How to Use DiskPart to Clean and Format a Drive

Important: Using DiskPart will completely erase everything on the drive you select, making it impossible to undo any changes. If you're looking for a way to clean and format a drive using the Command Prompt, this guide is for you.

DiskPart is a powerful command-line utility that has been part of Windows for a long time, allowing you to manage storage devices, partitions, and volumes with features that other tools such as Format or Disk Management can't fix. Many times, the Format tool may not be able to fix the problem, and this is when DiskPart can come in handy.

To use DiskPart, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Type 'diskpart' and press Enter to launch the DiskPart utility.

3. Once DiskPart is open, type 'list disk' and press Enter to list all the disks connected to your computer.

4. Identify the disk you want to clean and format by its number (e.g., Disk 1).

5. Type 'select disk 'number'' and press Enter to select the disk.

6. Type 'clean' and press Enter to erase everything on the selected disk.

7. Type 'convert mbr' or 'convert gpt' depending on whether you want to use a Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT).

8. Type 'format fs=ntfs quick' to format the disk using NTFS file system and the quick option for faster formatting.

9. Type 'label 'drive letter'' to assign a drive letter to the formatted disk.

Important Precautions

Before you start using DiskPart, make sure you have backed up any important data on the disk you're about to clean and format, as all data will be lost. Additionally, some limitations apply when using DiskPart:

* Operations cannot be undone, so an incorrect operation can lead to data loss.

* Comparing with graphical user interface, command line is hard to use for many users.

* Data partition with FAT file system cannot be extended.

* You cannot extend the partition if the system page file is located on the partition.

DiskPart is a powerful tool that can help you manage storage devices, partitions, and volumes from the Command Prompt. However, it's essential to use it carefully and with caution, as any incorrect operations can lead to data loss. If you're not comfortable using DiskPart or if you're looking for an alternative solution, consider using third-party Windows Server partition software.

Additional Tips

* You can use DiskPart on both Basic disks and Dynamic disks.

* DiskPart.exe is a text-mode command line tool interpreter built in Windows, which enables storage objects such as disks, partitions, or volumes configuration and management from a script, remote session, or direct input from a command prompt.

* DiskPart is actually the underlying utility that augments the Disk Administrator graphical user interface and enables a superset of the actions that are supported by the Disk Management snap-in.

By following these steps and precautions, you can successfully use DiskPart to clean and format a drive using the Command Prompt.

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