disk formatting

In computing, preparing a blank magnetic disk in order that data can be stored on it. Data are recorded on a disk's surface on circular tracks, each of which is divided into a number of sectors. In formatting a disk, the computer's operating system adds control information such as track and sector numbers, which enables the data stored to be accessed correctly by the disk-drive unit.

Some floppy disks, called hard-sectored disks, are sold already formatted. However, because different makes of computer use different disk formats, disks are also sold unformatted, or soft-sectored, and computers are provided with the necessary utility program to format these disks correctly before they are used.