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Preservation of data is an important thing to do in cyberspace. Proper data management is always a necessity. We use multiple methods to store our data. Cloud storage, local hard drives, and tape storage are the main data storage options available right now. Among these, storing the data in local hard drives is comparatively old-fashioned, but it is still one of the most preferable data storage methods.
But an important issue regarding this option is the hard drive can be corrupted at any time, so the data stored in it might be lost forever. So you may have to format your hard drive to ensure data safety and further data loss. In this article, we guide you to perform formatting without losing your important data. We can adopt different methods to format the hard drive without erasing the whole data, here we are going to show some of them.
What is formatting, and why is it necessary to format hard drives?
Formatting a hard drive is generally the process of erasing all the data and using it freshly. We usually format our hard disks to prepare them for a new reuse. And also if it is affected by any viruses or malware. People often format their hard drives before they trade or sell that particular device, this is used to prevent the data from reaching into the wrong hands. Formatting the data from the hard drive will stop unauthorized individuals from accessing our data. Formatting a hard drive has several advantages like improving performance, solving software issues, removing malware and viruses, etc.
Read More: Top Free Antivirus Software For 2024
How to erase a hard drive without losing your data?
You can format a hard disk without losing all the data from it, but we always recommend you back up the data even from the corrupted disks, so you can restore it anytime you want. The ideal situation and solution will be this. Formatting the drive without losing data has some risks.
There are two methods available to us for formatting our hard disks without erasing the data it contains. Formatting the hard drive and retrieving the data is a method and formatting the hard drive with data on it is the other method. Let us take a closer look at what the two methods are and how to perform them effectively.
1. Formatting the hard drive and retrieving the data
This method is a time-consuming one since it has only a lot of steps to be followed and it requires some other third-party software. To initiate and perform this method, you need backup recovery software. Before formatting via this method you should make a byte-to-byte copy of the hard drive. A byte-to-byte copy can be defined as the image copy of the hard drive’s existing layout. Creating this is an important factor in this process because it is the one that enables data retrieval once the hard drive is formatted. Disk Drill is one of the most trustful data recovery software available right now, you can either use this or select according to your personal preference.
Step 1: Make a byte-to-byte copy of the hard disk
You need to create a byte-to-byte copy of the hard disk, here we are using Disk Drill to perform the action. Download the Disk Drill app and open it, after that, you need to click on ‘Drive Backup’. Then select the hard disk you wish to format and create a byte-to-byte backup of it. Provide a backup name for it and store the data on an alternative storage device. After all these are done, you are ready to go, click ‘OK’ to initiate the process.
Step 2: Format your Hard Drive
Your data is safe and backed up the next step to be followed is formatting the hard drive. You need to use File Explorer to commence the formatting process. Open the file browser and right click the hardware option and click ‘Format’ from the popped-up list. Ensure that you ticked the ‘Quick Format’ option and click ‘Start’ and ‘OK’ to confirm.
Step 3: Retrieve the backed-up data
Retrieval of the backed-up data is the next step once you finished formatting the drive. Open Disk Drill, then navigate to ‘Attach disk image’ and select ‘Search for lost data’ after that click ‘Review found items’. After finishing these steps, click ‘Recover’ select a storage location to restore the data, and click ‘Next’ to complete the recovery process.
This is the first and fastest method to format your hard disk without losing the data. Let us move on to the second method. This method is formatting the hard drive with data on it.
2. Formatting the hard drive with data on it
This method is a less time-consuming one, because, in this method, you may need to follow some simple steps than the prior one. In this method, we will be performing a quick format of the hard drive and then recover the data right after formatting.
In the start menu, you can see the ‘disk management’ feature. Click that to go to the next window. After that, a new window will be opened right-click the volume of your hard drive and click ‘Format’ at last. You need to make sure that you correctly opted for a quick format. Then click OK to confirm.
Step 2: recover the data using specialized software
You need to recover the data right after you finish formatting. Further delay in this process will cost you and lead to data loss. So performing the data recovery as soon as possible will be ideal. Use the same Disk Drill to perform the data recovery.
To initiate the recovery process, select the hard drive and click ‘Search for lost data’. After clicking on it, a new window will emerge and you need to select and click ‘Review found items’ and there is another option to ‘Recover all’ is too available. Select the data you want to recover and this can be found in the ‘Deleted or lost’ section. After navigating there, click ‘Recover’ select the appropriate storage location for the recovery, and click next to finish the data recovery process.
This is the second method of formatting your hard disk without losing the data in it. Selecting the method is always subjective. You can select the preferable method according to your convenience. This article is aimed to show you the best possible way to do it or perform this specific action.
Also Read: What Is Metadata? Learn How Data About Data Works
The Bottom Line
Finding a suitable backup option may not always be possible, but some technologies allow you to perform the actions without having the complexities. If you ever want to format your hard disks and you are not willing to risk your data in the process, adopt these methods.
Data storage systems have changed a lot, and our world is shifting its focus to cloud storage options, it is much more convenient and dynamic, so when you go for a storage option, it will be always better to choose cloud storage options. The data recovery features are more dynamic and have simple procedures. So moving along with the world would be ideal. Cloud storage is a 21st-century trend and one of the most recommended modes too.
