First build - do I need to format the HD?

[Major Gains]

As the title reads, I just completed my first build. Is it necessary or advised to format the hard drive before proceeding with any installs?

 

[Snappshoota]

Was this HDD from a previous machine?

 

[Major Gains]

Nope, it's brand new.

 

[Snappshoota]

Then basically when you load windows it will format and set up partitions from the cd.

 

[lowteckh]

Click next next next next select hard drive, next done. No need to do anything for a new drive.

 

[hossdaddy]

i would recommend a partition, setup one of 25-50 gigs based on the size of the hd as teh c drive for just the os, then make the rest for all your programs. This way if you ever had to reformat you just do it to the os drive and save all your data.

gl!

 

[magoo]

A brand new HDD is like a brand new disk of any kind.....it needs to be formatted.
(except USB drives which are generally FAT32)

When you load the OS it will ask you if you want to format the HDD.......sure you do.
Choose NTSC and let the OS do it's thing, you can choose quick or normal, it takes all of 20 minutes under normal speed.

Partitioning is up to you.

 

[lowteckh]

If you have (what file junkie doesn't) external drives for your files then there should be no reason to set up partitions.Frankly, my OS drive is pretty bare and empty with a shiton of room; the rest of the drives are fatter than a raging pregnant hippo.

 

[engiNURD]

... Choose NTSC and let the OS do it's thing...

He means NTFS.

I agree with HG, partition your drive into at least 2 partitions. The size of the partition is up to you. On a recent build I did for a buddy of mine, I formatted his WD6400AAKS into a 100GB OS partition, and the rest for data. However, after he installed most of his games, he was already out of space. He likes to keep all his games installed since he plays them all regularly or whatever. Which games? Hell if I know, I didn't bother to look nor ask. My point being, if you're like him, make it larger than 100GB, lol. Also, re-map your my documents folder to your data partition. This makes it much easier to wipe your OS and reinstall without losing most of your data.

Personally, I run HDTune and figure out where the performance is at its greatest, typically on the outer edges of the platters, limiting you to a certain percentage of the drive. I usually keep my OS partition within that range. So, on my 640GB, its at 100GB, slightly less than 20% of the drive. I don't bother with too many external drives since I like having a clean desk and a full tower. For pictures and videos, I have a file server w/ RAID5. The pictures and other important files go onto mirrored externals (I only have 2x500GB).

 

[Major Gains]

Thanks guys.