Will Formatting A Drive Erase The Data

• Does Formatting Erase Everything
• Will Formatting A Drive Erase The Data For A
• Will Formatting A Disk Erase It
• Will Formatting A Drive Erase Data
• Will Formatting A Thumb Drive Erase Data

There comes a time when a hard drive or other storage device needs to be erased so that it can be re-used, sold, or donated. How best to erase the data is the decision that needs to be made. There are two main options in Windows for erasing data: Quick Format and Full Format.

Format methods

When you format or reformat a hard drive it doesn't erase the data on the hard drive — only the address tables. In a case where you have accidentally completed a format hard drive, a computer specialist may be able to recover most or all of the data that was on the drive. Formatting a hard drive does not completely erase data either. Though operating system cannot see deleted or formatted data and the drive looks empty, average users are able to get back lost data easily with the help of hard drive recovery software. Note: Using the Format command's parameter to securely wipe a disk does not meet any of the United States Department of Defense standards for hard disk data removal.

A Quick Format is quick. To make the formatting process quick, the drive is not checked for bad sectors. Anyone looking at the hard drive or storage device would not see any data and assume the drive is erased. Unfortunately, the files are actually still there and the volume could be re-built, to gain access to the files again.

A Full Format runs an additional step that checks the hard drive for any bad sectors. This check is what makes the full format take so much longer than a quick format. Unfortunately, like the quick format, the files still exist and the volume could be re-built to gain access.

If you are planning to re-use the drive and it's working, a quick format is adequate since you are still the owner. If you believe the drive has problems, a full format is a good option to make sure no issues exist with the drive.

If you want to sell or donate the drive and there is sensitive information on the drive, we highly recommend securely erase all information on the hard drive.

Additional information

• See our format definition for further information and related links.

Initializing disk is a must-be process after you install a new hard drive on the computer. However, sometimes, the old hard drive may suddenly show not initialized, requesting for initialization. What concerns people the most is whether initializing disk will erase a disk data.

On this page, you'll learn everything about disk initialization. And you will find answers to all your questions in the following parts.

Case - If I Initialize a Disk, Will It Be Erased

'What does initialization affect a hard disk? While using the Windows disk management utility, I received the instruction showing as 'You must initialize a disk before Logical Disk Manager can access it'. The disk is NTFS with no operating system on it.

However, I have saved lots of files on it. I'd like to know if I initialize the disk, will it be erased? I am not expecting any data loss on it.'

You may have the same confusion as to the user above when you are requested to initialize a disk. Generally, Windows operating system would pop up the initializing disk request to two types of hard disk:

1. A Brand New Disk

2. Old Hard Drive Shows 'Unknown, Not Initialized' Suddenly

If your disk is new and unformatted, you can initialize it directly without worrying about data loss.

However, if the disk has files existing on it, you should understand what does disk initialization mean and will initializing a disk erase the data.

Follow the next part, your doubts will get released.

Does Initializing a Disk Erase Data

In this part, you'll get answers to the following three questions that most of the hard disk users may also interest in:

1. What does it mean to initialize a disk
2. What happens when you initialize a disk

Does Formatting Erase Everything

Initializing disk is a process of building or rebuilding MBR, Master Boot Record, the first sector of a hard drive. MBR stores information to load logical partitions and even system files on that storage medium. To do so, you'll need to use Windows disk management to initialize the disk. A third-party disk initialization tool can also work.

So what happens while initializing a disk? During the disk initialization process, Windows disk management or third-party tool will re-write the 0 sectors in the MBR partition table so as to allow you to create logical partitions on the drive.

Will Initializing a Disk Erase Data

As the disk initializing process only affects 0 sectors in MBR, thus, the answer to 'Will initializing a disk erase data' is NO. Initializing disk won't erase data on the hard drive.

If someone says 'Initializing a disk erases everything on it', it's not real. If some of you see no files appear after initializing a used disk, it's not the operation but your hard drive is still unallocated. You have to create partitions on the drive so to make it visible again.

So how to fix the file not visible issue after disk initialization? Check the next part, you'll get everything back on your disk.

Fix Disk Initialization: Make Initialized Hard Drive Work Again, No Data Loss

Whether your disk is brand new or used, as long as the computer request initialization, follow the process presented here. You'll fix the disk initialization issue, making your disk work normally again without losing any data.

Note: If your disk is brand new, finish Procedure 1 and jump to Procedure 3.

Procedure 1. Initialize Disk using Disk Management

So how to initialize a disk? You can either use Windows Disk Management or third-party free partition manager for help.

Here we will show you how to execute disk initialization in Disk Management:

Step 1. Press Windows + X keys, click 'Disk Management'.

Step 2. Locate the target disk, if it shows 'Offline', right-click and choose 'Online' first.

Step 3. Then right-click the not initialized disk and choose 'Initialize Disk'.

Step 4. Set GPT or MBR as the partition style, click 'OK' to start initializing the disk.

Will Formatting A Drive Erase The Data For A

After this, your disk is initialized and the Unknown, Not Initialized symbol will disappear. The disk will display as 'Basic'.

But if your disk still shows as Not Initialized or Unknow, you can try to update the disk driver or change its connection cable to try to fix this issue. The last option is to send your disk to its manufacturer center or a disk repair center for help.

Procedure 2. Recover Data from the Disk

This is a key point for people whose old disk displaying not initialized with important data saved on it. Although the disk is initialized, it is still inaccessible.

You still cannot access or see any files on the drive. Reliable hard drive recovery software - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can help. It enables you to fully scan the whole empty drive and find all your data with its Quick and Deep scan modes.

Follow the steps below to recover data from the initialized disk:

Step 1. Run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, choose your HDD partition (according to its drive letter or partition label) where you lost data and click 'Scan'.

Step 2. When the scanning finishes, find lost HDD files in 'Deleted Files' or 'Lost Files' and double-click to preview them.

Step 1. Run EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, choose your HDD partition (according to its drive letter or partition label) where you lost data and click 'Scan'.

Step 2. When the scanning finishes, find lost HDD files in 'Deleted Files' or 'Lost Files' and double-click to preview them.

You can also use Filter or Search for quick access to your lost files via file types or file names.

Step 3. Select all the desired items, files and click 'Recover' to save the found HDD partition data to another safe location.

Procedure 3. Partition Disk - Make Hard Drive Visible

Now, it's time to make your initialized disk visible. Windows Disk Management can partition and set your disk format so as to it show up and work normally again on your computer.

Let's start partition the disk:

Will Formatting A Disk Erase It

Step 1. Press Windows + X keys, click 'Disk Management' to open it.

Step 2. Right-click the unallocated space on your disk, choose 'New Simple Volume...'

Step 3. In New Simple Volume Wizard, click 'Next' to continue.

Step 4. Set the size and the drive letter to the new volume, click 'Next'.

Will Formatting A Drive Erase Data

Step 5. Then set NTFS as the file system, click 'Next' and 'Finish' to complete.

Will Formatting A Thumb Drive Erase Data

You can repeat the process to create more partitions on the initialized disk. After this, you can use the drive as a system or data disk on your computer.

The Bottom Line

This page answers the questions related to disk initialization. As for the most concerned question - 'does initializing a disk erase data', the answer is no.

Initializing disk only affects the MBR 0 sectors, the data saved on the drive are still there. As for the reason why saved data on the initialized disk is invisible, it is because the drive is unallocated.

To fix this issue, you need to first use EaseUS data recovery software to restore the data from the disk first. Then create new partitions on the drive, making it accessible again.

Last, although initializing disk will not erase data nor format the disk, in order to protect your precious data, please remember to back up the disk regularly. You can either choose to copy files as a backup or use automatic file backup software for help.