Platinum Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows® XP

Disk Formatting and Storage Options

When you think of formatting a hard drive, whether brand new to a computer or existing equipment, you may not really put much thought into it. After all, what really is there to think about? You just tell Windows to format the drive (or alternatively use the format command) and off you go, right? If only it were that easy. In the old days (we're talking really old, like DOS days), you could get away with that little thought. You used fdisk to partition a drive and then formatted your partitions, and boom, you were in business. As much as Windows XP makes your life easier, it also adds difficulty in that you must make more choices now than ever before. What's worse is the fact that the choices you make early ...