How To Reformat

Reformatting your laptop is a great way to refresh your laptop and even speed it up a bit, although your mileage will vary depending on the hardware of your laptop. Newer laptops will feel more like new compared to old ones. Still, no matter what hardware you have, you will notice a different after a reformat. How to use PanFone iOS Eraser to format your iPhone completely: Thanks to its Erase All Data function, you can one-click to format your iPhone. Let's check how it works: Step 1: Download PanFone and install it on your PC. Select the reformat option from the list of options. Depending upon your computer brand, you may be offered options to re-install or reformat specific elements. These are considered non-destructive. Select 'Restore to Factory Settings' or 'Reformat' to perform a destructive reformat to your PC.

But reformatting can be done at different intervals. In this guide you will learn about the importance of reformatting and defragmentation and how to reformat hard drive. The most common reasons why users do so are as following: To Eliminate Errors – You can consider reformatting your computer if it has lots of viruses or errors on a drive.

For example, formatting deletes all files and directories which makes it the quickest method for erasing all data. Nevertheless, the main reason to format a disk is changing its file system. Windows works with several file systems including FAT32, exFAT and NTFS, each of them having their pros and cons. While NTFS is mostly used for internal HDDs with Windows 10, choosing the file system when formatting an external USB drive is quite an important stage.

Note. Most third-party disk utilities for Windows use what is called 'quick format'. That is, they do not actually erase all data from the disk but mark the entire space as free for writing new data. Files and directories are left intact after such formatting, and you can easily recover them using our programs. However, if you need to erase all data from the disk without any chances for recovery, you should use 'full format' option or specialized third-party software.

Formatting a disk in Windows is very easy. The standard utility Disk Management will help you format the disk, create or remove partitions. Though, if formatting is all you want to do, there is an even easier way to go.

Note. If you want to format the disk where the operating system is installed (by default it's disk С:), Windows 10 will show you a warning: 'You cannot format this volume. It contains the version of Windows that you are using. Formatting this volume could cause your computer to stop working.' This is how your operating system prevents you from deleting system files accidentally. You can format such disk by either booting from a USB drive, or when reinstalling the operating system (in the course of installation, the wizard will ask you to select the volume where to copy files to, and will offer you several options for disk management).

Open File Explorer, select This PC on the left, choose a disk, right-click on it and then click on Format…

The Format window contains several options (drop-down lists):

Capacity: this field shows the capacity of your disk. The drop-down list only shows the capacity of the disk you have chosen, so there's nothing to change or choose.

Note. If the disk contains errors, both of software or hardware origin, this drop-down list may show you several variant of capacity for such volume. Try to remember the correct disk capacity and find it on the list.

File system: depending on the disk size, you will see several settings, including FAT32, exFAT, NTFS and REFS . If you are going to format a volume larger than 32 GB, you will not see the FAT32 option.

Note. There are several ways to format a disk bigger than 32 GB in FAT32. One: download and install third-party software (for example, 'GUI version of fat32format'). Two: run Windows PowerShell as administrator and use the command 'format /FS:FAT32 X:', where Х is the letter assigned to the disk you are working on.

Allocation unit size: this setting determines the maximal disk cluster size, i.e. the size of the smallest unit of space where data will be written. We recommend leaving this value at default unless you have really sound reasons to modify it.

Note. Cluster size is the minimal disk space allocated for writing a file. The larger the cluster, the quicker are input-output operations, and the quicker your computer works with the disk. Yet if you're going to store lots of smaller files, it's better to use small cluster size so that small files will take less space on the hard disk.

Restore device defaults: use this button to change all settings in the Format… window to default values for any disk.

Volume label: enter a new disk name so it will be shown in the File Explorer.

Quick format: This setting is there by default, and the program will run high-level formatting of the selected volume. It is performed quick and easy as it cleans the MBR (boot sector) and writes an empty table of the selected file system. The disk space is then marked as ready for overwriting, but without actual cleaning of clusters (i.e. erasing data). Uncheck the box to run low-level format (also known as full format) which takes up much longer but it ensures full cleaning of each disk sector (writing zeros instead of data).

To start the formatting, just click Start.

Note. Remember that all data will be erased from the disk, so make sure you have backed up all necessary files and directories!

The operating system will show you the warning that you can lose all your data. Click OK to start formatting.

When the process is over, you will get a clean and formatted disk.

Nov 23, 2020 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions

Hard drive formatting is always crucial, and if not done appropriately, it can even make it non-functional. But performing it with DiskPart or command prompt can save your hard drive from this risk. A formatted drive is almost the same as the new drive because formatting clears all the stored media. This article will guide you through the DiskPart commands and ways of formatting hard drive with DiskPart and Command Prompt.

Part 1. How to Clean Hard Drive Using DiskPart

Before learning the steps for cleaning the drive, let's first understand what does DiskPart clean do? When you use the 'clean' command in Diskpart, the utility software will clean the selected disks and information from the hidden sectors. All the stored data gets deleted, and you can't undo it. It is recommended to take a backup first if there is some important data in the drive.

The time taken by the complete process depends on the disk size. To clean the drives follow the following steps:

Step 1- Open Command Prompt

Search command prompt, right-click, and run it as an administrator.

Step 2- Type diskpart

Type the command as mentioned above and press 'Enter' to launch DiskPart.

Step 3- Type list disk

The command will list all the drives that are available with the computer. How long has modern warfare been out. After typing the command, press 'Enter'.'

Step 4- Select the Drive by typing select disk *

The * mentioned in the command needs to be replaced with the drive number that requires cleaning. Make sure you put the right number else you will end up cleaning the wrong drive.

Step 5- Type clean

The 'clean' command will wipe out your required hard drive. Press 'Enter' after typing it. It will clean up all the files and folders of the drive permanently.

Step 6- Close the Command Prompt after Successful Completion of Disk Cleaning Once the cleaning process completes, the command prompt will show the message that DiskPart cleaning is successful. Close the window from the button located up in the right corner.

Now you can reinitialize, partition and even format the cleaned drive.

Part 2. How to Format Hard Drive Using Command Prompts

While formatting a hard drive, you can clean both storage media- internal as well as external. But before beginning the formatting, you need to complete the cleaning of the drive first. The steps are the same as explained above. Once the disk cleaning is successful; you can continue with the formatting of the drive.

To understand how to format using DiskPart look for detailed steps below:

Step 1- Open the command prompt and run as administrator.

Step 2- Type diskpart and press 'Enter'.' It will launch the DiskPart.

Step 3- Type list disk to let the Diskpart list all the drives of the computer.

Step 4- Select the required drive by typing select disk *, here * is the number of the drive that will undergo formatting.

Step 5- Clean the files and folders on the selected drive using the clean command.

Step 6- Type list disk and press 'Enter' to confirm the drive that needs to be formatted is still selected.

Here the output that comes out has an asterisk (*) before the selected drive.

Step 7- Create a new partition by typing create partition primary and press 'Enter'.'

Step 8- Select the created partition and press 'Enter' after typing the command select partition 1.

Step 9- Type active so that the selected partition comes in an active state. Press 'Enter' after that.

Step 10- Format the drive with the command format fs=ntfs. Press 'Enter' to begin the process.

Step 11- Assign a letter to the drive, to make it available in the File Explorer and then exit.

Press 'Enter' after typing assign letter=*, type your preferred letter in place of * that you want to assign to the partition.

Then to exit the DiskPart, type exit and 'Enter.'

After completing all these steps, the drive is available at File Explorer. You can now start storing files on the drive.

Part 3. How to Delete Hard Drive Partition Using DiskPart

Sometimes for better management, you need to create more free space by deleting partitions. You also want to delete them because you don't require them anymore or it has become damaged or corrupted. Follow the listed steps to delete the partition with DiskPart.

Step 1- Launch DiskPart in the command prompt by typing diskpart. Press 'Enter.'

Step 2- Type list disk and then press 'Enter' to list down all the available partitions.

Step 3- Select the disk to delete your required partition. Type select disk *, (*) is the disk number. After typing the command press 'Enter.'

Step 4- Type list partition and then 'Enter' to view all the partitions.

Step 5- Now select the partition to be deleted by typing select partition *, again * here is the number of the partition. 'Enter' after typing the command to execute it.

Step 6- Now delete the partition by typing delete partition and begin the deletion by pressing 'Enter.'

If the dynamic disk is in use, use the delete volume command for the deletion process.

Part 4. What are the DiskPart commands?

DiskPart is a command-line tool that does disk management with a simple Command Prompt. You can do disk listing, partitioning, and even deletion of partitions with this tool. Several DiskPart commands are used to execute these functions.

The tool first came in Windows XP, and now it is available on almost all operating systems of Microsoft- Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10. Before initiating with Diskpart commands on Command Prompt, it is necessary to make a list and then focus by selecting an object. In this way, DiskPart commands will act on the focused object.

As Diskpart gets loaded on the Command Prompt, let's understand a little about it. Command Prompt, also known as cmd, is referred to as a command-line interpreter. It is available in all operating systems. The program allows you to 'Enter' and execute commands. As the mouse operates the buttons and menu of the graphical user interface; in the same manner, cmd uses the command 'Enter' from the keyboard in the form of text. The 'Enter' commands are then converted into operating system understandable functions. Windows Command Processor is the official name of the Command Prompt. It is also known as command shell, cmd prompt, and is also popular as cmd.exe that is with its file name. At times it is even referred incorrectly as DOS prompt or even MS-DOS. Though the Windows program – Command Prompt has many MS-DOS abilities but calling it, MS-DOS would be incorrect.

You will be using the platforms like DiskPart and Command Prompt for disk formatting. It is the process of configuring storage mediums like a flash drive and a hard disk drive. During the formatting process, any of the documents or files that are already saved on the drive gets deleted. Usually, it is done before the installation of the operating system, and many times, it is also required for creating an additional storage space too.

Note: Your stored data gets erased when you format the drive using cmd. Though it can be retrieved by using the recovery software, taking a backup is still advised. It allows you to save a copy of your data at a secure place for uncertain situations like drive corruption, formatting, accidental deletion, etc.

Part 5. DiskPart Format Command Options

DiskPart format command that runs on command prompt is used for formatting internal and external storage mediums of hard drives. The command is available in all Windows operating systems like Windows 10, 8 7, Vista, XP, and other older versions too. You can use it to deal with unlocked files means the files that are not currently in use. However, the syntax for the command differs from one operating system to another.

The format command syntax is as following:

format drive: /* /fs:file-system /r:revision /d /v:label /p:count /?

Here * refers to q, c, x, and l

Now understand the syntax in detail:

• drive:

You will write here the letter that represents the drive or the partition for which you require formatting.

• /q

It represents drive will undergo DiskPart quick format without searching a bad sector.

• /c

Reformat Computer To Factory Settings

It will enable compression of folder and file. The option is available only when the drive is being formatted to NTFS (New Technology File System). It is a primary file system that is used in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000, and NT operating systems.

• /x

If there is the requirement to dismount the drive before formatting, then this command is used in the format.

• /l

While formatting with NTFS, the command is used on dedupe-enabled drives that consist of files with size more than 100GB.

• /fs:file-system

How To Reformat External Hard Drive

You will add the file system to which you want the format the drive. The file systems can be FAT, exFAT, FAT32, UDF, or NTFS

• /r: revision

It is used to focus the formatting on a specific UDF version. The options include 1.02, 1.50, 2.00, 2.01, and 2.50. If you don't specify any revision, by default it will take the 2.01 version. When you are using /fs:udf only then you can use /r: command.

• /d

When formatting is done with UDF v2.50 only then this command can be used to duplicate metadata.

• /v:label

It is used to specify the volume label. If you have not mentioned it before formatting, the systems will enquire about it after the completion of the process.

• /p:count

It will write zero once to all sectors of the drive. If you specify the count, it will write some random number on the drive, as many times as you mention. The random number writing will start once the zero writing completes.

/p cannot be used with /q.

• /?

It is used to show help for the several options of commands.

Closing Words

If your hard drive is causing any trouble, you can now quickly fix it by using DiskPart. Follow the steps explained above to clean and format the disk using DiskPart, and also to delete the hard drive partition. Before performing any of these actions, it is necessary to take a backup of the data. Somehow if you forgot taking backup and lost any of your important files during DiskPart commands execution, don't panic. Use Recoverit Mac Data Recovery software to retrieve your lost data.

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