How long to format 2 TB Seagate external drive using exFAT and doing a full, not Quick, format?

[AGClarke]

I have a new 2 TB Seagate externad hard drive that I need to format exFAT so that it can read and write on the MAC desktop and my PC laptop.
The first attempt, using my PC, I set it do exFAT in the dialog box and left the Allocation Unit Size at 512k and left the Quick Format option selected. After clicking the Start button I didn't have time to count to 3 before it said that it was done. I figured that this probably meant that nothing had happened, so I unclicked the Quick Format option the second time around. Now, half an hour later, the progress bar is not even 1/16th of the way across.
Did I do something wrong, or is this going to take 8-10 hours to format?

 

[kewlkat1337]

2TB is alot pal! It is going to take 8-10 hours since it's 2tb.

 

[AGClarke]

Ok. Thanks.
Is a full format necessary on a new Seagate external drive? If not, is it safe to cancel it and then do a Quick Format?

 

[pasow]

quick format just replaces the file system, which is why it was fast. the non quick format will remove the files presently on the drive and scan for bad sectors. when the drive is new, its always recommended to do the long format to catch anything that may be amiss, otherwise, the quick formats fine if the drives known to be good.

 

[AGClarke]

Ok, that makes sense. So how do I tell if my hard drive is good or has bad sectors?

 

[pasow]

It should be recorded in the SMART data for the drive which can be read by a lot of programs. sadly non of them integrated with windows though... Bad sectors will be reported as reallocated sectors typically. My hard drive is reporting a value of 100, worst of 100, and a warn of 50 which means none have been reallocated. if you have one or two, it's nothing to be alarmed over, its only if you have a lot or they start to increase. by default, windows will map bad sectors out of the storage table that ways nothings written to known bad sectors.

some programs that can read SMART data.
CrystalDiskInfo: http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html
Defraggler: https://www.piriform.com/defraggler (has a tab for SMART data)
SpeedFan: http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php (has a tab for SMART data and can also preform an online analysis)