What Is the Difference between High Level and Low Level Formatting.

1
What Is the Difference between High Level and Low
Level Formatting?

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  
  888.877.5002

2
When you want to format a hard drive, for
instance, to install a new operating system or
dispose of the computer the drive is in, there
are two different methods used. It is important
to understand the differences between the two in
order to ensure your data is not recoverable.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

3
High Level Formatting High level
formatting can be performed on a hard disk only
after the sectors and tracks have been formatted
using a low level format (see below).

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

4
This type of formatting is where actual data,
like the operating system is written onto the
drive sectors to create file and system
structures so you can use the drive to install
other applications and store data and files.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

5
For instance, if you have an existing drive, but
you want to format it before upgrading the
operating system, you would run a high level
format. The format operation overwrites the
existing data structures on the drive and creates
new ones, like a new boot sector.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

6
Another situation where high level formatting is
used, is whenever you create new partitions on a
hard drive and want to format them in order to be
able to use them to install apps or store data.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

7
It is worth noting a high level format does not
fully erase pre-existing data from the drive. The
data is simply hidden on the drive since the
paths to access the data were erased. The data is
often recoverable using specialized recovery
programs, such as, those used by our data
recovery service in Toronto.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

8
Low Level Formatting Low level formatting is
used to initiate a hard drive and prepare it for
data by creating the actual sectors and tracks on
the drive, as well as the control structures
needed to read and write data on the drive.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

9
A low level format is often completed by the
manufacturer of the hard drive, for instance, in
cases where you purchased new hard drives to
install into existing computers. In some cases,
however, you may need to run a low level format
after installing the drive into the computer
before you can install an actual operating system.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

10
After a drive has a low level format ran on it
the first time, this is the only time the drive
will actually contain no data. Later, if a low
level format is ran on a drive with existing it,
it is erased and lost forever. Basically, a low
level format resets the drive to its original
out-of-the-box state.

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

11
Low level formatting could require specialized
software and does take a much longer time to
complete. It is for this reason, it is
recommended to have a professional data recovery
and formatting business perform any low level
formatting you need,

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002

12
as a data check is also performed afterwards to
ensure there is no remaining data that could be
recovered. For assistance with low level
formatting and data recovery services, please
feel free to contact Taking It Mobile at
905.597.6223 today!  Source-
http//webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/wha
t-is-the-difference-between-high-level-and-low-lev
el-formatting/

• webdemonstrationlink.com/takingitmobile/
  888.877.5002