Format Hard Drive from Command Prompt in Windows 10

Here to learn how to format hard drive, the method to format pc using cmd, and the way to recover data from a formatted hard disk.

Hard Drive Recovery

Format Hard Drive+
  1. How to Clone Hard Drive
  2. How to Format Hard Drive from Bios
  3. Format Hard Drive for Xbox One
  4. How to Format C Drive in Windows 10/7/XP
  5. How to Perform PS4 External Hard Drive Format
  6. How to Format Hard Drive from Bios
  7. Format Hard Drive for Xbox One
  8. How to Format C Drive in Windows 10/7/XP
  9. How to Perform PS4 External Hard Drive Format
  10. How to Format Drive in Linux
  11. How to Format Hard Drive to NTFS
  12. How to Format WD My Passport
  13. How to Format Your Drive to FAT32 System
  14. Format HDD Low Level
  15. Format a BitLocker Encrypted Drive
  16. How to Unformat Hard Disk
  17. How to Format a RAW Drive
  18. Fix Your Hard Drive’s Formatting Issues
  19. How to Format SSD
  20. How to Format your Hard Drive to exFAT File System
  21. How to Format a Hard Drive to FAT32
Hard Drive Recovery+
  1. Top 10 Hard Drive Recovery Tools
  2. How to Recover Lost Data from Maxtor External Hard Drive
  3. How to Recover Data from Hitachi External Hard Drive
  4. How to Recover Data from Dead Hard Drive
  5. How to Recover Data from SimpleTech External Hard Drive
  6. How to Recover A Formatted Hard Drive in 3 Simple Clicks
  7. How to Recover Lost Data from Iomega External Hard Drive
  8. How to Recover Data from Toshiba External Hard Drive
  9. How to Recover Data from Transcend External Hard Drive
  10. Lacie External Hard Drive Data Recovery and Repair
  11. Best Way to Recover Data from a Floppy Disk 
  12. How to Recover Data from HP External Hard Drive
  13. Best Method to Recover Data from Crashed Hard Drive
  14. How to Repair Toshiba Hard Disk
  15. Recover Files from WD My Book External Hard Drive
  16. Ways to Repair Seagate Hard Disk
Fix Hard Drive Error+
  1. How to Fix the Hard Disk 3F0 Error
  2. How To Get Your Hard Drive Live Longer
  3. Perform HDD Bad Sector Repair on Any Hard Drive
  4. Recover Formatted Partition
  5. How to Recover Files from Corrupted Hard Disk
  6. How to Fix Hard Disk not Initialized Error
  7. Fix Fatal Hard Disk Not Detected Error
Hard Drive Tips+
  1. How to Clone a Hard Drive
  2. How to Rescue Data from Hard Drive
  3. How to Fix HDD Write Protected Error
  4. How to Completely Wipe a Hard Drive
Mac Hard Drive Recovery+
  1. Recover Lost Data from Seagate External Hard Drive on Mac
  2. How to Recover Data from Formatted Hard Disk Drive on Mac
  3. How to Recover Data from Seagate Backup
  4. How to Recover Lost Data from Western Digital External Hard Drive
  5. Top 5 Tools for Mac Disk Recovery on Mac
  6. How to Format Toshiba Hard Drive for Mac
  7. Format a Hard Drive for Mac: Ultimate Guide 2021

• Filed to: Hard Drive Recovery • Proven solutions

"How to reformat a hard drive in MS Windows 10 using the command prompt's disk format command? I tried to wipe my drive clean through windows explorer but was unsuccessful at it? Can I format it quickly using something else?"

- a question from Quora

Among the computer's many functions, formatting storage space from any optical device is the frequently used ones. Just like any other operating system in the market, Windows offers different variations to format both the internal and removable hard drives. If the system somehow fails to clean it with Disk Management or Window Explorer, then format hard drive from Command Prompt is the best way to format/reformat the storage device.

Here you will learn which command to use to format the drive, the method to format pc using cmd, and the solution to one of the common queries of all PC users—"Can I recover data from a formatted hard disk?"

Read also:

Advisable Tools for Hard Drive Repair in 2021.

How to Backup iTunes to an External Hard Drive?

Part 1: What is Disk Format Command in CMD?

Before understanding the disk format command of the Command Prompt utility, it is essential to know the functions and origin of Window's essential service.

Command Prompt is the GUI version of MS-DOS, which works as an input field and stimulates different functions in a command-line interface display for Windows. It is a convenient tool that automates specific operations that do not operate under normal circumstances. One of them is the format command, which you can use when Disk Management or Windows Explorer fails to deliver.

The disk format command in Windows Command Prompt interface is the facility that offers you to clean and change the file system of the intended drive/partition, USB, external hard disk, and other storage devices. Command Prompt's disk format command is available in all the latest and older version of Windows and can only work if the selected device isn't locked or password protected.

Part 2: How to Format a Hard Drive Using the Command Prompt's Diskpart Format Command?

With time, your system's hard drive may experience some glitches due to physical damage, virus/malware infection, wear and tear, or incompatible software installation. It is strongly advised to reformat the hard drive at least yearly to help stabilize or even resolve the disk's performance hiccups.

It is also ideal for taking a few precautions before wiping the storage device clean. One of them is creating a back up of valuable files consistently. Here is the guide to format a hard drive from the command prompt on Windows 10 using the diskpart format command.

    • Type "CMD" in the taskbar's search bar, then "Comman Prompt" will appear, click "Run as administrator" to run the program as an administrator.
format-hard-drive-from-command-prompt-windows-1
      • Type "diskpart" from the keyboard and press the enter key.
type diskpart
      • Type "List Disk" and hit enter from the keyboard.
type list disk
      • Type select disk and disk number to select the drive you want to format.

For example, from the list, select the Drive you want to Format by writing Select Disk 2 in the interface. Cmd will notify you of that selection.

select disk 2
      • Type "Clean" and hit enter to remove all the partitions from the disk in focus.
type clean
      • Write "Create Partition Primary" and press enter. The interface will inform you that it has succeeded in creating the partition primary.
create partition primary
      • Now format your drive with FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS file system by entering the disk format command "format fs=ntfs".
format fs
      • Assign a new letter to the formatted drive. Type "Assign" and enter.
type assign
    • In the end, type "Exit" to close the Command Prmpt Diskpart Windows whenthe process finishes.

That's it! You have successfully formatted your drive with the help of disk format command in command prompt.


If you want to know how to format hard drive on Mac, click how to format hard drive on Mac?

Part 3: Is It Possible to Recover Data from Formatted Hard Drive?

It is one of the most frequently asked questions in forums like Quora when users format PC using cmd and hope to recover the erased content again. The query has a simple yes and no answer!

Yes, you can recover data from your formatted drive/partition when you delete items from your HDD. It is because the files don't get deleted immediately from the memory of the device.

The thing you remove is the file's address table, and their previously occupied space is marked as available after the format. Until you overwrite your data by saving some new items, the content inside can quickly be recovered.

But if you install a new OS in that drive/volume, the space in question will be overwritten as the new operating system will write its system files and occupy the vacant storage space, and your data will be erased forever.

Part 4: How to Recover Lost Data after you Format PC using CMD? [Recommended]

There may be different ways to restore formatted/deleted data, but some of them require a stronghold on technical knowledge. If you intend to skip through any difficulty and unwanted consequences to recover all of your lost items, then try using the Recoverit Data Recovery program for Windows.

It is one of the only few recovery applications in the market that will retrieve your formatted content through its user-friendly characteristics and close to 100% efficiency. You will not only be able to recover those files, but you'll also be given the option to save the newly recovered data to a location of your choosing. Here you will know some of the application's unique selling point and the easy three-step guide that will help you through the recovery process.

Recoverit Data Recovery

Features of the Recovery Program:

  • Recoverit designs two different versions for Windows and macOS, which is rare among other applications.
  • The program provides compatibility with more than 1000 different file formats, which includes unique types for documents(ODT, ODP, ODS, ODG, ODF, RTF), videos/audios(MXF, WMV, ASF, FLV, SWF, WMV, ASF, FLV, SWF, MPEG, MPG, RM), graphics(SR2, MRW, DCR, DNG, ERF, AI, XCF, DWG, X3F), emails and other file.
  • It doesn't matter whether the drive is formatted or not; you can recover content from any internal and external devices, including Camera/Camcorder, Music/Player, iPod, CF/SD Card. Zip Drive, Pen Drive, Floppy Disk.
  • The app will also retrieve corrupt, hidden, and other kinds of unavailable items.
  • With the help of its "Crashed Computer" utility, you can create a bootable media to gain access to the PC and get back all the files.
icon_security 3,165,867 people have downloaded it

Step 1 Choose the Location of the Formatted Disk/Partition:

Run the application on your system and select the drive that you have recently formatted. After performing this action, click on the Start button for the scan to commence.

main-screen-hard-disk

Step 2 Wait for the Program to complete the Scan:

Recoverit interface offers you to stop/pause the scan in between to preview the partially recovered items. After a few minutes, you will receive a pop-up message that will confirm the completion of the scan.

scan-photo

Step 3 Save your Items to a Safe Location:

Once the program completes the scan, you can now preview the items under the different categories provided by the interface. After a thorough review of the recovered items, please extract them to a save location by hitting the Recovery button placed at the bottom of the display window.

preview-photo

Bottom Line

Having a brief understanding of the functions of Windows' different utilities makes it simple to operate the computer. Even though formatting a hard drive is a simple job, it can cause concern or two if the disk is in bad shape. Now you comprehend the ins and outs of command prompt's disk format command, which you can utilize if the standard methods do not work.

Read more about How to format hard drive on Mac

Moreover, you know the fact that data is easily recoverable with the assistance of the Recoverit program. It is an accessible tool to have when the files inside a drive are continuously under threat of getting erased due to a virus attack or an accident. You can share this article with your family and friends if they are dealing with a related problem.

Elva

staff Editor

Hot Articles

Format Hard Drive from Command Prompt in Windows 10
Here to learn how to format hard drive, the method to format pc using cmd, and the way to recover data from a formatted hard disk.
How to Format Hard Drive to FAT32 on Windows 10?
How to format hard drive to FAT32 on Windows 10? Here we offer proven ways to teach you how to format HHD to FAT32 and recover data after formatting.
3 Major Seagate Hard Disk Problems – Ways to Repair Seagate Hard Disk
How to Fix Seagate Hard Drive? Go through this article and find various Seagate Hard Disk repair methods to fix your Seagate Hard Drive.
Format Hard Drive from Bios: A Quick Step-by-Step Guide
Are you wondering how to format hard drive from bios? Read this article to find out when to do it, how to do it, and which are the potential risks.
How To Wipe or Erase a Hard Drive in Windows 7
If you want to give away your computer, first learn how to wipe a hard drive from Windows 7.
Hard Drive Eraser: How to Completely Wipe a Hard Drive?
Do you want to wipe the disk completely? Looking for the right hard drive eraser software programs to clean the whole storage device? You can’t miss this read.
How to Wipe or Erase a Hard Drive in Windows 10?
Ever wonder how you can completely wipe your hard drive in Windows 10? Learn the steps through this comprehensive guide.
How to Format Hard Drive for PS4 without Data Loss?
Want to know how to format hard drive for PS4? This guide will help you format ps4 hard drive and recover data from the formatted hard drive.
Home > > Resource > Hard Drive Recovery > Format Hard Drive from Command Prompt in Windows 10