When you format C, you erase the operating system and other information on that drive.

Unfortunately, it’s very muchnota straightforward process.

While that all might sound very complicated, it’s actually quite easy to do.

Person formatting their C drive

Lifewire / Ashley Nicole DeLeon

Formatting is done automatically during the Windows installation.

Skip this article entirely and instead learn how to do aclean install of Windows.

Formatting doesnotpermanently erase the data on the drive.

Screenshot showing how to format C from a Windows 10 setup disc

chidsey / sxc.hu

If you want to completely erase the information on the C drive, see No.

5 below:Wipe the Drive Clean With Data Destruction Software.

Keep reading if you only have a Windows XP disc.

Command Prompt in System Recovery - Format C

The only requirement is that the setup media needs to be from a newer version of Windows.

Feel free to borrow a friend’s disc or flash drive if you’d like to try this method.

The biggest caveat here is that you must also haveWindows XPinstalled on your C drive.

Screenshot of the Windows XP Recovery Console for formatting the C drive

This Recovery Console method to format C also applies to Windows 2000.

Any of these tools that have formatting capabilities will be able to format C without a problem.

We’ll update this link to a list of such programs soon.

Picture of a CD that reads bootable repair DVD

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Screenshot of DBAN formatting C