Hard Disk Formatting and Capacity

Most PC users are familiar with the concept that a hard disk--in fact, all storage media--must be formatted before it can be used. There is usually some confusion, however, regarding exactly what formatting means and what it does; this next section will explain exactly that.

This section takes a look at issues surrounding disk formatting and capacity, discusses unformatted and formatted hard disk capacity, and looks briefly at formatting utilities.

Next: Two Formatting Steps