Do you need to format new hard drive?

[Fusion1x]

My hard drive failed and I just bought a new one which will now be my primary, was wondering if I have to format it anyhow? Haven't installed the drive or anything yet, first tryna gather information

[Cathulhu]

You first need to create one or more partition, depending on what you want and then format the partition(s).

[Fusion1x]

What you mean by create and format partition?

[CrazyDave]

No, you don't need to format the drive if it is your primay. If you plan on splitting the drive into two, then you will need to format and set the partion size you need. usually people split it dead in half. If you only need one partion then let windows do it when you intall the OS.

[CrazyDave]

Install drive. close case after reconnecting lines to hard drive. Boot the system into bios. check that the drive is being recognized by bios. when in bios, open dvd drive and put in windows disk or flash drive which ever the os is on. reboot, follow instruction for installing. If you only have one drive then windows only needs to acknowledge the had drive. continue following prompts until windows starts installing. then have key ready for it when it asks. just in case you needed some pointers. If you already know this then sorry for wasting some reading time.

[Fusion1x]

So I'm getting 2 different answers? Do I need to format it or not? My original plan was :: leave my failed hard drive in and start up my PC and change the settings so it boots from USB, then shutdown my PC and put in the new hard drive as well as the USB and start it up and hopefully it'll take my to the OS wizard, correct?

[Fusion1x]

Thanks. But I was told to go to some settings and change it so it boots from USB? Do ISO that before or after installing the hard drive?

[CrazyDave]

No, if you add the other drive, then windows won't recognize it withot formating it first. But if you plaan on making th ro OS drive then you need to disconnect the old drive all together. Windows will need to be installed to the new drive. After windows is installed on the new drive, then use an external drive reader. connect the old drive into the reader, the old drive will be read as anther external drive. then you can pull info from it if it is readable. Make sure you completely update windows before pulling info from the old drive. If you leave the old drive connected windows will try to start from that drive

[Fusion1x]

No I don't want to do anything with my old drive, I wanna start fresh with the new drive, I don't wanna import anything. My questions are :: Do I need to format it or not? Should I change the settings so it boots from USB while my old hard drive is in and then turn it off and put new hard drive in and it'll start from USB? Or should I just remove my old hard drive and then plug in my USB and turn on my PC and hope it starts from USB?

[CrazyDave]

you don't need to go to any settings. If the USB drive is bootable then just make sure it is plugged into a usb port before booting after installing the new drve and unplugging the old drive.

[CrazyDave]

don't connect the old drive at ALL. just install the new drive and put the windows disk in and reboot.

[Fusion1x]

Okay just to make sure before I start, is this the procedure;

1. Remove my Hard Drive and install my new one
2. Close the case and plug in my USB with OS
3. Turn on the PC and it'll bring up the OS installation

So no formatting? And don't need to go to settings to change it so it boots from USB? Because that's what I was told and I'm confused

[CrazyDave]

unless you have a really old pc, before 2004, yes it should recognize the usb drive on boot.

[Fusion1x]

Okay no formatting?

[CrazyDave]

you don't need to change any settings. the bios is the only thing you would have to change, IF it fails to recognize the drive.

[Fusion1x]

Okay and how do I change bios. And no formatting correct?