Format command for windows xp

For stepbystep instructions on how to format newer versions of windows, click here. Reformat hard drive with windows xp whitecanyon software. To do that, you need to boot your computer from the windows setup media cd, dvd or bootable usb device, and use the command prompt to format c drive. One, wipe hard drive data and programs to start over. Therefore, you cannot use command prompt to convert ntfs to fat32 with no data loss on windows xp. There are various options for accessing the command line in windows. Diskpart format command that runs on command prompt is used for formatting internal and external storage mediums of hard drives. It is important to reformat the hard drive before selling, donating, or returning a computer to an employer. The command is available in all windows operating systems like windows 10, 8 7, vista, xp and in other older versions too. How to format a hard drive partition in windows xp tech. The format command creates a new root directory and file system for the disk. Select windows xp from the list and click system restore. You can change the boot order from the bios, which can be accessed by pressing the setup key as your computer boots.

But most of the commands will work in all windows versions such as windows xp, vista and windows 7. Windows xp disk management free to manage disk on windows xp. Although the information appears to be erased, it is still possible for software recovery programs to recover information from a formatted drive. So if you want to master command prompt in windows os and want to use command prompt like a professional, download the official pdf file from following link. Debra littlejohn shinder, mcse, mvp is a technology consultant, trainer, and writer who has authored. The format command is used to erase information from a computer diskette or fixed drive. Directs the windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a batch program. Wipe hard drive in windows 7 from command prompt completely. Though you cannot format c drive within windows like you format other drives, you can format c drive outside of windows. Once the windows partition has been deleted, you can format the unpartitioned space.

Usually, you can access disk management on windows xp by following the guide. Beginning in windows vista, the format command performs a basic write zero hard drive sanitization by assuming the p. In this tutorial, we explain how you can format a hard drive using the command prompt. After formatting a floppy disk, format displays the following message. Likewise, users can reformat a hard drive with windows xp to remove viruses or. Feb 27, 20 we can not format c drive from my computer so in this case we have to boot from windows xp cd and format c drive. After disk management opens, which might take several seconds, look for the drive you want to format from the list at. Enables windows to display an extended character set in graphics mode. All you have to do is select the drive and execute a specific format command. Format your hard drive using diskpart and command prompt. At this point, the windows setup dvd can be inserted into the drive, or the iso mounted, and its files copied over to the root folder of the flash drive.

Note that quick can be removed off of the format command to run a full format, but that might take minutes to tens of minutes depending on the drive as its more thorough. Once you click format, you will be presented with a new window with 5 options. Choose the language, time, currency, etc and click next. The below method works in windows xp, vista, 7 and 8. The default is to prompt on overwrites unless copy command is being executed from within a batch script. For example, if you want to use 4096 bytes as one allocation unit, then you can run the below command. If you want to make sure no information can be recovered from a drive, use a software utility to make sure all. The output format of %date% and of the dir command is regionally dependent and thus neither robust nor smart. This setting may be overridden with y on the command line.

Take command of disk management in windows xp with diskpart by deb shinder. In the format dialog box, you may choose to type a name of the volume in the volume label box. This article tells how to wipe hard drive in windows 710xp from command prompt for different purposes. Apr 30, 2020 this tutorial shows you how to wipe a hard drive in windows xp without cd before selling or replacing it in two ways. Be sure to set the drive letter of the drive you wish to zero out. May 02, 2015 2 assuming that windows xp is already installed on hardware that features a cd drive, an easy option is to insert the windows xp boot and setup cd if it is available. How to format a hard drive using the command prompt tom. Open disk management, the hard drive manager included with all versions of windows. The format command is a command prompt command used to format a specified partition on a hard drive internal or external, flash drive, or floppy disk to a specified file system. This is not the case in windows xp and earlier versions of windows. I am just trying to make a bootable flash drive for linux and windows based os in the future, so i need the fdisk command so that i can clean format, mark as active, and just copy the. How to format a hard drive windows 10, 8, 7, vista, xp.

To completely erase a hard drive, you can restore windows xp to factory settings with an installation cd. Erasing the primary volume from within windows xp is not possible, since the program responsible for deleting storage devices is integrated into the os. How do i get current datetime on the windows command line. Formatting a hard drive with command prompt administrative. Start your pc and press key f2, f12 or the delete key depends on your pc model. One is using the easeus wiping tool to easily erase the partitions or disks in case you want to keep the system, the other is wiping hard drive and os together in the winpe environment with a bootable disk. Need to reformat the hard drive in windows xp and start with a clean slate. Legacy and new windows xp versions and windows software. I am logged in as the administrator on my computer, but, apparently, dont have the. This command should be executed from elevated administrator command prompt. Optionally by adding the s, for system switch, format can also install a volume boot record. Runs a specified command for each file in a set of files.

First, load up the windows vista disc in your drive and press any key to boot from the disc. May 07, 2019 the below method works in windows xp, vista, 7 and 8. Volume label file system allocation unit size perform a quick format enable file and folder compression. Windows xp disk management like all other windows os, windows xp has builtin disk management which helps perform many tasks. There are two situations people wipe a hard drive in windows xp. You can use it to deal with unlocked files means the files that are not currently in use. How to format a hard drive, ssd, or usb flash drive. Restore to factory settings guide for windows xp, vista. Using the following format method allows you to erase the primary hard drive on the. With this option, format writes bootstrap code to the first sector of the volume and possibly elsewhere as well.

Like all other windows os, windows xp has builtin disk management which helps perform many tasks. It can also check for bad areas on the disk, and it can delete all data on the disk. It is better to make it clear that what your purpose of wiping a hard drive is since different operations lead to different consequences. Formatting a hard drive with command prompt administrative access i was wondering how to format a hard drive using the command prompt. Easy recovery essentials will now create a backup of your current system configuration and begin restoring the selected snapshot. Take command of disk management in windows xp with diskpart. Apr 08, 2019 wikihow is a wiki, similar to wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are cowritten by multiple authors. Jul 20, 2010 formatting a hard drive with command prompt administrative access i was wondering how to format a hard drive using the command prompt. It is not possible to format your primary drive probably labeled c in windows xp, as it contains windows itself. This executable file should be found in the system directory of your windows folder. The diskpart utility available in windows 2000, xp, vista, 7, 8, 8. Format windows command line date the need for me to format date in the windows command line environment came up when i needed to write a batch file to automatically copy the latest copies of certain files in a large folder. Jul 02, 20 it is not possible to format your primary drive probably labeled c in windows xp, as it contains windows itself. See how to format a hard drive in windows for instructions.

Most commands that you can perform in disk management see. In vista, the procedure to fix the master boot record is a bit different. How to format external hard drive to fat32 in windows. We can not format c drive from my computer so in this case we have to boot from windows xp cd and format c drive. On msdos, the command is available in versions 1 and later. The cd offers pointandclick prompts that guide users through the formatting and installation process. How to force format an xp hard drive your business. To be able to use a new disk, you must first use this command to format the disk.

This will format and erase all of the data on the c. You can also format drives without using a command. Youre likely familiar with this utility if youve been using a windows 10 pc for quite some time. Oct 16, 2017 the format command creates a new root directory and file system for the disk. Take command of disk management in windows xp with. How to format the c drive on a windows xp sp2 wikihow. Aug 01, 2008 format from command line, windows xp support, windows xp technical support questions. To create this article, 24 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This will happen automatically if you install a new operating system, or you can manually format by selecting the unpartitioned space and pressing c. If you rightclick on the file, windows also gives you the option to start the program as an administrator in case you have. Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations. Youre likely familiar with this utility if youve been using a.

This will happen automatically if you install a new operating system, or you can manually. The format command used in this way will format the c drive with the ntfs file system and write zeros to every sector of the drive. Altogether, three sd card formatting approaches are given here to help format sd memory card effortlessly, including format sd card using cmd command prompt, windows utility and thirdparty sd card formatting tool in windows 10, 8. You will need to specify the size of the partition, the drive letter you want to assign. How to wipe a hard drive windows xp without cd easeus. Use a simple for command, indicate all the sets of files you want to process and for each file found referenced by %a echo its time stamp %ta and the full path to the file %fa for usage inside batch files, the percent signs need to be escaped, replacing each % with %%. But that wont work unless you boot from a 98 or me bootdisk and your xp is on a fat32 and not an ntfs partition. Drive to do a clean install, just put the cd in your drive and reboot the machine. Aug 17, 2018 in this tutorial, we explain how you can format a hard drive using the command prompt.

Msdos boot disk contents allbootdisks providing free. Solved how do i format drive c using dos command windows. How to format usb drive using command prompt in windows. Windows xp can format a volume or drive so long as the operating system is not installed on the designated hardware. Download pdf document containing master list of all commands in command prompt.

Using powershell in windows 10 to format an external hard drive to fat32 windows 10 users can use powershell instead of command prompt to format the external hard drive to the fat32 format. During the installation of xp youll be offered the options for formatting your hard drive. How to format a hard drive using the command prompt toms. Windows xp is very capable of formatting the drive for you. Search for command prompt, right click and run as administrator. Click on command prompt from the system recovery options screen.

Free to convert ntfs partition to fat32 on windows xp. Please refer to how to increase c drive space in windows server 2008 r2 if you need more details to resolve the problem when windows xp reports convert. How to fix mbr in windows xp and vista help desk geek. This tutorial shows you how to wipe a hard drive in windows xp without cd before selling or replacing it in two ways.

If you have a windows recovery disc or a windows installation disc, you can access the dos command prompt and erase a hard drive. You may also extract the datetime information from any file with date. How to format c drive using command prompt in windows 10. See all comments 21 21 comments comment from the forums. Format command examples, options, switches, and more.

Mar 30, 2020 altogether, three sd card formatting approaches are given here to help format sd memory card effortlessly, including format sd card using cmd command prompt, windows utility and thirdparty sd card formatting tool in windows 10, 8. Apr 16, 2018 note that quick can be removed off of the format command to run a full format, but that might take minutes to tens of minutes depending on the drive as its more thorough. How to format a pc and install windows xp sp3 with pictures. Two, wipe a computer including windows xp operating system.