Formatting My Hard Drive

[Matthew12106]

So I currently have windows 7 and all my games and applications on my Seagate 1tb HDD. I recently bought a 120gb 840 evo which I plan to do a fresh install of windows 7 and use it as my boot/aplications drive. After I've installed windows I have to plug back in my hard drive and then format it so I can use it as a storage drive but there are a couple of things I'm not too sure about yet. So I'm going to doing it pretty much the same as it's done in this video by Linus

http://youtu.be/qMo8krAJd5Q

 

But I have a couple questions. So basically I've been told that first you have to partition the drive before you can format it? Is the drive in his video already partitioned. When I plug me drive back in will it be partitioned? and if not how can I partition it?  

 

Will the fact that I already have windows 7 and pretty much everything already on this drive effect this process in any way??

 

Once the drive is formatted when I go into the drive will there be the normal folders like Program Files(x86) 

or do I have to create it or do you have to install a program on that drive for that folder to be created?

I say this because I just want to drag and drop my steam and origin folders into program files so I can have all my game data ready

 

Thanks for the help!

[LogicalDrm]

But I have a couple questions. So basically I've been told that first you have to partition the drive before you can format it? Is the drive in his video already partitioned. When I plug me drive back in will it be partitioned? and if not how can I partition it?  

 

Will the fact that I already have windows 7 and pretty much everything already on this drive effect this process in any way??

 

Once the drive is formatted when I go into the drive will there be the normal folders like Program Files(x86) 

or do I have to create it or do you have to install a program on that drive for that folder to be created?

I say this because I just want to drag and drop my steam and origin folders into program files so I can have all my game data ready

 

Thanks for the help!

 

If drive has been in use before it is partitioned. You just need to format partition. If its completely new drive, you need to partition it before use. Partitioning new drives automaticly formats them.

 

Umm... you mean that you are formatting drive that has already all stuff you need? You could just delete files you don't need such as windows folder and reinstall those programs that don't work. Or if you have several drives, copy all files you want to keep to another drive and then format original and copy files back.

 

Formatted drive is completely empty. When you open drive root, windows creates some files to it for indexing etc. You need to create folders you want. Software installers will create any folders that aren't found. So if you install new software and path has folders that aren't there, installer will create them or ask if they are created. Program Files is just folder. You don't need it in order to install anything. It makes installing over multiple files easier as you can just change drive letter during installation.

[Matthew12106]

If drive has been in use before it is partitioned. You just need to format partition. If its completely new drive, you need to partition it before use. Partitioning new drives automaticly formats them.

 

Umm... you mean that you are formatting drive that has already all stuff you need? You could just delete files you don't need such as windows folder and reinstall those programs that don't work. Or if you have several drives, copy all files you want to keep to another drive and then format original and copy files back.

 

Formatted drive is completely empty. When you open drive root, windows creates some files to it for indexing etc. You need to create folders you want. Software installers will create any folders that aren't found. So if you install new software and path has folders that aren't there, installer will create them or ask if they are created. Program Files is just folder. You don't need it in order to install anything. It makes installing over multiple files easier as you can just change drive letter during installation.

Well, I hear what your saying but I think I would just prefer to completely wipe the drive. So then I take it that If I do drag and drop my steam and origin folders they will work?

Also lets just say I had a virus or malware or something nasty on the drive When I boot up with my ssd and my HDD installed before I wipe it is there any chance It could spread or something or if it's only like a application type virus like search donkey? If I wipe the drive there should be no trace of it right?

[LogicalDrm]

Well, I hear what your saying but I think I would just prefer to completely wipe the drive. So then I take it that If I do drag and drop my steam and origin folders they will work?

Also lets just say I had a virus or malware or something nasty on the drive When I boot up with my ssd and my HDD installed before I wipe it is there any chance It could spread or something or if it's only like a application type virus like search donkey? If I wipe the drive there should be no trace of it right?

 

Virus usually need you to run software for them to activate. Malware like keyloggers are hidden types and don't usually spread after infection. If you are worried, you could use Linux live-cd to do format process. You can also do formatting in windows installer though I would use linux instead.

 

As for drag 'n' drop Origin and Steam, yes you can just do that. Both of them need to verify files afterwards so remember to point them where games are and repair install/verify files.