not performing correctly." Also, a top level IT acquaintance tells me (as I, with my limited PC knowledge understand it) that there can frequently be 'duplicate' files that are corrupted (perhaps due to malware, improper uninstall procedures, etc.) that can be causing system malfunctions, and the only way to solve the problem is to truly 'eliminate' all such files. I'm sorry but for the greater part your friend is incorrect. Formatting a hard disk is all that is required to remove a previous operating system. It is very rarely necessary to write zeroes, this is normally only required, and multiple times, when disposing of hard drives that previously contained sensitive material so as to prevent its recovery using specialist tools. The only other time that I would contemplate performing a low level format is if I was experiencing major read or write problems on a hard drive and I had run the manufacturer's test utility such as Maxtor's PowerMax or Seagate's SeaTools and the utility had made this recommendation. -- Message posted via WindowsKB.com http://www.windowskb.com/Uwe/Forums....setup/200704/1 |
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