Formatting for clean OS install.

[rjt002756]

I currently have XP x64 on my Patriot Warp v2 32Gb SSD and want to erase XP x64 and do a clean install of Vista 64. Is formatting a SSD just like formating a regular hd?

[bats]

do a quick format rather than full format.

[AGlobalThreatsK]

A full format is only needed if the drive has NEVER been formatted before.

It is unlikely you will use a drive that will need a full format instead of being able to use the simple quick format.

Quick format is always recommended (Unless you need to low-level format to securely erase all the data).

[chrisdglong]

Neither one of you provided a reason that a full format is not needed. Are we just supposed to take your word for it?

[earls]

Yes. Or enjoy spending an hour plus waiting for the format to complete. Granted, I don't know how long a full format would take considering I stopped doing them as soon as I found out I could do a quick format.

"Is formatting a SSD just like formating a regular hd? "

Yes, absolutely no difference.

[chrisdglong]

So, neither would be harmful in any way, one just takes longer right?

[earls]

Correctamundo.

Just like AK said: "Quick format is always recommended (Unless you need to low-level format to securely erase all the data)."

[AGlobalThreatsK]

Neither one of you provided a reason that a full format is not needed. Are we just supposed to take your word for it?

Let me rephrase for you.

A full format is not needed if the drive has EVER been formatted before.

[chrisdglong]

Let me rephrase for you.

A full format is not needed if the drive has EVER been formatted before.

and let me rephrase for you, YOU DIDNT TELL ANYONE WHY! These drives have certain tweaks that are not officially listed by Patriot. So for all anyone knows the full format could some how be an issue. ALL YOU HAD TO SAY WAS IT WILL TAKE LONGER!

[Patriot_Ben]

(full format)

It does exactly the same as the Quick format: zero-writing the first 20MB and i recall some space at the end, and writing new filesystem information afterwards. The Full Format will read every sector on the partition for clues of any bad sectors, so it knows this and can store them in a file $BadSect in the root of the drive. It does NOT zero-write all data.

So a full format is only for detecting bad sectors, SSDs dont have those so no reason (but also no harm) to do a full format.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/25...l-format-quick