Does formatting a harddrive frequently make it slower?

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WaqarDaMan

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Aug 23, 2014
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So i got a new rig just recently, probably a few weeks ago, and I've formatted my hard drive using the windows reset and reinstall feature 3 times now (for some reason)...

My harddrive is an WD sata iii 6gb/s, and I think it just got slower, cuz the last time I reset my pc, it took more time I guess. it might be just me or some windows glitch, but I just need to be sure. And my hardware is definitely not the case (4790K, 8gb Vengeance 2133). Does reformatting frequently damage the HD or something?
 
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M
Hi

Hard drive performance goes Down if hard drive partition is too full.
Unlikely if a new hard disk

Also if hard drive is dying can take an hour to boot up then behave normally

WD makes hard drive diagnosics software available on their web site .
Or get Hirens cd it has a collection of bootable diagnostics and wd data lifeguard for windows

Even new drives can be dying
Recently I had a brand new WD blue laptop drive which did not survive installing Vista a few times

I thoroughly tested the replacement which was the same model
Using a eSata port wd data life guard for win. Full format a few times then copying on several gigs of data and retesting

Windows quick format does not provide much load to the hard drive , while a full...
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Richard Ricardo

Richard Ricardo

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Oct 6, 2014
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No it shouldn't make it slower but generally, the more you use your HDD, the more it gets worn out. Go into BIOS and see if you can enable S.M.A.R.T. on your hard drive. That way the computer will warn you when your hard drive is on its last legs.
 
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geofelt

geofelt

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Oct 9, 2006
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No, a hard drive is largely bulletproof.

FWIW

I will never again build without a ssd for the "C" drive. It makes everything you do much quicker.
120gb is minimum, it will hold the os and a handful of games. If you can go 240gb,so much the better.
Use your hard drive for bulk storage.
 
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Richard Ricardo

Richard Ricardo

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Oct 6, 2014
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Formatting it is the same as using it and it doesn't necessarily make it slower but if you've had it for 2-3 years, everything in your computer gets a little slower just because its been used for a while. Since your stuff is new, it shouldn't be getting slower.
 
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mbarnes86

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Sep 16, 2010
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Hi

Hard drive performance goes Down if hard drive partition is too full.
Unlikely if a new hard disk

Also if hard drive is dying can take an hour to boot up then behave normally

WD makes hard drive diagnosics software available on their web site .
Or get Hirens cd it has a collection of bootable diagnostics and wd data lifeguard for windows

Even new drives can be dying
Recently I had a brand new WD blue laptop drive which did not survive installing Vista a few times

I thoroughly tested the replacement which was the same model
Using a eSata port wd data life guard for win. Full format a few times then copying on several gigs of data and retesting

Windows quick format does not provide much load to the hard drive , while a full format will either test or write to each sector (XP tests but vista & later also writes to each sector)

Regards
Mike barnes
 
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