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format partition question
Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive.
For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. |
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#2
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format partition question
I think that I posted to the wrong group. Will try a different one.
Thanks "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. |
#3
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format partition question
"DJ" wrote in message = ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard = drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to = format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted = volume? Thanks, --=20 Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
#4
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format partition question
Tom,
Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
#5
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format partition question
Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some of
the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments only. - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will have no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
#6
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format partition question
Xref: kermit microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardwa223704
"DJ" wrote in message = ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive = but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just = want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on = one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. Yes, if you lok in Disk management, you'll see that your system drive is = listed as such in parentheses (saying "System"). Any other partition you = have (or volume, which is simply a term given to how you formatted it) = can be deleted, formatted, or ignored if you so wish. :-) |
#7
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format partition question
"Jim" wrote in message = news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of = some of the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS = environments only. =20 - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. Wrong: A hard drive cannot have zero partitions, zero means nothing, so = to say such a thing is a contradiction of terms. - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. Wrong: it is Primary, Extended, Logical. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 = primary partitions and 1 extended partition. Wrong: If the drive is setup as a RAID, then it can be striped into many = other primary partitions. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. Still Wrong: zero means zero as applied earlier - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". She specified volumes of a "partitioned" hard drive, so you obviously = miss some words. |
#8
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format partition question
Hi Tom,
I'm sorry if I caused anyone any confusion. Just wanted to clarify your answer. I appreciate your help with this. I'm really trying to learn all the technical terms for the PC. Just takes a while. I appreciate your time an patience. Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. Yes, if you lok in Disk management, you'll see that your system drive is listed as such in parentheses (saying "System"). Any other partition you have (or volume, which is simply a term given to how you formatted it) can be deleted, formatted, or ignored if you so wish. :-) |
#9
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format partition question
Jim,
Didn't mean to cause any confusion in the newsgroup. I'm still learning all the technical terminology and thought it best to write and ask someone that knew for sure. Donna J. "Jim" wrote in message news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some of the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments only. - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will have no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
#10
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format partition question
Normally I just let something like this slide, but frankly, there are so
many errors on your part, I hardly no where to begin. Perhaps you need a refresher course or something. It's one thing to goof here or there, but holy cow, where to begin, where to begin. Anyway, comments below. Jim "Tom" wrote in message ... "Jim" wrote in message news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some of the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments only. - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. Wrong: A hard drive cannot have zero partitions, zero means nothing, so to say such a thing is a contradiction of terms. Wrong - If I buy a new HD, tell us, how many partitions does it contain? ZERO! In fact, if I run the XP installer, it asks if I want to install in the "unpartitioned" space! Besides that unpartitioned space, please tell use what else is there? Nothing, just a lot of empty, unpartitioned space. If you don't believe this is the case, consider the partition table in the MBR (Master Boot Record). The partition table points to (addresses) the existing partitions, correct? If you examine any new HD (or any HD that's had all its partitions deleted), the partition table contains zeroes in the address fields of all four possible partition table entries. In fact, that's the definition of "deleted", the partition table doesn't contain an address to the partition. But how can this be? If there can't be zero partitions (according to you), tell us, exactly where does the address to that mysterious, lone partition reside? - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. Wrong: it is Primary, Extended, Logical. There's a bit of a semantic issue here. You can define either a primary or extended partition, those are really the only true types of partitions. Within an extended partition, you can define volumes, or as some would call it, "logical partitions". The term "partition" in this context can be confusing, esp. to a newbie, so I tend to stay away from it. It's qualified as a "logical" partition because the partition table in the MBR (master boot record) only has entries for four partitions, and of those, they must either be a primary or extended partitions. There are no "logical" partitions in the partition table (if only due to physical limitations, since you can have many, many logical partitions, or "volumes" within an extended partition). Instead, the one and only allowed extended partition uses "sub-addressing" from its own address stored in the partition table to address the individual volumes (or logical partitions). *That's* why they're called logical, they have no actual physical presence in the partition table, they are only suballocations" (logical) with the extended partition. This is also why it can be problematic to install an OS in the extended partition (can be done at times, but not officially supported by MS). The DOS bootstrap examines the partition table and looks for an "active" indicator to determine the bootable partition. But the extended partition is simply a pointer to a partition of other volumes (logical partitions), so having the active indicator specified on the extended partition itself isn't very meaningful, to which specific volume (logical partition) are you referring? In the end, its semantics, but it's confusing to refer to extended partitions as partitions at all (which your reply has so clearly illustrated). I find it much more edifying to simply refer to primary and extended partitions (since that's what appears in the partition table), then explain that the extended partition can contain zero or more volumes (if you prefer to use the "extended partition" terminology, be my guest, it's the same thing as a volume). But to say that the HD can have three types of partitions, well, you say TomAto, I say TOmatO. This is one case where a simple clarification on your part would have been warranted, indeed, appreciated. But given your confusion, I suppose this is not to be expected. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. Wrong: If the drive is setup as a RAID, then it can be striped into many other primary partitions. RAID? Who in the world brought RAID into this discussion?! You're running off the rails at this point. RAID is moot, irrelevant. So I'm not even sure what you're getting at. If we keep the discussion to simple, hardware-based, two HD RAID0 (striping), the two HDs are logically treated as a single HD. I can configure that RAID0 with two new, clean (unpartitioned) HDs if I like, indeed, it's preferred. I configure the RAID BIOS to treat the two *physical* HDs as one *logical* HD. None of this has anything, nothing, nada, zippo, to do with partitioning. I partition the RAID0 array *after* creation of the array. From that point on, the definition of partitions is EXACTLY the same a single HD, because for all intents and purposes, the array is seen as a single HD to the BIOS and OS. As a result, the rules I outlined above remained 100% true. Again, I don't even know for sure what RAID has to do w/ any of this, RAID is RAID, partitioning is partitioning. Again, you seem confused. But I thought a lesson in RAID might be educational too. RAID has NOTHING TO DO WITH PARTIONING, NOTHING! It's about the relationship of HDs (for hardware RAID), not partitions. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. Still Wrong: zero means zero as applied earlier Ever use FDISK? Ever create an extended partition? After you create the extended partition, what do you do next? You define a volume (ok, if you prefer, logical partition) within that extended partition. In between the time you create the extended and define your first volume (logical partition) within it, how many volumes does the extended/logical partition actually contain? (jeopardy theme) ZERO! Now, does it make sense to create an extended partition and never define at least one volume (logical partition)? Of course not, presumably its the first thing you'll do. But it's a two step process, and technically you don't *have* to create any volumes (logical partitions) if you don't want to. But as sure as the sun rises in the East, had I stated that the extended partition can contain ONE (1) or more volumes (logical partitions), somebody else would have played "gotcha" and declared, WRONG, it can contain zero as well. So you can't win in these forums, you get it from both sides. - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". She specified volumes of a "partitioned" hard drive, so you obviously miss some words. Yes, and since she was clearly confused about the relationship of volumes to partitioning (such as yourself), I thought it best to explain the complete relationship, lest she be more confused, and unconvinced by simple declarations like "it's OK to format the volume, it won't affect other volumes". And I'm glad I did, because clearly she isn't the only confused one in this NG. Have a nice day, and I sincerely mean it, HTH Jim |
#11
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format partition question
Jim
Hi, this is as specific as I can get here. I recently installed a 2nd hard drive and was interested in finding out about formatting. Here is the information. Disk 0 Basic NTFS System (C Primary Disk 1 Basic NTFS Local Disk (E Primary | DRV1_VOL2 NTFS (F Logical | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical Extended | DRV1_VOL4 NTFS (H Logical | DRV1_VOL5 NTFS ( I Logical I was wanting to know if I could format only this Logical Partition DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical, and not affect the other Logical Partitions on the Extended Partition of my Primary Partition ? Did I explain this any better? Thanks, Donna J. "Jim" wrote in message news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some of the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments only. - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will have no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
#12
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format partition question
Each partition may be formatted independently of the others.
"DJ" wrote in message ... | Jim | Hi, this is as specific as I can get here. | I recently installed a 2nd hard drive and was interested in finding out | about formatting. Here is the information. | | Disk 0 Basic NTFS System (C Primary | | Disk 1 Basic NTFS Local Disk (E Primary | | | DRV1_VOL2 NTFS (F Logical | | | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical | | Extended | DRV1_VOL4 NTFS (H Logical | | | DRV1_VOL5 NTFS ( I Logical | | I was wanting to know if I could format only this Logical Partition | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical, and not affect the other Logical Partitions on | the Extended Partition of my Primary Partition ? | Did I explain this any better? | Thanks, Donna J. | | "Jim" wrote in message | news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... | Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some | of | the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments | only. | | - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. | - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. | - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary | partitions and 1 extended partition. | - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. | - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". | | So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will | have | no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. | | HTH | | Jim | | | "DJ" wrote in message | ... | Tom, | Thanks for the reply. | So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but | a | separate volume? | I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want | to | be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on | one | hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. | Thanks again, | Donna J. | | "Tom" wrote in message | ... | | "DJ" wrote in message | ... | Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard | drive. | For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to | format | DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted | volume? | Thanks, | -- | Donna J. | | Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. | | | | | | |
#13
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format partition question
Donna,
The short answer is, you can't hurt the other volumes (logical partitions), or even other primary partitions, soley by formatting any given volume (logical partition). Formatting only affects the targeted partition. If you're familar w/ DOS formatting, then I'm sure you're familar w/ the format command itself, which specifies a driver letter, right?! It's the partition associated w/ that drive letter that gets formatted, nothing else. That's why you can't even format unless you *do* specify the drive letter, otherwise, the format command doesn't know the target. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Jim Hi, this is as specific as I can get here. I recently installed a 2nd hard drive and was interested in finding out about formatting. Here is the information. Disk 0 Basic NTFS System (C Primary Disk 1 Basic NTFS Local Disk (E Primary | DRV1_VOL2 NTFS (F Logical | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical Extended | DRV1_VOL4 NTFS (H Logical | DRV1_VOL5 NTFS ( I Logical I was wanting to know if I could format only this Logical Partition DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical, and not affect the other Logical Partitions on the Extended Partition of my Primary Partition ? Did I explain this any better? Thanks, Donna J. "Jim" wrote in message news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some of the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments only. - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will have no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
#14
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format partition question
Thanks Jim.
Donna J. "Jim Macklin" wrote in message ... Each partition may be formatted independently of the others. "DJ" wrote in message ... | Jim | Hi, this is as specific as I can get here. | I recently installed a 2nd hard drive and was interested in finding out | about formatting. Here is the information. | | Disk 0 Basic NTFS System (C Primary | | Disk 1 Basic NTFS Local Disk (E Primary | | | DRV1_VOL2 NTFS (F Logical | | | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical | | Extended | DRV1_VOL4 NTFS (H Logical | | | DRV1_VOL5 NTFS ( I Logical | | I was wanting to know if I could format only this Logical Partition | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical, and not affect the other Logical Partitions on | the Extended Partition of my Primary Partition ? | Did I explain this any better? | Thanks, Donna J. | | "Jim" wrote in message | news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... | Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some | of | the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments | only. | | - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. | - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. | - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary | partitions and 1 extended partition. | - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. | - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". | | So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will | have | no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. | | HTH | | Jim | | | "DJ" wrote in message | ... | Tom, | Thanks for the reply. | So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but | a | separate volume? | I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want | to | be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on | one | hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. | Thanks again, | Donna J. | | "Tom" wrote in message | ... | | "DJ" wrote in message | ... | Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard | drive. | For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to | format | DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted | volume? | Thanks, | -- | Donna J. | | Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. | | | | | | |
#15
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format partition question
Jim
Thanks again to you also. I really tried to explain what I needed to know without causing any confusion. I'm glad it's been answered now. Have a good weekend. Donna J. "Jim" wrote in message news:6Figc.16111$Yf6.14741@fed1read07... Donna, The short answer is, you can't hurt the other volumes (logical partitions), or even other primary partitions, soley by formatting any given volume (logical partition). Formatting only affects the targeted partition. If you're familar w/ DOS formatting, then I'm sure you're familar w/ the format command itself, which specifies a driver letter, right?! It's the partition associated w/ that drive letter that gets formatted, nothing else. That's why you can't even format unless you *do* specify the drive letter, otherwise, the format command doesn't know the target. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Jim Hi, this is as specific as I can get here. I recently installed a 2nd hard drive and was interested in finding out about formatting. Here is the information. Disk 0 Basic NTFS System (C Primary Disk 1 Basic NTFS Local Disk (E Primary | DRV1_VOL2 NTFS (F Logical | DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical Extended | DRV1_VOL4 NTFS (H Logical | DRV1_VOL5 NTFS ( I Logical I was wanting to know if I could format only this Logical Partition DRV1_VOL3 NTFS (G Logical, and not affect the other Logical Partitions on the Extended Partition of my Primary Partition ? Did I explain this any better? Thanks, Donna J. "Jim" wrote in message news:Fj2gc.11320$Yf6.6259@fed1read07... Let's be more precise here w/ the terminology, that's the source of some of the confusion. We're confining the discussion to Windows/DOS environments only. - A (hard) drive has zero or more partitions. - A partition can be of two types, primary or extended. - A (hard) drive can have a maximum of 4 primary partitions, or, 3 primary partitions and 1 extended partition. - An extended partition can contain zero or more volumes. - You format primary partitions, or, extended volumes, not "drives". So, you can safely format any volume in the extended partition, it will have no effect on any other primary partition or extended volume. HTH Jim "DJ" wrote in message ... Tom, Thanks for the reply. So it would not effect the information that is on the same drive but a separate volume? I tried to find an answer online and in my help and support. I just want to be sure that even though DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 are all on one hard drive, that only the information on DRV1_VOL3 would be formatted. Thanks again, Donna J. "Tom" wrote in message ... "DJ" wrote in message ... Curious if it is possible to format 1 volume of a partitioned hard drive. For instance I have DRV1_VOL2, DRV1_VOL3, DRV1_VOL4 and would like to format DRV1_VOL3. Will this format the entire drive or just the targeted volume? Thanks, -- Donna J. Just the targeted drive, if that is what you select in Disk management. |
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