What's the difference between quick format and full format?

[524K1]

Hello!

What's the difference between quick and full format? I've read full format checks for bad sectors, but as far as I know there aren't sectors in non-disk based drives, so when it comes to formatting a flash drive or SSD, what's the difference?

Thank you!

 

[drtweak]

A quick format only erases the beginning and end of the tracks on a hard drive and not whats in the middle. Pretty much erasing the Index's only and not all the data so windows sees it as an empty drive.

A Full format will write 0's to the entire drive. The bigger the drive the longer it will take. If there is no important info on it that needs to be compeletely erased or you are using the hard drive for your self then do a quick. If your disposing of the hard drive (In this case do a full format at least 3 times or use the Drive Wiper in CCleaner) or giving the PC away to someone with a clean install (Or even if its not a clean install again CCleaner can wipe the free space so that any data is unrecoverable)