Zero filling

[Darkandlight]

Does Zero filling a hard drive (I have WD 800JB or something and I will use the WD diagnostic utility) delete all partitions? I'd like to start fresh and repartition everything

[Nuclear Krusader]

Yes, it wipes out everything on the drive. Though I don't see the reason for zero wiping if all you wanna do is repartition. Just delete the actual partitions and create new ones. This will also erase all the data in them.

[homer15]

zero-filling is the same thing as a low level format, which completely restores the drive to the status it was in when it was shipped from the manufacterer.

[Confused]

Originally posted by Nuclear Krusader
Yes, it wipes out everything on the drive. Though I don't see the reason for zero wiping if all you wanna do is repartition. Just delete the actual partitions and create new ones. This will also erase all the data in them.

One reason and why I used zero fill is I had a 6G Linux partition that WIN98 couldn't see on a 13G HD. I used zero fill to regain full use of drive.
Chas

[Spyda]

i reinstalled XP and it had a lot of files that were on before i reinstalled, no programs, but files in my documents and such, XP formatted to NTFS again and everything, the only way i got rid of the files was to zero fill and start again

[mike breck]

No HD manufacturer offers real Low Level Format software. That is only done at the factory when the HD is manufactured.

When any manufacturer mentions Low Level Format, they actually mean Zero Fill, which is a mid-level form of formatting.

[Spyda]

so is there a high level format?
and how can someone truly low level format?

[homer15]

i think high level formatting (if that's what it's called) is just the normal format we run. it doesn't affect other partitions or anything.

[juppy]

Yeah, the low level is done at the factory and the high level is the normal FORMAT that everybody does when they set up their HDD.

[SARGE]

When I zero-filled one of my 30 giggers, it took 2 hours so it must do something different versus a normal format. ;)

[Confused]

Originally posted by SARGE
When I zero-filled one of my 30 giggers, it took 2 hours so it must do something different versus a normal format. ;)
That 13G of mine took nearly a hour. I'll just start it and go to bed if I ever have to do a 120G.

But since, in my opinion that Linux isn't quite ready for prime time, I don't think I will be having partitions that Windows cain't see any time soon.
Chas

[Force Flow]

Originally posted by SARGE
When I zero-filled one of my 30 giggers, it took 2 hours so it must do something different versus a normal format. ;)

Took my 80 gigger about 20min. And that I just did last night. :p