Quick Format vs. Format

Difference Between Quick Format and Format

Formatting is a process in which an operating system makes the hard disk usable. In this process, all the data contained in the hard disk is erased completely. Creating a new file system is also a part of formatting. Several programs are used in formatting hard disk. There are two options of formatting- quick format and normal format.

Quick format

Quick format is used when a hard disk is prepared for the first time to install on operating system. When a FAT file system is used, quick formatting crates a blank FAT and a directory table. But it cannot indentify a bad sector in the hard disk which can cause data read error in the system. If data is stored in the files created in bad sector, they will become corrupted. The advantage of quick format is that is that it takes less time to format the disk.


This is another potion for formatting a hard disk. The advantage of regular format is that it thoroughly scans the disk and removes a bad sector. But it takes longer time. It removes all the data present in the hard disk completely including any bad sector. It identifies the bad sectors and saves the operating system for future danger. So, a hard disk needs a regular format when an operating system is installed for the first time.

Actually, regular format cannot repair bad sector and could not be used for data storage. A low level forming can fix a bad sector.

Difference between Quick Format and Format.

Format and quick format are two available options to format a hard disk. They have a few differences between them. One difference is that normal format takes a longer time to format a hard disk while the quick format as the name suggests, formats the disk quickly. Normal format scan the hard disk completely and identifies the bad sector and saves the operating system from errors. On the other hand, quick format does not perform such action.


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