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Is there any downside when installing XP on to a brand new (never before used) hard drive in selecting the "quick format" option instead of the regular format, which can run quite a long time?
I am not aware of any system side effect from doing a "quick format". If the new disk is not already formatted; quick formatting will do just fine.
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In short Quick Format merely remove the table that manage the files & directories. It does not purge the HD of all junks. When I want to reinstall an OS I always use the long format.
i_XpUser
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Well from what the article i just posted, if it is a new harddrive make sure you do a regular format just in case there is bad sectors. If it is not new and you just want to reinstall xp, quick format would be a option.
Jim R
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You cannot do a quick format on a new drive. The quick format is only applicable for drives that have been formatted previously.
As XpUser said, the quick format only clears the index tables.
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I guess I must be the exception here as to why I prefer the long format. I always like to get back that shiny new operating system feeling untainted by years of wear, tear and added and removed programs that quick format do not remove.
Edit: Ops I made the above comment before max00 responsed.
i_XpUser
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brighteyes,
I don't know where you are coming from. What does low level format have to do with the question of quick format vs long format? Enlight us.
i_XpUser
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I agree XpUser. As I'm sure you know, the magnetism of the platters will normally deteriorate a little over time. This is not normally a problem, but I like to do a full format to restore the format to maximum strength.
(Edit) We overlapped XpUser. This post was refering to Post #6.
Brighteyes, A low level format normally writes zero bytes to all sectors. This wipes out any formatting.
Why they insist on calling it a low level format is beyond me.
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Max00 just so you know "magnetism of the platters will normally deteriorate a little over time" doesn't quite happen that way. Nor does a format fix the problem.
What does happen is the material is not able to hold a charge anymore. These are physical defects and can not be repaired. This is what the drive defect table is all about. This happens at the factory. After release to the public if a defect is found [bad sector] the entire cluster is marked bad in the MFT/Fat and not used . This is what chkdsk /r does as do other drive utilities.
A failing sector can be reformatted, if not marked in the factory defect table, but will sooner than later fail to hold the data placed there.
This is why you should always run chkdsk /r after a format or other disk program that tests the clusters by multiple writes/reads
Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search
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>> Why they insist on calling it a low level format is beyond me. <<
Because they don't understand what a low level format is. Before the introduction of IDE disk a disk had to be low level formated before it could be used. That involved things like setting the landing zone, the number of tracks, write pr-compensation, sector interleave.
Since IDE were introduced disks are low level formatted at the factory. Any attempt to do a genuine low level format on a modern IDE disk would probably render the disk useless.
Stuart
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Nice concise explanation Stuart!
Wanderer, also a nice explanation, but I stick with what I said.
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Big difference, in understanding Max00, from your explaination and mine.
Not only will formatting not correct a physical defect but since you are reading and writing to the disk constantly, the "full format to restore the format to maximum strength." is also simply not true. Every write remagnitizes the sectors written.
It comes down to having an accurate view of disk dynamics... or not.
Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search
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"It comes down to having an accurate view of disk dynamics... or not."
You are absolutely right wanderer, and I stand by my statements.
I never indicated that formatting would correct platter defects.
Case closed! I'm not going to argue about it.
I changed my mind.
Quote "Every write remagnitizes the sectors written."
It rewrites the data that is changed, but it does not rewrite the formatting data. Think about it.
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 What do I purchase?
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Cannot dual install OS?? 
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