How to Format Dell Desktops

Whether you want to upgrade the operating system on your Dell desktop computer or simply reset your computer to its original state, formatting the hard drive is a critical step. Formatting a Dell desktop will overwrite the data on the computer's hard drive and prepare it for an operating system installation. Since the formatting process will delete all data on your hard drive, remember to back up every one of your important files first.

Things You'll Need

• Dell desktop running Microsoft Windows
• Windows installation CD

Instructions

1. Insert the Windows installation CD into your Dell desktop's disc drive.

2. Restart your computer and, when prompted, press any key on the keyboard to run Windows Setup.

3. Hit the Enter key when Windows Setup finishes loading all necessary system files.

4. Press the F8 key to accept the Windows license agreement.

5. Press the Esc key to view a list of all hard drives and partitions configured on your desktop.

6. Highlight the hard drive you wish to format. In most cases, your Dell desktop's main hard drive will be the C: drive.

7. Hit the D key on your keyboard to select the delete option, and then press "L" to confirm the decision.

8. Select the type of file system you want to use for formatting purposes. You should use the NTFS (Quick) option in most cases. If, however, you plan on running a version of Windows earlier than XP, you should select the FAT file system.

9. Hit the Enter key to start the formatting process. When the drive has been formatted, the operating system installation will begin.

References

• Microsoft.com: Partitioning and Formatting a Hard Disk