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How long does a full format take?

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How long does a full format take?
Annuit Coeptis Offline
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#1
06-27-2011, 12:23 PM
I recently decided to encrypt the data on my external HDD but I ran into some errors because of some bad sectors and I had to quit. Unfortunately, quitting left my HDD in a RAW file system format so I just decided to do a full format because that will fix all the bad sectors and restore my HDD to good as new. (I have all my data backed up.)

I started the full format process and it has been running for close to thirty hours now. Windows doesn't give you an estimated remaining time or anything during a reformat, just this:
[Image: qxryw0.jpg]
Based on my crude process of measuring the distance of the solid part of the bar and comparing it to the total bar I calculated that it will take about 7 days to reformat the hdd. Is this reasonable?

specs
HDD
These are the specs for the HDD
PC specs
  • 3 GB RAM
  • 1.66 GHz intel cpu
  • win 7
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#Reality Offline
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#2
06-27-2011, 12:56 PM
You're just trying to reinstall Windows?
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Annuit Coeptis Offline
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#3
06-27-2011, 01:33 PM
(06-27-2011, 12:56 PM)BLX Wrote: You're just trying to reinstall Windows?

No, I am trying to format a hard drive. It is external.
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--joker-- Offline
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#4
06-28-2011, 03:19 AM
You can't do anything about it, all you have to do is to wait.In the past when I had 166GB on HDD,I had to wait about 1 hour and a half to format, and this HDD was internal.I guess the externals format in a longer time.
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Black Ghost Offline
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#5
06-28-2011, 08:40 PM
Depending on the computer, it varies.
It could take a little 5 minutes, or it could take a couple of hours.
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Dr.BrokenGod Offline
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#6
06-29-2011, 03:08 PM
(06-28-2011, 08:40 PM)Black Ghost Wrote: Depending on the computer, it varies.
It could take a little 5 minutes, or it could take a couple of hours.

Exactly! I have a pretty good computer so it takes me like 20 minutes for a 500 GB HDD
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Omniscient Offline
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#7
06-29-2011, 03:11 PM
A drive that size can take days.

Also try Drive Wipe which comes with ccleaner.
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Dr.BrokenGod Offline
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#8
06-29-2011, 03:33 PM
(06-29-2011, 03:11 PM)Omniscient Wrote: A drive that size can take days.

Also try Drive Wipe which comes with ccleaner.

Again all depending on PC spec but if you take a look at the CPU OP has and in case he doesn't use the PC while he formats it could take him a week time!
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Annuit Coeptis Offline
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#9
07-01-2011, 01:54 PM
Jeez, alright. All I can do is wait. I am so impatient. The power better not go out or anything. haha
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Injection Offline
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#10
07-01-2011, 03:38 PM
takes anywhere near 4-8 hours
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