Format Hard Drive Using Dos

Formatting a hard drive HDD or SSD is the same as buying a new hard drive since the process erases all the data in one fell swoop. When you format your hard drive, you can clean internal as well as external storage media.

  1. Dos Command Format

In this tutorial, we explain how you can format a hard drive using the command prompt. Before proceeding further, make sure you backup all available data to prevent data loss. Follow the steps below to format a drive:

  • Format Hard Disk Drive Using Dos Commands. Let Us Boot Computer Using Win98 Bootable CD. Step 1:: Insert Bootable Win98 Bootable cd In CD-ROM Or Dvd-RW.
  • Sep 27, 2020 Here is the guide to format a hard drive from the command prompt on Windows 10 using the disk format command. Type cmd in the taskbar's search bar and run the program as an administrator. Type diskpart from the keyboard and press the enter key. Type List Disk and hit enter from the keyboard.

STEP 1: Open Command Prompt As Administrator

Format a hard drive in DOS. Formatting a hard drive in DOS removes all data and restores the disk to its original factory state. It is important to make sure everything on the hard drive is copied to an external drive or storage device before formatting is done. Once a hard drive is formatted, all information is erased.

Search for command prompt, right click and run as Administrator.

STEP 2: Use Diskpart

Format Hard Drive Using Dos

Once command line is open, type ‘diskpart‘ and press Enter.

STEP 3: Type List Disk

The above command will open a Diskpart window. In this window, type ‘list disk‘ and press Enter. It will list all the available drives.

STEP 4: Select the Drive to Format

Now type ‘select disk (disk number)‘ as shown above. Specify the drive number which needs to be formatted.

STEP 5: Clean the Disk

In this step, type ‘clean‘. This command will permanent delete all files and folders, and successfully clean up the disk.

STEP 6: Create Partition Primary

To make the drive again accessible, type ‘create partition primary‘.

STEP 7: Format the Drive

Hard

Now format the drive with FAT or NTFS file system. Type ‘format fs=ntfs‘ and press Enter.

STEP 8: Assign a Drive Letter

Dos Command Format

To assign a drive letter, you can type ‘assign‘ as shown below.