reformatting hard-drives?

Question

Anybody know exactly how to get a hard-drive reformatted to it's actual full size?Everytime I have windows problems and I have to reformat due a virus etc the formatting size goes down.It's quite frustrating and any step by step help would be much appreciated thanx all

Update:

I actually use fdisk and delete the partion then reformat but as i said it keeps reformating tto a smaller size.

Jonah g · Accepted Answer

well first you need to know that reformating the hard drive will delete  all info on it ,,, so you need to save all information , files , whatever that you do not want to lose in a cd or 3 1/2 flobby or any other mean.

then you will need to have an operating sys cd,, Cuz once your formated the hard drive you will need to install an operating sys ( windows 98, me, XP or vista)

if you have the operating cd then do the following ..

1) turn the computer on and palce the cd in 
2) turn the computer off leaving the cd inside
3) turn the computer back in and immediately  start tapping the " delete key"  if the computer is a dell  the " F2 kEY"
Doing this will take you the bios setup
4) enter the set up and look for something thats says 
advance setup or bios set up 
5) click on it and it will take you to the bios menu
6) you will see  
1st boot    (31/2 flooby) 
2nd boot   ( HRDRIVE)
3rd boot   ( CD)
change the 1 st boot to  CD
2 ND boot change it to disable
3 rd boot change it to disable 

7) click the  ESC key
8) click the F10 key that will allow you to save the changes you mad to the bios and exit
9) click enter , and the sys will start booting from the cd
IT WILL SAYS SYSTEM Is collecting information and it will get you to a blue screen then it will start to copy some files then it will tell you if you want to delet the partion

click " D " KEY
Then it will promot you to ckick " L" KEY
Then promot you to click enter if you want to install a fresh copy of the operating sys ... you will click enter 
it will ask you to slect a type of formating ,, slect quick format

the you are on your way it will start formatting and installing a fresh operating sys and you will have nothing in the hard drive but the operating sys , wich means you will have to reinstall , all others programs such microsoft office or anything else ,, remember this will wipe your hard drive clean 

good luck ,, hope that will help ,, do not get intemidated  it really easy
it

Bon Gart · Answer

You are not reformatting every time.  You are not reformatting at all.

All you have done each time, is a system recovery that saves all your old data.  So, each time the drive appears smaller when you are done, because the recovery process saved the previous installation.

DO another recovery.  Make it a destructive one.  You will get your space back.

reformatting hard-drives?

2 Answers