How to Format A Hard Drive Using Command Prompt

[Guest]

With this method, you can clean internal as well as external storage media.

How to Format A Hard Drive Using Command Prompt : Read more

 

[ehmkec]

Am I missing something? Couldn't you just bring up a command prompt and type "format e:" - or some other drive letter?

 

[tcaster6263]

would be kind of short for a tutorial don't you think?

 

[polomint]

Or use Computer Management -> Disk Management if you want to remove all partitions on a drive then format it...

 

[shrapnel_indie]

Am I missing something? Couldn't you just bring up a command prompt and type "format e:" - or some other drive letter?

While I cannot guarantee this article does exactly what it claims it does (I haven't tried it, let alone heard about this way before) I can speak for the way format works now days.

Drives come pretty much preformatted now days as to its sectors and such. Format just basically wipes the file data/directory/folder content, not the data elsewhere on the drive. It's possible to recover the data with a little work, primarily on the "folders."

I would hope that this utility, DiskPart, issuing its "clean" command actually does more than clear the data partition info.

 

[jimmysmitty]

Am I missing something? Couldn't you just bring up a command prompt and type "format e:" - or some other drive letter?

While I cannot guarantee this article does exactly what it claims it does (I haven't tried it, let alone heard about this way before) I can speak for the way format works now days.

Drives come pretty much preformatted now days as to its sectors and such. Format just basically wipes the file data/directory/folder content, not the data elsewhere on the drive. It's possible to recover the data with a little work, primarily on the "folders."

I would hope that this utility, DiskPart, issuing its "clean" command actually does more than clear the data partition info.

It doesn't. The only way to truly erase a disk is to have it do a 0 write pass. The more the better too. A single pass wont cover everything up. The DoD has a 7 pass minimum. I prefer the 35 pass called Gutmann method.

 

[JamesSneed]

Am I missing something? Couldn't you just bring up a command prompt and type "format e:" - or some other drive letter?

Sure you can say: format e: /fs:NTFS However you would need to use diskpart to create the partition in the first place to already have an "e" drive to format.

The title really should be how to partition and format a drive.

 

[shrapnel_indie]

Am I missing something? Couldn't you just bring up a command prompt and type "format e:" - or some other drive letter?

While I cannot guarantee this article does exactly what it claims it does (I haven't tried it, let alone heard about this way before) I can speak for the way format works now days.

Drives come pretty much preformatted now days as to its sectors and such. Format just basically wipes the file data/directory/folder content, not the data elsewhere on the drive. It's possible to recover the data with a little work, primarily on the "folders."

I would hope that this utility, DiskPart, issuing its "clean" command actually does more than clear the data partition info.

It doesn't. The only way to truly erase a disk is to have it do a 0 write pass. The more the better too. A single pass wont cover everything up. The DoD has a 7 pass minimum. I prefer the 35 pass called Gutmann method.

That's what I thought. Its faster to just erase/invalidate the partition, create a new partition, and MAYBE verify sectors instead of doing a real format and then verifying.

 

[USAFRet]

Why you need to do this dictates how you do this.

 

[jpe1701]

I agree with USAFRET. I've had disk management just not let me format a drive and I had to use diskpart to get it done. Heck I've even used Ubuntu on a bootable drive to do disk management many years ago just because I knew the Linux commands and not the windows.

 

[stdragon]

It's useful when installing Windows 10 on a used drive. But it's not a secure erase. So long as you know that, then proceed.

 

[gaaah]

In my day we didn't even have the format command. You had to deposit individual 0's and 1's with tweezers and a microscope, you bunch of pansies.

 

[mrmez]

I must be be getting old, or maybe I don't understand the enthusiast segment anymore, but I thought computers were supposed to be getting easier to use.

It's a tool after all. A tool to play games, a tool to work, but a tool nonetheless.
I hoped technology had advanced sufficiently so I don't need to be a master tool builder before I can use my tools.

 

[Marlin Schwanke]

Am I missing something? Couldn't you just bring up a command prompt and type "format e:" - or some other drive letter?

While I cannot guarantee this article does exactly what it claims it does (I haven't tried it, let alone heard about this way before) I can speak for the way format works now days.

Drives come pretty much preformatted now days as to its sectors and such. Format just basically wipes the file data/directory/folder content, not the data elsewhere on the drive. It's possible to recover the data with a little work, primarily on the "folders."

I would hope that this utility, DiskPart, issuing its "clean" command actually does more than clear the data partition info.

The “clean” command only clears MBR and partition information. “clean all” would zero all the sectors.

 

[popatim]

Boy talk about old info and possible incorrect as well. This will only work for drives 2TB in size or LESS.

For larger drives you cannot use fat, fat32, or ntf.

BoM, you really need to rethink this low budget writers strategy you're on. Just look at the quality of this one. Do you really think this is going to attract people to this site or drive them elsewhere?

 

[contacto4abc]

TomsHardware believes that the only operating system that exists in the world is Windows...

 

[bo cephas]

Maggie Scot is going to be pissed when she comes back and finds her HD has been formatted.

 

[stdragon]

@popatim

The 2TB limit is only if the drive is formatted in MBR mode. If it's a GPT volume, the partition formatted in NTFS can reach up to 256TB. By then, MS will be pushing the ReFS which can support a volume size up to 1 Yobibyte.

The CLEAN command is applicable to any volume regardless if it's MBR or GPT based. Meaning, the entire definitions will be cleared out ready to be partitioned however you want.

 

[lfb3491]

Dumb people ask dumb questions. It is more complicated than type format. Maybe u r the one who formats over your operating system.........HA

 

[playeditbbsr]

my disk is cleaned "command prompt diskpart" so how to recovery my lost drive please help me...

 

[playeditbbsr]

how to recovery diskpart cleaned drive please help

 

[shrapnel_indie]

my disk is cleaned "command prompt diskpart" so how to recovery my lost drive please help me...

how to recovery diskpart cleaned drive please help

The instructions to put a new partition and "format" it for use are there in the article too. It starts with step six. If you're talking about recovering what you got rid of... you'll probably need to spend money for a data recovery service.