Final answer:
You should back up all data before formatting a drive because the process will delete all existing data on the drive, and it is not automatically backed up during formatting.
Step-by-step explanation:
You should back up all data before formatting a drive because reformatting a drive deletes all existing data. When you format a drive, it is essentially being reset to a blank state, which means that any files, programs, and user settings will be completely erased. This is done to prepare the drive for new data or to remove any corrupted files and system errors that could be affecting the performance of the drive.
While formatting a drive can indeed improve data performance and enhance data security by removing potential threats, these benefits come only after the drive has been cleared of its contents. Therefore, it's crucial to save your important files to an external hard drive, cloud storage, or any other backup solution before proceeding with the format.
Please note that option 'c' is incorrect as data is not automatically backed up during formatting, and relying on this process to protect your files will result in data loss.