The personal computer has brought many different luxuries and advancements to modern society ranging from personal finances to unlimited information. Unfortunately, computers are not foolproof and require maintenance from time to time. Fortunately, one of the easiest and most efficient means of maintaining computers and correcting problems is reformatting. Reformatting a computer can remove malware and viruses as well as fixing issues with the registry. All of these things can lead to better performance and return a computer to how it was when it was new. This article will explain what reformatting does to a computer and walk the user through reformatting his or her computer.

What Does Reformatting Mean
In its basic essence, reformatting means that the computer is returned to its original state. Reformatting removes irregularities, replaces lost data, and cleanses the computer of programs and errors that cause it to malfunction. When a disk or drive is reformatted, all of the data that was on the device is removed and a new copy of the original format is installed on the device. Reformatting a computer may seem frightening to an inexperienced user but it is actually rather easy to do and can be done in under an hour.

Backup All Files
The first step to reformatting a computer is to backup all files and data that the user does not wish to lose. This is a very important step as any data that is not backed up prior to reformatting will be completely lost and can not be retrieved without paying thousands of dollars in computer repair costs. The following are a few different methods that will allow the user to backup his or her data before reformatting the hard drive.

External Drive
One of the best methods of backing up data is to purchase an external hard drive. External hard drives sit outside of the computer and connect to it via a USB or Firewire cable. They run on plug-and-play software so all the user has to do to backup their files is simply drag and drop their files into the window. External hard drives are portable and can store a very large amount of data as they come in models ranging between 300 GB to 100 TB (1 TB equals roughly 1,000 GB). Fortunately, the prices of external hard drives are dramatically falling as they come out with newer and larger models although any price for one of these devices is well worth it. For example, a 300 GB external hard drive costs around $60 while a 1 TB external hard drive costs around $100-$120.How Do I Reformat My Computer

Automatic Backup
An alternative to external hard drives is automatic backup programs. Automatic backup programs are online services that can repeatedly scan a user's computer for updated files and automatically upload them to an online server that the user can access at any time from any web browser in the world. Automatic backup programs range in price and there may even be a few free ones available but the service alone is worth every penny. An automatic backup program would allow the user to backup their data before reformatting and then also ensure that their files are always secure after a new copy of the operating system is installed. With viruses, malware, computer glitches, hard drive failure, and a wide array of other potential hazards, an automatic backup system can prove to be a true lifesaver in time.

Hybir Backup

Disks
Another method of backing up data is by copying files onto disks. Disks are much cheaper than other backup methods and allow the user to make sure that their files are always close at hand whenever they are needed. Disks do have their problems, however, the most obvious being that they frequently get scratched or broken and can even be easily lost. Disks can be great if they are properly organized and maintained but the overall risk of having disks as the sole means of backup is too high to ignore. However, short term backup onto disks will provide an inexpensive method of saving important documents and files while the user is reformatting his or her computer.

Obtaining A Copy of An Operating System
Obtaining a copy of an operating system can be both easy and frustrating at the same time. Some computer manufacturers include an operating disk with the computer upon purchase where as other companies, such as Microsoft, refuse to give the disk out for free and sell them separately for around $30. Alternatively, the user can search torrent sites or the web in general in order to download a copy of the original operating system or another one of the user's choice. These files will most likely be in ISO format and will need to be burned to a disk.

Reinstalling the Operating System
Reformatting a computer is easy and can be done by inserting the operating disk and rebooting the computer. The computer may recognize the disk immediately but sometimes the user will need to go into the BIOS and set the computer to boot from disk. When the screen loads, the user can follow the onscreen instructions to reformat their hard drive and install the new operating system.