i want to clean my HDD, b4 i do a clean install... so do u ppl think a low level format will be better that a regular 1? it slow though

and which low level format tool do u use? i used DBAN b4. any better/safer ones? this one has a warning that if any probs ... etc.

and Norton Partition Magic's "Secure Erase" is not a low level? and Windows non-"quick" format ... whats the diff actually?

Edited September 17, 200718 yr by iceangel89

If you keep the disk for yourself, there is really no need for any "zero fill" or "secure erase" whatever. Deleting all partitions and erasing the Master Boot Record will get you a HDD as empty as you can get for any sort of install. I mean the only remaining info would have to be found with special tools. I use a DOS boot CD or floppy with Ranish Partition Manager. Press E on the MBR and everything is gone. You can also "erase" the full disk with it but what for ?

... there is really no need for any "zero fill" or "secure erase" whatever...

Indeed, I second that.

iceangel89, you cannot "low level format" a drive, it’s called as Ponch says "zero fill".

guess so... but about low level format & zero fill, aren't they the same?

No they are not.

taken from wiki:

Rather than face ever-escalating difficulties with BIOS versioning, disk vendors started doing low-level formatting at the factory. Today, an end-user, in most cases, should never perform a low-level formatting of an IDE or ATA hard drive, and in fact it is often not possible to do so on modern hard drives outside of the factory.

link.